Student Professional Liability Insurance
Almost any off-campus learning experience involves the opportunity that an issue of professional liability may arise. Service learning results in greater exposure to such a risk, however, because students who do not have extensive professional training often work directly with clients or children. Liability coverage is especially important for students working with children. Although the federal government enacted the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 to limit much of the liability of volunteers not engaged in deliberate wrongdoing or gross negligence, the act does not prohibit civil lawsuits or eliminate the risk of incurring costly legal fees in defending against lawsuits, even suits that are eventually dismissed. The best solution is to purchase a professional liability insurance policy.
Effective Fall Term 2007, the College of Arts and Sciences requires students involved in service learning to purchase professional liability insurance coverage before beginning a service learning experience.
In addition to the many private organizations and companies offering professional liability policies, the UT Office of Risk Management offers Student Professional Liability Insurance to UT students while engaged in a UT-directed educational activity related to their professional fields.
- The insurance covers all locations on and off campus, with limits of $1,000,000 per claim and $6,000,000 per annual aggregate per student.
- The annual premium of $38 covers the period from June 1, 2008 to May 31, 2009.
- This insurance may be purchased through the Office of Academic Outreach when enrolling for the service learning project by making a check payable to the University of Tennessee for the proper amount. The receipt for payment will serve as proof of enrollment in this group policy. On request from your placement site, the Office of Risk Management can also provide you a certificate of insurance.