If you receive any payment from the work and in a non-working category of membership, then your BASW professional indemnity insurance is invalid. 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. 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 am in a non-working category of membership, am I still insured? NOTE: The insurance policy covers claims made for compensation or damages.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.If your claim is accepted, our insurers will arrange legal advice on your behalf. When you do get in touch, provide as much information as possible including individuals involved, circumstances and accurate timeline. 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.įailure to notify promptly could invalidate your cover. The insurance policy covers claims made for compensation or damages. 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. What happens to my professional indemnity insurance cover if I am no longer a member of BASW? 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. How long does the Professional Indemnity cover last? Always ensure that you have confirmation of insurance in writing if provided by an associate or client. 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. To join BASW and benefit from the insurance as part of membership, you are required to have a social work qualification and/ or work in a social work or social work related role.ĭo all social work professionals and/ or independent practitioners require Professional Indemnity insurance? Please contact BASW for specific queries.ĭo you have to be a Social Worker to join BASW and access the insurance? Members who are not UK residents are not normally covered. In the instance that your services are being commissioned from a client who is not UK based, the insurance would not be valid. 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.
Independence pro insurance registration#
Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that all registration and other legal requirements are met whilst working abroad.
Should the social work be contracted within the UK by a UK-based client, your BASW insurance would be applicable internationally with the exception of North America. Is my BASW insurance valid ouside of the UK? A break in membership will invalidate pre-existing cover. 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. 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. Will my insurance still be valid if I don’t continue my BASW membership? The professional indemnity cover within BASW membership may only be accessed if a claim is brought against you as an individual. May I use my BASW insurance to take legal action against another individual? All social work professionals require professional indemnity insurance either provided by their employer or secured independently through providers such as BASW. However, to ensure you are covered for current work, you must be in a working category of membership.ĭo I need Professional Indemnity insurance? If you are a current, paid up BASW member* and you are a resident of the UK, you are covered. This cover would come into effect should your social work be called into question and/or you are sued for malpractice. Professional indemnity insurance covers anyone who provides a professional service who may have claims brought against them by a client.