Client Property Theft and Caregiver Theft Insurance for Georgia Home Care Agencies

This coverage is an essential coverage for the Home-Based Care industry — and for every franchise and independent home care agency licensed to operate in Georgia.

When caregivers are working in private homes, theft exposure exists. Often, in the care of consumers who are affected by memory loss or cognitive impairments, unfounded allegations of theft may arise. A Georgia home care agency staffing unsupervised caregivers in client homes across the state carries this exposure on every shift it schedules.

Understanding Bonding’s Conviction Clause and Why You Need Mysterious Disappearance Coverage

Some states require a Bond for Licensing for the theft of property by caregivers in the home. There is one large problem with this Bond — it has a conviction clause. That means that unless there is proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the caregiver took the property and was convicted, the bond will not pay. In the home care industry this is not realistic, because we know that proving that the caregiver took something is almost impossible for many reasons. The Client or Patient may not be cognitively able to remember if they gave something away or misplaced it. We also know many people enter and exit a house where service is being provided, so this limits the proof threshold the bonds require to pay.

This is why we sell Third Party Theft that includes mysterious disappearance — this means that the insurance will pay in circumstances that are normal in the Home Care industry. At Chamberlin & Reinheimer we understand this because of our years of experience.

Georgia does not require a surety bond for a Private Home Care Provider licence, so a Georgia home care agency asked for proof of theft cover by a franchisor or a referral source is almost always being asked for this policy, not for a bond.

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Sometimes, even when there is no real proof of theft by the caregiver, a Home Care firm will pay compensation to a consumer or patient, appeasing the individual in hopes of retaining his/her business.

Third party theft will cover theft by an employee acting alone or in collusion with other persons. The limit depends on the policy but generally it is $25,000–$100,000 and is subject to a $500–$1,000 deductible.