Doula & Birth Worker Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages a doula & birth worker business may carry — core, prevalent, and situational — why each matters, and the gap most often missed.
Pull out your current policy and check the box next to any coverage you can confirm is already in place — anything unchecked is worth a quick conversation with your advisor. Coverage checklist for birth and postpartum doulas, doula collectives, and placenta encapsulators. Priorities reflect typical exposure for this class; confirm against your actual operations.
Tick each coverage you can confirm you carry — anything left unticked is a good question for your next policy review.
| Have it? | Coverage | Why this business needs it | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Liability (Doula) | Covers claims that your support or advice contributed to harm at a birth. | Core | |
| General Liability | Covers injuries and property damage in clients' homes and at classes. | Core | |
| Limits Required by Medicaid or Health Plans | Many state Medicaid programs require $1M per claim / $3M aggregate before you see members. | Core | |
| Abuse & Molestation Liability | Overnight newborn and sibling care brings abuse allegations; often excluded unless added. | Prevalent | |
| Products Liability (Placenta Products) | Covers illness claims from placenta capsules and tinctures; many doula policies exclude them. | Prevalent | |
| Hired & Non-Owned Auto | Covers driving to births and clients' homes; personal auto may exclude business use. | Prevalent | |
| Cyber / Privacy Liability | Covers client health records and Medicaid billing data. | Situational | |
| Workers' Compensation | Required for employed doulas in most states; collectives often misclassify contractors. | Situational | |
| Business Personal Property | Covers birth balls, TENS units, encapsulation equipment, and class supplies. | Situational | |
| Employment Practices Liability | Covers claims from doulas a collective hires or contracts. | Situational |
The coverage gap most often missed
The gap most often missed by doulas is placenta encapsulation. CDC traced an Oregon newborn's recurrent group B strep infection to the mother's placenta capsules, and many doula policies exclude placenta products or any food or supplement you prepare. If you encapsulate, confirm products coverage in writing. Doulas billing Medicaid should also confirm their limits meet the program's requirement, often $1M per claim and $3M aggregate.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your doula & birth worker coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Doula & Birth Worker Insurance · Doula & Birth Worker Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a doula & birth worker business need?
The core coverages for a doula & birth worker business are Professional Liability (Doula), General Liability, Limits Required by Medicaid or Health Plans. This checklist also lists the prevalent and situational coverages worth considering, with a plain-English note on why each matters.
Is this checklist insurance advice?
No. It is a free educational tool to help you have a more informed conversation with a licensed professional. It affords no coverage and is not insurance, legal, or financial advice — only your actual policy language governs what is and isn't covered.
Can Cory Washington & Co. review my doula & birth worker coverage?
Yes. Share your checklist and we'll review your program line by line, market your account across multiple carriers, and explain the trade-offs in plain English. Cory Washington & Co. LLC is licensed in all 50 states.
This checklist is a free educational tool from Cory Washington & Co. to help you review your own coverage and have a more informed conversation with a licensed insurance professional. It is general information only — not insurance, legal, or financial advice, and not a recommendation to buy, change, or cancel any policy. Coverage terms, availability, limits, and requirements vary by policy, carrier, and state, and only the language in your actual policy governs what is and isn’t covered. Checking or leaving blank any item above does not indicate that you are adequately insured or under-insured. Using this checklist does not create a client, agency, or fiduciary relationship. Always consult a licensed professional about your specific situation.