Buildings and contents
Buildings
County Council County and Controlled schools are insured by the Local Authority for the full cost of reinstatement against the perils of fire, lightning, explosion, aircraft, storm, flood, burst water pipes, impact, sprinkler leakage, and subsidence.
Aided schools are separately insured as they are owned by trustees rather than the Local Authority. Academy schools are also insured separately.
Contents
Cover for contents, however, remains to be restricted to the perils of fire, lightning, explosion and aircraft. However, schools still have the option to take out cover for additional perils on contents direct, should they wish, using their delegated budgets to pay the premium.
Specialist local authority insurers, such as Zurich Municipal will provide such cover but schools are free to approach any broker or company they wish, in order to obtain the best possible terms.
Additional expenses
Cover is provided in respect of additional expenditure incurred in order to continue operations at the school, or elsewhere, following damage by an insured peril. Expenses relating to the hire of temporary classrooms, additional travelling costs and similar expenditures are covered by this policy.
Employers liability
Currently the local authority provides cover up to £50 million for any one incident, in respect of its legal liability for injury to persons under a contract of service with the local authority.
Both full and part-time employees are similarly covered. Cover also extends to include any person under a contract of service to aided school governors, whilst engaged in duties relating to educational activities.
Public liability
This covers any claims made against the local authority, the school, its governors, employees or volunteer helpers by a third party, in respect of any physical injury or damage to property arising as a result of the negligence of any of the above parties. The policy has been specifically extended to cover school governors, including governors of aided schools in respect of claims arising out of the use of school premises for educational purposes. Currently the local authority provides cover of £50 million for any one incident.
Officials and professional indemnity
Similar to public liability insurance but covering the legal liability of the local authority, its employees and governors for any legal liability to pay compensation for financial loss (as distinct from physical injury or damage) sustained by a third party as a result of negligent advice, acts, errors or omissions on the part of any insured person. Cover in this instance is up to £5 million for any one incident.
Libel and slander
Cover applies to all employees and school governors in respect of claims made by third parties. Governors are no longer required to make any contribution towards the cost of settlement
Personal accident – assault
The local authority has taken out a policy providing cover for both employees and governors who suffer serious assault in the course of their duties. The policy covers death, permanent or partial disablement, loss of limbs or sight. The maximum payable on death or permanent total disablement is £100,000 and this reduces in line with the Standard European Scale, according to the degree of disability.
Personal accident – teachers out of school activities
Cover is for teachers engaged in activities considered to be outside the scope of their contract of service but complementary to their employment. The maximum benefit payable is
£600,000.
Other services
School journey insurance
This policy provides travel type insurance for any approved excursion away from the school, including exchange visits and work experience placements not exceeding 31 days.
Participants must be students in full time education in a Devon LEA School, a teacher or a volunteer.
Money
This policy covers theft of money belonging to the school or the local authority, up to £8,000 in cash, whilst in transit or in a locked safe or strong room, or £500 in other locked receptacles.
Fidelity guarantee
This cover relates to loss of money or other property belonging to the local authority or the school, occurring as a direct result of an act of fraud or dishonesty by any employee, or school governor, up to £10 million.
Engineering
Insurance is effected by the local authority to provide cover for explosion and fragmentation of boiler and pressure plant, plus periodic statutory inspection where required.
Minibus insurance
Schools utilise other types of vehicles; from the operation point of view all DCC vehicles are insured in the same way, i.e. fully comprehensive regardless of vehicle type.
Terrorism insurance
Further details can be provided upon request.
Further information
Contact Emily Wilkins (Corporate Insurance Manager) – telephone 01392 383136 or email insurance@devon.gov.uk.