School insurance and the conditions surrounding it often remain very vague for parents. Is it mandatory? In which case should we subscribe to it? What does it cover? We take stock to see more clearly.
At the start of the school year in September, many parents are reluctant to take out school insurance for their child. This is often requested by schools at the beginning of the year. However, it is not always necessary, but it can sometimes prove to be essential in certain cases.
What is school insurance for?
School insurance covers material and/or bodily damage caused or suffered by a child in his or her school, college or high schoolor during school events and extracurricular activities when they take place outside the school establishment.
Depending on the contract chosen, additional guarantees are included, such as the racketeering or theft (school bag, musical instrument…), broken glasses. Some options even allow you to cover the costs of a psychologist in case of school bullying. The Floa bank, for example, offers a school and extracurricular insurance whose guarantees also include the risks against cyber-harassment.
Is school insurance compulsory?
Concretely, taking out school insurance is optional for compulsory school activitiesplanned in the student’s schedule, such as sports, outings to the gym or swimming lessons for example.
On the other hand, it is necessary for optional activities organized by the school (language stay, discovery class, visit to a museum, etc.). You will also need take out school insurance whether your little one goes to daycare, eats in the canteen or participates in extracurricular activities after school hours. This makes it possible to cover any damage or accidents that may occur during these activities.
Should I take out school insurance or not?
In most cases, you are not required to take out school insurance. If your child causes damage in his school establishment, know that in general, he is already covered by your civil liability of multi-risk home insurance. Damage caused to others extends to other members of the family living under the same roof.
The possible injury he could suffer are also covered if you already have subscribed to a life accident guarantee contract (GAV) or a similar contract. “Because of its low cost, many parents will take out school insurance without finding out if their child is already covered. However, this amounts to paying twice for the same thing”, explains Olivier Moustacakis, co-founder of Assurland.com. Nevertheless, if you do not have one of these insurances, then it is better to take out school insurance. So check these different points carefully, because no retraction is possible after subscription. In addition, if your child has an illness, you can also take out additional cover that allows him to continue his schooling at home.
“Many parents will buy school insurance without finding out if their child is already covered. Yet it is like paying twice for the same thing.”
What is the cost of school insurance?
According to a recent YouGov pollpublished on June 12, 2023 and conducted for the online bank Floa, the cost of school insurance varies on average between 8 and 40 euros per year and per childdepending on the level of guarantee and the options included in the chosen contract.
If you choose a basic plan, plan about 10 euros per year and per child. There are also more complete and therefore more expensive formulas (up to 40 euros per year). Depending on your needs, the guarantees can also cover the journey between home and school, school activities, or even throughout the year and 24 hours a day, including during school holidays (out-of-school insurance). “This price range is explained by a low loss rate in school insurance. Indeed and very fortunately, the majority of damage is not serious and primarily concerns teeth or the breakage of glasses”, says Olivier Moustacakis.
You can subscribe to a school insurance with your usual insurer or join a contract offered by a parent-teacher association. In any case, it must include:
- A civil liability guarantee (for damage caused by the child).
- A individual guarantee or bodily injury: if your child is injured by a third party or if he injures himself.
This second guarantee includes the reimbursement of treatment costs in addition to medical, pharmaceutical and surgical costs, as well as the payment of a lump sum in the event of permanent, total or partial disability, or in the event of death.
I’school insurance certificate is a document that states that your child is well insured on a contract. Your insurer provides you with the certificate. You can ask him by email, by phone or download it directly from your customer area, depending on your offer.