The agency or the caregiver may offer a certificate of insurance. It is a summary of a policy, not the policy itself. Your job is to read a few lines on the page and confirm one of them by phone before anyone enters the house.

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

What to ask for

  1. Ask for a current certificate of insurance in writing, sent to you directly by the agency or the insurer. Do not accept a photo or a forwarded screenshot from the caregiver.
  2. Read the name of the insured. It should be the company that employs or contracts the caregiver. If you hire someone directly, ask what coverage the caregiver carries and whether that coverage names in-home work.
  3. Find the policy period on the certificate. Write the end of that period here: ____ and set a reminder to ask for a new certificate before it runs out.
  4. List the coverage types that appear on the certificate. Families most often ask about general liability and workers' compensation. Write down which lines appear and which do not.
  5. Find the certificate holder line. It should name your household, or the agency should agree to add you in writing.
  6. Call the insurer phone number printed on the certificate, not a number the caregiver or agency gives you. Ask the insurer to confirm the policy is active and matches the certificate.

Signs to stop

Stop the process and ask for a different provider if any of these show up:

  • The certificate is a picture, an edited copy, or has no insurer name.
  • The insurer cannot confirm the policy when you call the number on the certificate.
  • The caregiver says they are covered by family, a friend, or a previous employer and cannot show paper for it.
  • The agency will not name the insurer or the policy holder.

Write this down

Insurer name: ____________________

Insured name: ____________________

Policy period ends: ____________________

Certificate holder names my household: yes / no

Insurer confirmed by phone on my call: yes / no

Questions about how this coverage would apply to a claim belong with your own advisor. This page only tells you what to read and what to confirm. If you have not yet chosen between an agency and a direct hire, the Agency or Direct page lays out the two paths before you collect paperwork.