Sexual Abuse Insurance Policy

Sexual abuse insurance, also called sexual misconduct or sexual abuse and molestation (SAM) insurance, is a policy that is purchased by organizations such as nonprofits, schools, healthcare providers, businesses and after-school activities providers where employees, contractors or volunteers are in contact with minors. The coverage is designed to provide protection against allegations of sexual misconduct and molestation, which is defined in some policies as "any actual or alleged sexual abuse, sexual molestation, sexual mistreatment or sexual maltreatment, including, but not limited to, any sexual involvement, sexual conduct or sexual contact, regardless of consent." The coverage is often required to be carried by contractors or service providers that have a contract with a school district or a government agency.

We offer sexual abuse insurance as either a standalone policy or as an endorsement to a professional liability policy in some cases. The policies are offered on a claims-made basis, which means that it is the policy that is in force at the time a claim is reported that responds to such claim. It also means that act which gave rise to the claim must be on or after the retroactive date of the policy. Standalone SAM policies often include coverage to address the fallout of a sexual abuse claim, such as crisis services, investigation services, and victim support services.

In order to mitigate their exposure to a sexual abuse and molestation claim, organizations should have a rigorous hiring and screening process that includes comprehensive interviews, preferably in-person and by more than on interviewer, reference checks, criminal backgrounds checks, and national abuse registry checks. It is also preferable to minimize one-on-one contact between adults and minors during the rendering of services.

A sexual abuse and molestation insurance policy provides peace of mind and stability as should a sexual abuse claim be filed against an insured, the insurance company will provide legal representation and pay losses on behalf of the insured, up to the policy limit. It is important for insureds to carry a sufficient policy limit as both losses and defense costs are subject to such limit and as SAM claims can be expensive.

In order to receive a sexual abuse and molestation insurance quote, please complete the SAM application and return to us. Do no hesitate to give us a call if you have any question about the coverage or the application process.