Accident Insurance in schools

[julienetmum]

I knocked off the premium for personal accident insurance off my last term's school fees for dd as I didn'd wish to take it out.

I've just had my bill for next term and they have it down as an outstanding balance.

Does anyone know about this type of insurance? Do I have to take it out and why isn't bog standard public liability that other schools and activities have good enough. I threw the brochure out back in September but it went on about if dd were to have an accident in school it would pay compensation etc.

By law they have to have public liability don't they? We certainly do.

ooh that's naughty. I'm pretty sure that it's illegal to any kind of compulsory insurance - lots of banks and holiday companies have been in trouble for it.

presumably they do have public liability, but they assume you wouldn't ever claim against that because it might jeopardise the education of the other children?

Did you tell them that's why you paid less in fees or did you just assume they would realise?

If it's anything like DD's school, unless you tell the accounts/bursar's department, it just sits there as an outstanding balance because no-one has been told to put anything through to counter it.

I "think" that I crossed through the insurance line on the remittance advice.

How would claiming on public liability jeapordise the education of the other children. The only thing I can think is that the next year's premium might go up. We run children's classes and I can;t see that someone claiming on our public liability (which also covers parents/other visitors) would jeaprodise things.

Maybe I am being a bit picky over £3.75 per term but every penny counts as they say.

I had assumed , by the way, that public liability would only apply if the school had been negligent in some way whereas this personal insurance insures you against loss incurred through an accident whether negligent or not???

when you said they had liability, I assumed you meant that they must be liable, not that they had public liability insurance. I think premiums for that type of insurance can go up a lot after a claim, but it was only a flippant remark anyway. I make a lot of those.

Is it to do with when pupils go on school trips (ie, off the school premises)?

No, Mercy, its for everyday school stuff. I seem to remember the leaflet mentioned school sports and other activities.

Dd went to nursery at the same school and didn't pay extra insurance then.

if your child was to be injured at school and it was the schools fault or they didnt ensure your child was sufficiently safe then you could use your own home insurance legal expenses to claim. in the rare event that you dont have this you simply sign a CFA which means your solicitor can charge a success fee but the agreement will state that you are liable for their costs, however i dont know one lawyer who would pursue for costs as long as you followed their advice. Thats the whole point of no win no fee.