March 9, 2010

Helpful Articles:
  • Know What Your Getting - Counselors, medical doctors, psychologists and insurance agents are usually offered insurance on a “claims made basis.” Counselors need professional liability coverage in their practice need should be aware of the difference between a “claims made” and an “occurrence” policy. >>>

  • Improved Technology Aids Customer Service - Need proof of insurance fast? Want to know what professional liability insurance will cost you? It is common for an applicant for professional liability insurance to need proof of insurance to fulfill a requirement of a contract, a new job, or for students beginning practicum experience. >>>

  • The Importance of 24/7 Liability Protection - On occasion counselors give advice or deal with life issues in informal settings, such as at a reception or party, or even community events such as a PTA meeting. As long as you hold a professional designation and/or license, you may be held responsible for direction you’ve given, even in such informal settings. Does your employer provided insurance cover such occasions? >>>

  • Counseling Students - ACA Insurance Trust, Inc. (ACAIT) has always arranged to have insurance coverage available for students. There are several reasons for having a student program. The most obvious is that the school requires its students to carry professional liability insurance. >>>
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Glossary Terms
Independent Contractor - An independent contractor is someone who:

1. Makes comparable services available to the general public on a regular and consistent basis and represents himself as an independent contractor with respect to such services.

2. The individual has performed, or is available to perform, services for more than one recipient at the same time.

3. The Insured does not have the right (and does not attempt) to control the manner or means of the individual’s performance of such services.

4. The independent contractor controls the means of performing the services, including setting the sequence and hours of work.

5. The individual operates under contracts (verbal or written) to perform specific services for specific amounts of money.

6. The individual may realize a profit or suffer a loss under contracts to perform work or services.

7. The individual is responsible for the satisfactory completion of the work that the individual contracts to perform and is liable for a failure to complete the work.

8. The individual incurs significant non reimbursed capital expenses (not typically incurred by employees) in carrying on the business activity in which such services are performed.

To summarize, an independent contractor is a person who is hired on a case-by-case basis, is not generally directly controlled or supervised by the insured and provides their own resources to complete their work.

In partnership with ACA.