Over the past few months, I’ve found myself dealing with an unexpected challenge – one that most people outside education would never think about, and one that even many inside the sector didn’t realise was brewing. It’s about insurance. But not just any insurance. It’s about Sexual Abuse and Molestation (SAM) Liability cover.

It’s not a topic any of us particularly enjoy discussing, but it’s essential. And recently, it’s become surprisingly difficult to secure – even for providers who take safeguarding incredibly seriously.

The Discovery No One Wants to Make

Like many other alternative learning providers, I believed our existing policies covered everything we needed. After all, we have robust safeguarding procedures, safer recruitment, comprehensive staff training, and a transparent culture. You naturally assume you’re insured for all eventualities.

But while working through a new due-diligence process with a council, we were declined and discovered something worrying: SAM Liability was not included in our current policy. I thought it would be something that would be easy to rectify, and my business manager was straight on the phone – that’s when we found out that it wasn’t something that my insurer was prepared to offer, which is when the frantic search started!

This wasn’t a case of oversight. It’s because many insurers have quietly removed or excluded SAM Liability from their standard policies. In fact, lots of educational providers are only now realising the same thing, often at the point of contract renewal or compliance checks.

Why Is This Suddenly an Issue? 

Over the last few years, insurers have tightened their positions on anything related to safeguarding risk. Historical abuse claims across various sectors have risen, and the insurance response has been to step back entirely.

The result?

Although it looks like many insurers offer this cover when you search online, in reality very few actually do.

At the moment, Gallaghers and Hiscox are the only insurers I know that are willing to provide SAM Liability for organisations like ours. And securing it is neither instant nor straightforward.

The Hard Truth About Why It’s So Difficult

I’ve now learned more about insurance underwriting than I ever wanted to – but the reasons behind the difficulty are important to understand:

• It’s considered exceptionally high-risk and could be expensive. Insurers are extremely cautious about taking on potential allegations relating to abuse, even with strong safeguarding in place.

   

• Most insurers have withdrawn entirely. The legal and financial exposure has made many decide it’s simply not worth the risk and this is something educational, social and health care providers need to seriously consider as the risk of an allegation is always there and without any protection, this leaves you vulnerable.

   

• Standard policies now exclude it. Public liability, employers’ liability, professional indemnity – none of these automatically include SAM anymore, despite how they may be presented online so it’s important to check your policy as it comes up for renewal and be ready with a back up plan if you know that it will be excluded.

This confusion leaves providers scrambling to make sense of what they need, what they’re missing, and how to put it right.

The Impact on Providers Like Us

For Sowing Seeds, the biggest frustration hasn’t been the cost. It’s been the lack of transparency and the time it has taken to find a provider who offers this cover. Many of us assumed we were adequately insured, because we always have been, and because it wasn’t communicated that the market had changed so drastically.

And we’re not alone. I’ve spoken with other providers who are only discovering these exclusions when it jeopardises commissioning opportunities or delays contracts. It’s a stressful position for any organisation working with vulnerable young people and adults.

Where We Go From Here

This isn’t a challenge that one provider can solve alone – it’s a sector issue, and a growing one.

What I hope is that by talking openly about it, we can help other organisations:

• check their own policies sooner
• understand what’s required
• avoid being caught out unexpectedly
• and secure the cover they need to operate safely and responsibly

No one wants to think about allegations or worst-case scenarios. We all work so hard to prevent harm, protect young people, and build safe environments. But part of that responsibility includes preparing for every possibility, even the unthinkable.

Insurance won’t prevent harm, but it does ensure that organisations like ours remain accountable, transparent, and protected. It allows us to continue our work with confidence.

The process of securing SAM Liability has been challenging, frustrating at times, and deeply revealing. But it has also reaffirmed my belief that openness and vigilance are non-negotiable when working with vulnerable young people.

If you’re a fellow provider and you’ve found yourself confused by these changes or unsure about your own cover, you’re not alone. And if my experience can help even one organisation avoid the confusion I faced, then sharing it with our ALIGN members is more than worth it.