Speech-Language Pathology Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages a speech-language pathology 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 speech-language pathology practices and contract therapy companies, including home-based, school, facility, and telepractice services. Priorities reflect typical exposure for this class; confirm against the practice's actual settings and services.
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 | Covers claims that an evaluation, treatment, or recommendation caused harm — most severely, a missed aspiration risk or unclear diet order leading to choking or pneumonia. | Core | |
| Commercial General Liability | Covers client and visitor injuries at the clinic and property damage in client homes. | Core | |
| Abuse & Molestation Liability | Clinicians often work one-on-one with children in homes, daycares, and private rooms. GL commonly excludes this exposure. | Core | |
| Workers' Compensation | Required in most states with employees; home-visit clinicians drive constantly and face lifting injuries in facility settings. | Core | |
| Billing Errors / Regulatory Liability | Covers defense of payer audits, recoupment demands, and government billing investigations, which standard professional liability typically does not. | Prevalent | |
| Cyber / Privacy Liability | Covers breach of health records, telepractice sessions, and billing data. | Prevalent | |
| Hired & Non-Owned Auto | Responds when clinicians drive personal vehicles between homes, schools, and facilities. | Prevalent | |
| Employment Practices Liability | Covers claims by clinicians, assistants, and staff — common in growing therapy companies. | Prevalent | |
| Business Personal Property | Covers therapy materials, AAC devices, and computers. | Situational | |
| Umbrella / Excess Liability | Extends limits above GL, auto, and employers liability; facility contracts may require higher limits. | Situational |
The coverage gap most often missed
The gap most likely to be missed for speech-language pathology is billing exposure. Practices that bill Medicaid or Medicare face audits, recoupment demands, and fraud investigations — a Texas speech therapist was convicted in 2018 over $821,145 in false Medicaid claims — and standard professional liability is generally written for patient injury, not billing disputes. A billing errors or regulatory endorsement covers the defense. Practices doing swallowing work should also confirm their professional limits reflect dysphagia severity rather than the lower-risk profile of articulation or language therapy.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your speech-language pathology coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Speech-Language Pathology Insurance · Speech-Language Pathology Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a speech-language pathology business need?
The core coverages for a speech-language pathology business are Professional Liability, Commercial General Liability, Abuse & Molestation Liability, Workers' Compensation. 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 speech-language pathology 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.