LIABILITY INSURANCE COVERAGE

Our attorneys administer an educator liability policy which protects you when claims are made against you by others. This policy provides vital coverage for monetary damages awarded against you and also provides defense of suits brought against you in your professional capacity even if the allegations are groundless, false or fraudulent.

Your policy and protection includes:

• $2 Million per member per occurrence
• $3 Million per occurrence if more than 1 member involved
• Coverage for coaching, tutoring, & private instruction
• Civil & Constitutional Rights claims
• Criminal Defense for Sexual Misconduct charges
• $35,000 for Criminal Acts
• $5,000 Bail Bond
• $2,500 Assault-Related Property Damage

more details

This brief description of the insurance coverage is to provide general information only to members and potential members and in no way alters or modifies the policy on file with the Association. Coverage begins at 12:00:01 the day following enrollment. Coverage is only applicable to Professional, Support, and Student Memberships.

Our policy has protected many members in liability suits and/or job actions over the years. In each instance, the member needed to access the policy protections because the school district policy did not cover them. In addition to the liability insurance protection discussed above, as a Professional Educators of Tennessee member you also receive a very important type of legal protection:

EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS / LEGAL PROTECTIONS

Our daily, timely and rigorous real-time legal services provide advice, counsel and legal representation to protect your employment rights. These rights involve tenure, due process, suspensions, separations, reprimands, special education, and state license reviews. You will speak with an attorney upon initial contact and are encouraged to call our lawyers at the earliest opportunity. A plan of action is best developed early and you will find that our proposed resolutions and advice involve both administrative and legal strategies. We are here for you regarding other education related questions as well. Do not hesitate to call.

In reality, the employment protection coverage is much more heavily used by our members than is liability protection. Access to your legal protection is not dependent upon whether your case is determined to be in the best interest of Professional Educators of Tennessee. Unlike other organizations, where such employment protection is discretionary, Professional Educators of Tennessee has no committee or group of people who will decide whether or not you will be represented should you face such an employment situation. This coverage saves our members thousands of dollars in legal fees every year and provides immeasurable peace of mind. 

In the event you are served with an arrest warrant, call our office immediately for assistance. A receipt for the bail bond premium should be mailed to us along with the arrest warrant. This information will be forwarded to the insurance company for reimbursement.

Our extensive employment service and liability insurance administration service combine to give you the security and comfort of knowing that daily legal services are always available to you and that you are protected from both personal and criminal claims and actions, regardless of their merit.

Liability Limits - are $2,000,000 per member per occurrence and $3,000,000 per occurrence if more than one member is involved, plus 100% of defense costs.

Coaches - are covered during coaching duties.

Private Instruction/Tutoring Coverage - covers private instruction & tutoring that occurs in the course of your duties as an employee of a school/accredited education institution; up to $10,000 reimbursement for attorney fees incurred in the defense of an action or proceeding arising from a private business or private professional endeavor.

Civil Rights - Civil and Constitutional Rights claims are included in the liability policy coverage

Criminal Acts - Up to $35,000 for reimbursement of attorney fees if exonerated and up to $10,000 regardless of outcome.

Incidents that occur or begin prior to the effective date of membership are not covered.