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Schools
An independent school insurance renewal is the yearly cycle in which the bursar re-presents the school’s risks to insurers and agrees cover for the next policy year. It matters because the terms agreed at renewal, not the price, decide whether a safeguarding allegation, a fire or a data breach is paid when it happens.
Part of: Education insurance: a broker’s guide for schools and trusts
In short
Start about 90 days before expiry. Employers’ liability is compulsory under the Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969, and GOV.UK says the policy must cover at least £5 million. The rest of the programme is a choice: public liability, property and business interruption on accurate reinstatement values, abuse liability, cyber, governors’ liability, school trips, minibuses and legal expenses. Under the Insurance Act 2015 you must make a fair presentation of the risk. Compare wordings, limits and exclusions, not just premium. Academies and maintained schools may use the DfE’s risk protection arrangement; independent schools buy cover commercially.
Last reviewed 13 October 2026 by the Apex commercial team.
Only one cover on the list is compulsory for every school that employs staff. The rest are bought because a school’s contracts, governors and risk register call for them. The table shows what each policy usually does and the point bursars most often need to check.
| Cover | Legal position | What to check at renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Employers’ liability | Compulsory under section 1 of the Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969. GOV.UK says cover must be at least £5 million, from an authorised insurer, with the certificate displayed where staff can see it. | That the limit and the certificate are current, and that volunteers, visiting coaches and peripatetic teachers are within the definition of employee if you need them to be. |
| Public liability | Not compulsory in general, but often required by hire agreements, lettings and local authorities. | The limit your lettings and hirers ask for; cover for summer schools, holiday clubs and third-party hire of your facilities. |
| Property and business interruption | A choice, though lenders and leases commonly require buildings cover. | Reinstatement values, the indemnity period for lost fee income, and cover for boarding houses, sports facilities and heritage buildings. |
| Abuse and safeguarding liability | A choice, usually within or alongside the liability section. | Historic allegations, how the limit aggregates, and safeguarding conditions. |
| Cyber | A choice; the data protection duties sit on the school regardless. | Incident response costs, ransom and extortion, fee-payment fraud and business interruption from a systems outage. |
| Governors’ liability (D&O or trustee indemnity) | A choice; for charitable schools, section 189 of the Charities Act 2011 sets the terms if the charity pays. | Who is insured, investigation costs, and run-off for retiring governors. |
| School trips and travel | A choice. | Overseas trips, adventurous activities and cancellation. |
| Minibuses | Motor insurance is compulsory for any vehicle used on a road (Road Traffic Act 1988, s.143). | The stated use, driver conditions and whether any journey counts as hire or reward. |
| Legal expenses | A choice. | Employment disputes, parental contract claims over fees and exclusions, and whether advice lines are included. |
How any of these responds depends on the schedule and wording.
Working back from the expiry date gives insurers time to ask questions and gives you time to compare terms. A suggested rhythm:
The dates are a guide. A large estate, boarding or a difficult claims history may mean starting earlier.
Section 3 of the Insurance Act 2015 requires a fair presentation of the risk before the contract is entered into. That means disclosing every material circumstance you know or ought to know, or enough to put a prudent insurer on notice to ask more, in a reasonably clear and accessible way. Material facts you state must be substantially correct.
For an independent school, insurers commonly ask for:
Two quotes at similar premiums can respond very differently to the same claim. Compare these points before you look at cost:
| Point to compare | Why it matters for a school |
|---|---|
| Abuse cover basis and limit | Whether historic allegations are covered, whether the limit is per claim or in the aggregate, and what conditions apply. |
| Property sums insured and average | If reinstatement values are too low, many property wordings reduce a claim in proportion to the underinsurance. |
| Business interruption indemnity period | A school that loses a boarding house may lose fee income for more than a year; a short indemnity period can leave a gap. |
| Cyber triggers and sub-limits | Whether social engineering and fee-payment fraud are covered, and at what limit. |
| Governors’ cover | Whether investigation costs, employment claims and former governors are included. |
| Conditions and warranties | Security, fire alarm or minibus driver conditions that could restrict a claim if they are not met. |
| Excesses | A low premium paired with high excesses moves cost back onto the school. |
Ask your broker for a side-by-side summary of the differences, not just a premium comparison.
State schools have an option independent schools do not. The Department for Education describes its risk protection arrangement (RPA) as an alternative to commercial insurance for the education sector, under which the government covers losses. Its published membership rules are for academy trusts, church academies and local authority maintained schools; independent schools are not among them.
So an independent school buys its whole programme commercially. Even academy trusts in the RPA still need separate motor cover for minibuses, because the academy membership rules exclude road-licensed vehicles on the public highway.
Governors of charitable schools. Where the school is a charity, section 189 of the Charities Act 2011 lets governors, as charity trustees, buy trustee indemnity insurance from charity funds if they decide it is in the charity’s best interests. The policy must exclude criminal fines, regulatory penalties and certain liabilities for dishonest or reckless conduct.
Minibuses in fee-paying schools. Joint DfE and Department for Transport advice says free trips by charitable independent schools are not hire or reward, but a fee-paying school without charitable status could be viewed as carrying pupils for hire or reward through its fees, and should take legal advice.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Your policy wording and your own advisers decide the position for your school.
If this affects your business, these are the points a broker will ask about:
Speak to a broker
Independent school insurance, reviewed by a named broker
Send us your current schedule, or tell us about the property if you are arranging cover for the first time. Or leave your number and a named broker will call you back, usually the same working day.
Apex Insurance Brokers is an independent insurance broker based in Bristol, established in 2009 and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. We are not tied to one insurer: we work with over 30 markets, including Lloyd’s syndicates through wholesale brokers, and every client has a named broker who handles the placement, mid-term changes, certificates for clients and the renewal.
Around 90 days before expiry is a sensible starting point. That leaves time to update reinstatement values and claims records, submit a complete presentation about 60 days out, answer insurers’ questions and compare terms with about 30 days to go, so governors can approve the decision before cover lapses.
Yes, for schools that employ staff. Section 1 of the Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 requires employers in Great Britain to insure against liability for injury or disease to employees. GOV.UK says the policy must cover at least £5 million and come from an authorised insurer, and the certificate must be displayed.
The DfE describes the RPA as an alternative to commercial insurance for the education sector, and its published membership rules cover academy trusts, church academies and local authority maintained schools. Independent schools are not among them, so they normally arrange their insurance programme commercially through a broker or insurer.
Compare the abuse cover basis and limit, property sums insured and any average clause, the business interruption indemnity period, cyber triggers and sub-limits, governors’ cover, conditions and warranties, excesses and claims handling. Two quotes at similar prices can respond very differently to the same claim, subject to their wordings.
Usually yes. Section 189 of the Charities Act 2011 lets charity trustees, which governors of a charitable school usually are, buy trustee indemnity insurance from charity funds if they decide it is in the charity’s best interests, unless the trusts expressly forbid it. The policy must exclude criminal fines and regulatory penalties.
Complete the online business insurance proposal with your school’s details and a named Apex broker will review it, ask what the market will need and come back to you before your renewal date. Or call 0117 325 0027.
Start your quote Call 0117 325 0027Apex Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales, company number 07014570. This page is general information, not advice on your individual circumstances. Cover is always subject to the insurer’s acceptance and the policy terms, and this page does not guarantee that cover will be available or on what terms.
