Home insurance for foster parents

In Quebec, anyone (regardless of marital status, religion, sexual orientation, or nationality) can become a foster family. As the name suggests, a “foster family” welcomes one or more children or adolescents in difficulty or with intellectual disabilities into their primary residence. The goal is to offer these young people living conditions that foster a parental relationship in a safe, stable, warm, and stimulating family environment.

If you want to open your heart and home to a child in need, or if you are already doing so, we would first like to thank you for this wonderful gesture. And to ensure that your home insurance is right for your situation, we wanted to offer you our best advice on the subject!

In this article, you will find information about home insurance for host families. Enjoy reading!

The importance of having home insurance that suits your needs

It is essential to adequately insure your most important asset: your home. Because by protecting it, you are also protecting yourself and everyone under your roof.

When you become a foster family, the first step is to notify your insurer of your new situation, as many refuse to insure households that are foster families. If your current insurer refuses your claim, don’t worry. Instead, choose to call an independent insurance brokerage firm: they deal with many insurers, several of which are only available through them. They will find the home insurance that best suits your situation at the best possible price.

If you choose to find your own insurer, be sure to select sufficient coverage to adequately cover any damage that may occur to your home and personal property (or tenant improvements). Your home insurance policy must also cover risks related to your civil liability for activities other than those of a “host family.”

The property damage and liability insurance program for resources covered by the LRR

The LLR is the “Act respecting the representation of family-type resources and certain intermediate resources and the collective bargaining regime concerning them.” And what does the insurance program covered by the LLR consist of?

More specifically, these are collective agreements between the associations listed below and the Department of Health and Human Services.

• The Alliance of Democratic Associations for Children’s Resources in Quebec (ADREQ-CSD);
• The Alliance of Democratic Associations for Adult Resources in Quebec (ADRAQ-CSD);
• The Quebec Federation of Foster Families and Intermediate Resources (FFARIQ);
• The Quebec Adult Residential Resources Association (RESSAQ);
• The Federation of Health and Social Services (FSSS-CSN);
• The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE-FTQ).

The program is intended to provide additional insurance protection for individuals who take in children or adolescents in need at their primary residence.

Among other things, it includes “civil and professional liability” insurance that will cover you in the event of claims or lawsuits arising from bodily injury or property damage caused by the child you are caring for, and for which you may be held liable. The program also insures the spouse of the child’s sponsor, employees, including qualified substitutes (paid or unpaid), when they are acting in the course of their duties on behalf of the resource.

This protection has certain exclusions, such as punitive damages related to a criminal conviction.

What about your personal belongings?

The program also protects you against damage caused by a young person to your property, based on the same assessment criteria as your home insurance policy (replacement value* or value on the date of the incident), and in accordance with the insurance amounts and limitations of said policy.

You say to yourself, “This whole thing is such a headache!”

Don’t worry! There are independent insurance brokers who specialize in these types of situations. They can guide you through the insurance process and advise you on the best decisions to make for your situation.

They will also take the time to answer all your questions and assist you in the event of a claim. So before taking in a child or teenager, make sure you are properly insured. This is important for you and your assets, but also for the well-being and safety of these children, who have often already been through a lot in their lives…