While some school buildings and property are included as part of the Ministry's cover, property, assets and resources beyond this coverage (referred to as overcode) require additional insurance. Sports facilities, landscaping, additional buildings and classrooms, and other community-funded assets can be a huge part of the school and its community. Material damage and business interruption cover can help ensure these are protected and that you can continue to operate if something happens.

Material damage 

A material damage policy can cover the repair, replacement or rebuild of:

• Overcode buildings
• Contents
• Paths and landscaping
• Playing courts and sports grounds
• Artificial turf
• Playgrounds
• Digital signs

Business interruption

While your damaged property is being fixed, business interruption insurance could help you keep operating, ie by covering:  

• the hire of temporary equipment, furniture or other necessary resources
• recreation of lost records or data
• temporary relocation of your administration team etc.

If there’s damage to property you hire out to the community, your business interruption policy can cover you for loss of income. 

Employment disputes are one of the most common claims, our claims team see from schools. Situations that can lead to employment disputes include:

• Restructures
• Redundancies
• Performance issues
• Disciplinary processes
• Dismissals

Employment disputes insurance covers legal costs arising from personal grievance claims, where approved lawyers are used, and can cover settlements and award of damages where a claim is successful. 

COVID-19 - Cover for any claim, loss, damages or liability directly or indirectly arising from the Covid-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Order 2021 is not available.

The New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA) provides advice at no cost, to help guide schools through the correct procedure when handling employment disputes. It is important you contact them early in the process so you don’t prejudice the outcome of any claim, and to comply with the conditions of your insurance policy.

Liability insurance covers the legal cost of defending a liability claim, and the compensation that you may be directed to pay injured or wronged parties.

• Statutory liability - Covers your defence costs and any penalties you may be required to pay, if there’s an unintended breach of most New Zealand statutes.   
• Public liability - Can protects the school against liability for accidental damage to other people’s property, as well as for injury to others.
• Employer’s liability - When an employee is injured, your school can be held legally liable for damages. Employer’s liability insurance can cover these claims.
• Fidelity cover - Can cover losses that occur due to dishonest or fraudulent acts by an employee or volunteer. 

Professional indemnity insurance covers amounts you may have to pay if your school is found to have negligently breached its professional duty when it comes to: 

• enrolment procedures
• implementing education curricula
• suspending or expelling students

A public relations extension to professional indemnity cover is also available for accessing PR expertise to help with risk management, or manage a crisis related to a potential or an actual insurance claim.

Schools can be a common target for cyber criminals, due to their reliance on IT and high number of users. Cyber attacks are disruptive, upsetting and can lead to serious reputational damage for your school. 

Our cyber security insurance policies can help cover losses and costs incurred in the event of an attack, and also provide you with access to experts to help  with all aspects of recovery.  

• About cyber insurance

Motor vehicle insurance

Our school motor insurance policy covers vehicles owned by schools, and those used by staff, volunteers or parents on school business. The insurance covers: 

• Repair of damaged vehicle
• Replacement of vehicle where it is stolen or can't be repaired
• Damage caused to the property of others if you are legally liable 
• Emergency accommodation and travel costs

Drive On – roadside assistance 

Drive On is an optional add-on solution for schools with our motor vehicle policy, offering 24 hour vehicle breakdown assistance. 

Our Safer Schools programme helps schools create a safe environment for employees, students and visitors, and to meet obligations under the Health & Safety at Work Act (2015).  

Our annual travel insurance policy can cover student and sports teams on school trips and events, in New Zealand and overseas.

For more details on the travel cover, contact one of our experienced schools insurance brokers.