Looking for Daycare Insurance in South Dakota?

Daycare insurance helps protect child care providers against claims involving injuries, accidents, or incidents that may arise while children are in their care.

Claims and lawsuits involving daycares have become more common, and while larger facilities are often in the spotlight, in-home and small daycare providers face the same risks.

Because daycare insurance can be difficult to find and is not offered by many standard carriers, coverage is often provided through specialized insurance companies that understand the unique risks of child care operations. In many cases, this coverage is added as an endorsement to a Business Owners Policy (BOP), modifying the policy to properly address the specific exposures daycares face.

How Much Does Daycare Insurance Cost in South Dakota?

The cost of daycare insurance depends on factors such as the type of daycare you operate (in-home or commercial), the number of children enrolled, staff size, hours of operation, and prior claims or incidents.

These policies help cover the costs of defending the daycare if a claim or lawsuit arises, including legal expenses, settlements, or judgments related to covered incidents involving children, parents, or third parties.

Coverage typically applies whether the daycare ultimately wins or loses the claim. However, most policies do not cover intentional acts, criminal behavior, or fines and penalties imposed by regulators.

Exposures that are covered under other policies—such as employee injuries covered by workers’ compensation—are generally excluded from daycare liability coverage.

How to Prevent Daycare Lawsuits

To help prevent claims and lawsuits, daycare owners should focus on clear procedures, training, and documentation from day one:

  • Implement thorough hiring and screening practices, including background checks and reference verification, to ensure staff are qualified and appropriate for working with children.

  • Maintain clear written policies covering supervision standards, safety procedures, discipline guidelines, and parent communication, and make sure they are included in employee handbooks and parent agreements.

  • Train staff on proper conduct and reporting procedures, including how to handle incidents, injuries, parent concerns, and any behavior that is not permitted while caring for children.

  • Document incidents, training, and corrective actions, including accident reports and parent notifications, to show proactive risk management and consistent enforcement of policies.

Get Started With An Daycare Insurance Quote

Our online application allows you to give us all the initial information we need to start shopping your coverage with multiple insurance companies.