Starting or joining a homeschool co-op — or microschool — is an excellent opportunity to collaborate with like-minded parents on your children’s learning and socialization.
But what happens if a child gets hurt at your school? Or if someone’s property is damaged while hosting the group at their place? Do homeschool co-ops need insurance, and do they even qualify?
These are critical questions for any group to address, and we’re here to help you do just that. Let’s take a closer look at what risks homeschool co-ops face and how educator liability insurance can protect you from their financial fallout.
The Real Risks Homeschool Co-Ops Face
Homeschool co-ops come in all shapes and sizes — they may have five students or 50. They might be entirely volunteer-led or include paid teachers and/or tutors.
Regardless, the basic practice of meeting up, hosting events, and doing activities together means accidents can happen, which can easily lead to expensive lawsuits. Below are examples of some of the most common risks your co-op is exposed to, but could be protected from by the right homeschool group liability insurance policy.
| Scenario | Example | Estimated Claim | Coverage Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Student Injuries |
A child falls off monkey bars in your backyard, breaks their wrist, and parents sue for negligence and medical bills. |
$50,000 |
|
|
Allergic Reactions |
Cookies get cross-contaminated with peanuts, causing a child’s severe allergic reaction. Parents sue for hospitalization costs and damages. |
$70,000 |
|
|
Property Damage |
A student spills a drink on a community center computer during co-op class, destroying it. |
$2,000 |
|
|
Accusations of Abuse |
A parent claims you inappropriately touched their child after offering a hug, leading to a lawsuit. |
$100,000 |
|
|
Equipment Damage |
Your child accidentally steps on another parent’s tablet used for teaching purposes, breaking it beyond repair. |
$1,100 |
|
|
Allegations of “Poor” Instruction |
A student fails to get into a music camp, and parents sue you for inadequate piano instruction. |
$15,000 |
|
|
Data Breach |
A phishing email compromises parent/child data and payment info, leading to lawsuits and monitoring costs. |
$30,000 |
Why Homeschool Group Liability Insurance Is a Must
As you can see from the examples above, even minor accidents can turn into huge financial burdens. Without insurance, any incident can turn into an ugly game of pointing fingers and fighting parents to pay out-of-pocket when it seems they’re to blame.
However, if your homeschool co-op has insurance, many of the incidents above can be covered claims that never need to see a courtroom.
If a child injures themselves under your watch, the no-fault medical payments coverage under your general liability policy can cover their related bills. Or, if a parent clicks on a phishing link and puts the co-op’s sensitive information in jeopardy, file a claim under your cyber liability policy and avoid anyone paying out of pocket.
But insurance doesn’t just protect bank accounts — it also protects the community you’ve worked so hard to build with the other members of your homeschool co-op.
When everyone’s insured under the same policy, there’s no need to argue over who’s responsible. This peace of mind is priceless when it comes to getting more parents to volunteer to host activities and teach lessons, as they won’t have the threat of personal liability looming over their heads.
How Insurance Canopy Protects Your Homeschool Group
Insurance Canopy offers affordable insurance for homeschool organizations starting as low as $21.08 per month, or $229 per year.
That means if you have a co-op consisting of just five families and you all decide to split an annual premium equally, you would each pay just $45.80 per year for coverage. That’s just a fraction of the cost of the cheapest claim examples above.
With Insurance Canopy, your base policy includes:
- General liability to cover slips, trips, and damage to others’ property
- Professional liability (aka errors and omissions) to cover errors, mistakes, or negligence in instruction
- Products-completed operations to cover injuries caused by instruction or the products used to teach students
- Damage to premises rented to you to cover fire damage to a space you rent
- Personal and advertising injury to cover your legal fees if you are accused of defamation
You can expand your coverage with these optional add-ons:
- Cyber liability to cover costs associated with data breaches, phishing schemes, ransomware, and other cybercrimes
- Equipment and materials to cover the cost of repairing or replacing teaching gear
- Free, unlimited additional insureds to cover other people or organizations that require you to add them to your policy, such as a community center whose space you want to rent
- Sexual abuse and molestation (SAM) liability to cover your legal fees if you are falsely accused of these crimes
- Workers compensation insurance to cover your state-mandated workers compensation benefits if your co-op has employees who get injured on the job
Insurance Canopy allows you and your homeschool co-op to build a liability insurance policy that meets your group’s exact needs — all without increasing membership fees significantly.
Learn more about educator insurance for homeschool co-ops and get your free quote online in 10 minutes or less!
FAQs About Insurance for Homeschool Organizations
Does My Homeschool Co-Op Need to Be Incorporated to Get Insured?
No, your co-op does not need to be incorporated to be covered. Incorporation has benefits, such as setting your co-op up as a nonprofit, but it’s not a requirement to get insurance.
Who Pays for Homeschool Co-Op Insurance?
Typically, the co-op’s parents split the premium cost amongst themselves. This may be included in the regular dues or fees each family pays to remain part of the organization.
Is Liability Insurance Required by Law for Homeschool Groups?
Generally, homeschool groups are not legally required to carry liability insurance. However, many venues or facilities, like churches and community centers, require homeschool co-ops to show proof of insurance before allowing you to use their space.
Will Homeowner's Insurance Cover Homeschool Group Activities?
Homeowner’s insurance often will not cover group activities involving multiple families, especially if they happen away from your home.
Always check with your homeowner’s insurance provider to confirm, and have any other parents in your co-op who host activities at their homes do the same.
How Much Does Insurance Cost for a Homeschool Co-Op?
Insurance Canopy offers educator insurance for homeschool co-ops starting at $21.08 per month, or $229 per year.
Factors that can increase the cost of your premium include the state your co-op is located in and whether you select any add-on coverages during checkout.
JoAnne Hammer | Program Manager
JoAnne Hammer is the Program Manager for Insurance Canopy. She has held the prestigious Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation since July 2004.
JoAnne understands that starting and operating a business takes a tremendous amount of time, dedication, and financial resources. She believes that insurance is the single best way to protect your investment, business, and personal assets.
JoAnne Hammer is the Program Manager for Insurance Canopy. She has held the prestigious Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation since July 2004.
JoAnne understands that starting and operating a business takes a tremendous amount of time, dedication, and financial resources. She believes that insurance is the single best way to protect your investment, business, and personal assets.
