BASW insurance cover is tailored to your social work role and experience level. Find out more about Professional Indemnity Insurance and Public Liability Insurance.
Professional indemnity insurance
Professional indemnity insurance covers anyone who provides a professional service who may have claims brought against them by a client. This cover would come into effect should your social work be called into question and/or you are sued for malpractice.
If you are a current, paid up BASW member* and you are a resident of the UK, you are covered. However, to ensure you are covered for current work, you must be in a working category of membership. Life members are covered for current work.
Professional indemnity insurance FAQs
What does the professional indemnity cover?
You are covered for any claims made against you and advised to us during the period of insurance arising from:
- Allegations of negligence or your breach of duty of care.
- Negligent mis-statements or misrepresentation.
- Alleged breach of intellectual property rights.
- Breach of confidence or misuse of any information which is either confidential or subject to statutory restrictions on its use.
- Defamation.
- Any other civil liability unless excluded below.
What does the professional indemnity NOT cover?
You are NOT covered against any claim arising out of:
- Investment advice including the administration of any pension fund or dealing with any stocks or shares.
- Breach of any tax laws or anti-competition legislation including restraint of trade or anti-trust regulation.
- Any liability that you assume under a contract which is greater than your liability would have been at law without such a contract.
- Any pre-existing problem which you knew about or should have reasonably known about before the insurance started.
- Deliberate, reckless or dishonest acts.
- Any liability for employees, which includes any discrimination or harassment of them.
- Death, injury or disease suffered by anyone unless arising directly from your breach of a duty of care in the performance of your professional activity.
- The destruction or damage of any property, again unless arising from your breach of duty of care in the performance of a professional activity.
- The ownership of any vehicle whether used on the land, sea or air. (You will need additional insurance from another provider to cover this).
- Any valuable documents such as share certificates, cash, or art work are not insured. (You will need additional insurance from another provider to cover this).
- Any personal liability that you may incur as a director or officer of any company. Any claims arising from the company in which you have a financial executive or managerial interest, unless those claims come from an independent third party and arise from the performance of your professional activity.
- Pollution or contamination. Transmission of any computer virus. Asbestos risks
- Claims arising from the sale, manufacture or supply of any product.
Do I need Professional Indemnity insurance?
Yes. All social work professionals require professional indemnity insurance either provided by their employer or secured independently through providers such as BASW.
Do you have to be a Social Worker to join BASW and access the insurance?
Join BASW and benefit from the insurance as part of membership, you are required to have a social work qualification and work in a social work or social work related role.
How do I make an insurance claim?
The insurance policy covers claims made for compensation or damages.
IMPORTANT. If you receive a notification of a claim against you or have reasonable grounds to believe that a claim might be produced, contact BASW immediately even if you do not believe the claim to be justifiable.
Failure to notify promptly could invalidate your cover.
When you do get in touch, provide as much information as possible including individuals involved, circumstances and accurate timeline.
If your claim is accepted, our insurers will arrange legal advice on your behalf.
- Please contact us in the first instance as it is unlikely we will be able to reimburse you if you arrange your own legal provider. Please call 0121 622 8415 or contact us here.
- NOTE: The insurance policy covers claims made for compensation or damages. Should you be subject to a complaint referred to a regulatory body please contact the BASW Advice and Representation department who can support you with this on 0121 6228413 or email ARAS@basw.co.uk
Will my insurance still be valid if I don’t continue my BASW membership?
No. Professional Indemnity insurance is claims made, which means the insured party is covered when a claim is made against them during the period covered by the policy. Therefore, you will need to have been a member and been insured when you completed the piece of work and still have the same membership paid and up-to-date when any potential legal action is taken against you. A break in membership will invalidate pre-existing cover.
What happens to my professional indemnity insurance cover if I am no longer a member of BASW?
If you resign your BASW membership or it is lapsed, any previous or current work is no longer covered by the BASW Professional Indemnity insurance.
May I use my BASW insurance to take legal action against another individual?
No. The professional indemnity cover within BASW membership may only be accessed if a claim is brought against you as an individual.
Is my BASW insurance valid outside of the UK?
Yes and no.
The BASW policy covers members residing in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man undertaking social work in the UK & EU, Channel Islands and Isle of Man, by a UK-based client.
Members living outside of the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man cannot be covered under the BASW Members Insurance Policy
The cover is applicable only to UK members where they undertake work within the Geographical Limits of UK & EU, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.(Updated October 2022)
Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that all registration and other legal requirements are met whilst working abroad.
The Professional Indemnity insurance would not provide cover for you unless these legal requirements have been met. This includes ensuring you have permission from the relevant authority to practice within their jurisdiction. In the instance that your services are being commissioned from a client who is not UK based, the insurance would not be valid.
Members who are not UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man residents are not normally covered. Please contact BASW for specific queries.
How long does the Professional Indemnity cover last?
The professional indemnity insurance cover begins when you join BASW (within a working category) and remains in place as long as you keep your BASW membership current and up to date.
Do all social work professionals and/ or independent practitioners require Professional Indemnity insurance?
Yes. Independents, in the vast majority of instances, will need to organise your own cover as any insurance your client may have will unlikely extend to your business activities. Always ensure that you have confirmation of insurance in writing if provided by an associate or client.
Understanding insurance cover when working in the UK legal system
Independent social workers may offer services within the UK legal system including preparing reports and/ or rights of audience in Court. Services may extend to advising legal professionals or clients on rights and cases based on points of law within social work. Should the eligibility to conduct this work specify social worker registration and/ or a qualification in social work then the professional indemnity included within membership would be applicable to these services. Such cover provided for social work is subject to the terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the Professional Indemnity Insurance Policy underwritten by Hiscox UK.
In compliance with the BASW Code of Ethics Addendum for Independents, members should only offer services within their areas of expertise and social work professional competencies.
BASW members may be eligible to offer legal advice (a protected term for the legal profession) should they have a qualification in law. However, the BASW professional indemnity insurance does not cover legal advice and these members will need to seek alternative cover to provide these services.”
I am in a non-working category of membership, am I still insured?
Should your work be undertaken on an entirely voluntary basis, then your BASW professional indemnity insurance within the non-working category would still be applicable.
If you receive any payment from the work and in a non-working category of membership, then your BASW professional indemnity insurance is invalid. If you are unsure about your membership category, please contact the BASW membership team.
Will I still be insured when I retire?
As long as you maintain your BASW membership up-to-date, your BASW Professional Indemnity insurance will still be valid for work that began after your join date. Please contact the membership team to discuss what member category is right for you.
My practice is not exclusively social work, are these activities still covered?
The insurance may still cover elements of your practice that still require your social work skills, experience and or qualification. Activities that are entirely unrelated to social work will not be covered. Please contact us for specific queries.
Are my business associates also covered by my BASW insurance?
No. Should your business associates also be social workers then they may join BASW individually to access the BASW insurance cover. If they are not social workers, they will need to source cover independently. We strongly recommend that when working with associates either on a single contract or on a long-term arrangement to seek legal advice on how best to proceed.
If you are employing colleagues be it social workers, administrative support or other professionals, you may require employers’ liability insurance. At present BASW does not provide this cover.
Working within a Partnership, Social Enterprise, consortium or other joined arrangement
Always seek legal advice when entering a business arrangement with colleagues. Items to discuss and have a written agreement may include (though not exhaustive):
- Clarity of commitment & responsibilities (business & practice)
- Liability
- Insurance
- Exit strategy
How much can be claimed?
An aggregate claim limit of up to GBP 5,000,000.
This includes any legal costs you may sustain in defending yourself and any legal costs of the claimant that you may be called upon to pay as a result of a judgement against you.
There is a lower limit of £50 000 in respect of any lost or destroyed documents that you are required to replace and which are necessary for the performance of your professional activities.
Is there an excess to make a claim against my BASW Insurance?
The £5000 excess to make an insurance claim is paid by the Association.
Are there VAT implications should I make a claim on my BASW Insurance?
There are VAT implications but these are not met by the BASW member making a viable claim.
Can I have my individual name or business name on the verification of insurance document?
As BASW members are protected under the BASW umbrella policy, it is not possible to add your name or business name to the insurance document. Many clients will accept this document. An accompanying letter can be issued upon request.
I’m an Independent, does the BASW Professional Indemnity insurance cover my business?
The BASW Professional Indemnity insurance covers you as an individual and not your business as an entity. Therefore, within your company you are covered for your professional practice. If working with colleagues and/ or if you employ anyone, we strongly recommend seeking independent legal advice on the most appropriate way to insure your practice and business.
Policy definitions and exclusions
The definition of Social Work stated in the Schedule under the Professional Indemnity and Public Liability Policies for BASW members is as follows:
Social work: Promoting social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems.
Special Definitions: Social work Business activity is amended in the BASW Members Policy to read as follows:
- The activities stated in the Schedule, which you perform in the course of your business; and
- Any activities you perform as a practising member of the British Association of Social Workers, that are within the scope of your qualifications and social work regulations, including any activity within your job description.
Hiscox (the insurers) will not make any payment for any claim or part of a claim or loss directly or indirectly due to any work you perform that is not specified as part of your social work regulations, or job description.
Any activities that fall outside the role and scope of a social worker are not covered by this Policy.
This is particularly relevant where members are acting in their capacity as independent therapists. These activities carry a medical malpractice exposure and need to be covered under a separate specific Policy.
The Policy includes a specific exclusion relating to medical malpractice exposures.
Updated December 2023.
Public Liability Insurance FAQs
How do I make an insurance claim?
The insurance policy covers claims made for compensation or damages.
IMPORTANT. If you receive a notification of a claim against you or have reasonable grounds to believe that a claim might be produced, contact BASW immediately even if you do not believe the claim to be justifiable.
Failure to notify promptly could invalidate your cover.
When you do get in touch, provide as much information as possible including individuals involved, circumstances and accurate timeline.
If your claim is accepted, our insurers will arrange legal advice on your behalf.
- Please contact us in the first instance as it is unlikely we will be able to reimburse you if you arrange your own legal provider. Please call 0121 622 8415 or contact us here.
- NOTE: The insurance policy covers claims made for compensation or damages. Should you be subject to a complaint referred to a regulatory body please contact the BASW Advice and Representation department who can support you with this on 0121 6228413 or email ARAS@basw.co.uk
What is Public Liability insurance?
Public liability insurance covers claims that arise should your negligence result in injury to a member of the public or damage to their property.
Incidents where people trip or fall over are among the most common accidents which can result in public liability insurance claims. For example, if a member of the public trips over a bag that has been left on the floor at a workshop you were running as an independent practitioner, and the member of public is injured as a result, they may claim against you for compensation.
Am I insured?
If you are a current, paid up BASW member, resident of the UK and subscribe to the Independents Plus membership package, you will have £5 million public liability insurance cover for your professional social work activities.
May I use my BASW insurance to take legal action against another individual?
No. The public liability cover within BASW membership only applies if a claim is brought against you as an individual.
Is my BASW insurance valid outside of the UK?
Yes and no.
The BASW policy covers members residing in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man undertaking social work in the UK & EU, Channel Islands and Isle of Man, by a UK-based client.
Members living outside of the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man cannot be covered under the BASW Members Insurance Policy
The cover is applicable only to UK members where they undertake work within the Geographical Limits of UK & EU, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.(Updated October 2022)
Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that all registration and other legal requirements are met whilst working abroad.
The Public Liability insurance will not provide cover for you unless these legal requirements have been met. This includes ensuring you have permission from the relevant authority to practice within their jurisdiction.
In the instance that your services are being commissioned from a client who is not UK-based, the insurance would not be valid.
Members who are not UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man residents are not normally covered. Please contact BASW for specific queries.
Do you have to be a Social Worker to join BASW and access the insurance?
To join BASW and benefit from the insurance as part of membership, you are required to have a social work qualification and work in a social work or social work related role.
Do all social work professionals and/ or independent practitioners require Public Liability insurance?
Should you meet with any clients, service users and/ or members of the public when conducting business or as part of your practice, then you will need Public Liability insurance. Clients may occasionally cover contractor activities, however, in the vast majority of instances you will need to organise your own cover and this will likely be a condition of contractual arrangements.
I am in a non-working category of membership, am I still insured?
Should your work be undertaken on an entirely voluntary basis, then your BASW professional indemnity insurance within the non-working category would still be applicable.
If you receive payment for contracted work and in a non-working category of membership, then your BASW professional indemnity insurance is invalid. If you are unsure about your membership category, please contact the BASW membership team.
My practice is not exclusively social work, are these activities still covered?
The Public Liability insurance will be valid when you are on social work or social work related business. Activities that are entirely unrelated to social work will not be covered. Please contact us for specific queries.
Are my business associates also covered by my BASW insurance?
No. Should your business associates also be social workers then they may join BASW individually to access the BASW insurance. If they are not social workers, they will need to source cover independently. We strongly recommend that when working with associates either on a single contract or on a long-term arrangement to seek legal advice on how best to proceed.
If you are employing colleagues be it social workers, administrative support or other professionals, you may require employers’ liability insurance. At present, BASW does not provide this cover.
Working within a Partnership, Social Enterprise, consortium or other joined arrangement
Always seek legal advice when entering a business arrangement with colleagues. Items to discuss and have a written agreement may include (though not exhaustive):
- Clarity of commitment & responsibilities (business & practice)
- Liability
- Insurance
- Exit strategy
How much can be claimed?
Up to £5 million for any one claim or in total during any one year.
This includes any legal costs you may sustain in defending yourself and any legal costs of the claimant that you may be called upon to pay as a result of a judgement against you.
Is there an excess to make a claim against my BASW Insurance?
There is a £250 excess for property damage to make an insurance claim which is paid by the insured member.
Are there VAT implications should I make a claim on my BASW Insurance?
There are VAT implications but these are not met by the BASW member making a viable claim.
Can I have my individual name or business name on the verification of insurance document?
As BASW members are protected under the BASW umbrella policy, it is not possible to add your name or business name to the insurance document. A personalised accompanying letter can be issued upon request.
I’m an Independent, does the BASW Public Liability insurance cover my business?
The BASW Public Liability insurance covers you as an individual and not your business as an entity. Therefore, within your company you are covered for any damages caused. If working with colleagues and/ or if you employ anyone, we strongly recommend seeking independent legal advice on the most appropriate way to insure your practice.
Policy definitions and exclusions
The definition of Social Work stated in the Schedule under the Professional Indemnity and Public Liability Policies for BASW members is as follows:
Social work: Promoting social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems.
Special Definitions: Social work Business activity is amended in the BASW Members Policy to read as follows:
- The activities stated in the Schedule, which you perform in the course of your business; and
- Any activities you perform as a practising member of the British Association of Social Workers, that are within the scope of your qualifications and social work regulations, including any activity within your job description.
Hiscox (the insurers) will not make any payment for any claim or part of a claim or loss directly or indirectly due to any work you perform that is not specified as part of your social work regulations, or job description.
Any activities that fall outside the role and scope of a social worker are not covered by this Policy.
This is particularly relevant where members are acting in their capacity as independent therapists. These activities carry a medical malpractice exposure and need to be covered under a separate specific Policy.
The Policy includes a specific exclusion relating to medical malpractice exposures.
Updated December 2023.
