K–12 School Insurance

Public, private, and charter schools face a complex mix of risk—from student injuries and employment practices claims to cyber breaches and crisis events. Heffernan Insurance Brokers provides tailored insurance solutions that help K–12 schools protect students, staff, facilities, and reputations.

What Is K–12 School Insurance?

K–12 school insurance is a comprehensive set of commercial policies designed to protect primary and secondary educational institutions from a wide range of risks. These risks can include physical injuries, professional liability, abuse allegations, cybercrime, property damage, and employee claims.
Heffernan builds insurance programs that combine general liability, property, workers’ comp, sexual misconduct liability, cyber, and auto coverage—all based on your school’s size, structure, and exposures.

Who Needs It?

K–12 school insurance is essential for:

• Public school districts
• Private elementary and secondary schools
• Charter and magnet schools
• Faith-based or religious academies
• Montessori and alternative learning institutions
• Specialty or boarding schools

Whether your school serves 50 students or 5,000, operating without specialized coverage puts your institution, faculty, and finances at risk.

What It Covers

A typical K–12 school insurance program may include:

• General Liability – Protects against student injuries, guest accidents, or damage to third-party property.
• Commercial Property Insurance – Covers school buildings, classrooms, equipment, signage, and athletic facilities.
• Abuse & Molestation Liability – Protects the school from claims of sexual misconduct or inappropriate staff behavior.
• Employment Practices Liability (EPLI) – Covers employee claims of harassment, wrongful termination, or discrimination.
• Cyber Liability – Defends against breaches of student data, ransomware attacks, and online platform hacks.
• Workers’ Compensation – Covers injuries to faculty, staff, or volunteers in the course of employment.
• Automobile Liability – For school-owned vehicles or student transport programs.
• Student Accident Insurance – Covers injuries sustained during school-sponsored activities or athletics.
• Umbrella/Excess Liability – Provides extended protection for high-exposure claims.

Endorsements can be added for tuition reimbursement, equipment breakdown, crisis response, or special education programs.

Common Risks for K–12 Schools

Operating a K–12 school comes with high responsibility—and high risk. Heffernan helps you prepare for common exposures, including:

• Student Injuries
  Accidents on playgrounds, during P.E., in hallways, or on field trips can lead to costly claims and parent disputes.
• Abuse Allegations
  Claims of sexual misconduct—even if unfounded—can cause significant legal, financial, and reputational harm.
• Cybersecurity Breaches
  Schools store sensitive student and family data, making them targets for hackers and phishing scams.
• Transportation & Field Trip Liability
  Accidents involving buses or parent drivers expose schools to litigation and compliance risk.
• Faculty & Staff Claims
  Allegations of wage violations, discrimination, or hostile work environment fall under EPLI exposure.
• Property Loss or Vandalism
  Fires, storms, or campus vandalism can disrupt the school year—and budget.

Heffernan works closely with administrators and risk managers to mitigate these threats and design policies that support operational continuity.