Senior Living and Assisted Living Insurance
Senior living communities care for residents around the clock, which means liability, property and employee risks every hour of every day. Stonebrook insures assisted living, memory care and independent living communities nationwide, with carriers that specialize in senior care.
Reviewed by Nate Feuerman, High Net Worth Insurance Producer at Stonebrook
Last updated
Quick answers
What insurance does an assisted living facility need?
Professional and general liability, abuse coverage, property with business income, workers’ compensation, cyber, employment practices, auto and umbrella or excess.
What drives senior living liability claims?
Falls, pressure injuries, elopement, medication errors and abuse allegations are the most common sources of claims.
Is independent living insured differently from assisted living?
Yes. Independent living is closer to a residential property risk, while assisted living and memory care add professional liability for the care you provide.
Who regulates assisted living?
Each state licenses and regulates assisted living, and the rules vary widely. Your license and survey history matter to carriers.
What a senior living program covers.
Professional and general liability
Claims arising from resident care and from your premises, usually written together for senior living.
Abuse and molestation
Allegations involving staff or other residents. Check whether your liability policy excludes or sublimits it.
Property and business income
Buildings, equipment and lost revenue if residents have to relocate after a fire, flood or major loss.
Workers’ compensation
Required in nearly every state. Resident handling and transfers drive staff injury claims.
The risks carriers focus on.
Show carriers how you manage these, and you will get better terms.
| Risk | Why it matters | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Falls | The most frequent source of resident injury claims | Fall risk assessments, post-fall huddles and documented interventions |
| Elopement | Residents with dementia leaving unsupervised can lead to severe claims | Secured memory care, door alarms, elopement drills and assessments |
| Pressure injuries | A common basis for neglect allegations | Skin assessments, repositioning schedules and documentation |
| Medication errors | Can cause serious harm and regulatory action | eMAR systems, training and pharmacy reviews |
| Abuse allegations | Severe claims, often excluded or sublimited | Background checks, training, reporting procedures |
| Staffing | Short staffing and turnover show up in claims and surveys | Retention programs and documented staffing levels |
Independent living, assisted living and memory care.
Many communities offer more than one level of care. Independent living is closer to a residential property risk; assisted living and memory care add hands-on care and the professional liability that comes with it.
Carriers price each level differently. Breaking out units, census and services by level helps carriers understand your community, and keeps you from paying memory care rates on independent living apartments.
If your community also runs a day program or offers skilled nursing, we can coordinate everything under one program.
A broker who knows your business.
Stonebrook is an independent agency. We work with standard, specialty and excess and surplus lines carriers, so we can shop your community with senior care specialists in the standard and surplus lines markets instead of fitting you into one company’s program.
Since 1982 we have placed commercial programs for businesses and property owners across the country. We read the fine print, flag the exclusions that matter for your operation, and advocate for you at underwriting, at renewal and at claim time.
Coverage that works together.
Most families need more than one policy. Here is how the pieces fit.
Senior living insurance questions, answered.
What insurance does an assisted living facility need?
Most need combined professional and general liability, abuse and molestation coverage, property with business income, workers’ compensation, cyber, employment practices, D&O, crime, commercial auto and umbrella or excess liability.
Why is assisted living insurance expensive?
Senior care liability claims can be severe, especially for falls, elopement and neglect allegations, and fewer carriers write the class. Strong risk management, clean survey history and good documentation are the biggest levers on price.
Who licenses assisted living facilities?
Assisted living is licensed and regulated by each state, not the federal government, and requirements vary. Carriers will ask about your license, recent surveys and any deficiencies.
Does our liability policy cover abuse allegations?
It depends. Many senior care policies exclude abuse and molestation or limit it with a sublimit. Review it carefully, and add coverage if it is missing.
Do memory care units change our insurance?
Yes. Memory care increases elopement and supervision risk, so carriers rate it differently from assisted or independent living. Secured units and elopement procedures help.
Do we need crime coverage?
It is strongly recommended. Employee theft, including theft of residents’ money or property, is a real exposure, and crime coverage can include third-party coverage for resident property.
Can Stonebrook insure a multi-site senior living operator?
Yes. We place coverage for single communities and multi-location and multi-state operators.
Let’s protect your residents, your staff and your community.
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