Sexual Abuse and Molestation Insurance (SAM)

Our insurance agency offers sexual abuse and molestation (SAM) insurance in multiple states. SAM insurance is available on a standalone basis, and, for a few classes of business, as an endorsement to a general liability or professional liability policy.

The annual premium for $1 million of SAM coverage typically starts at around $4,000 per year for a standalone policy and as an endorsement to a professional liability policy. When SAM coverage can be obtained as an endorsement to a general liability policy, the pricing is generally lower starting at around $2,000 per year. However, only a few classes of business are eligible for this option.

To request quotes, please complete an application and send it to us. Do not hesitate to call us at 1-877-245-5887 if you have any questions about the application process.

We operate in the following states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

What is SAM insurance?

SAM insurance is generally designed to protect insureds against alleged or actual abuse, molestation, mistreatment or maltreatment of a sexual nature. The coverage and policy wording are not standard and vary by insurance company. SAM coverage is often required in situations where adults work with children or with at-risk individuals. SAM insurance is considered a high-risk coverage due to the nature and amount of the claims experienced by the insurance market over the past few years.

SAM insurance is not widely available as most insurance companies either don't offer the coverage or only provide low limits. We have access to multiple insurance companies that offer SAM coverage and will try to get you the most reasonable pricing that we can find.

The underwriting performed for standalone SAM policies is generally more stringent than when SAM is provided through an endorsement. The underwriting of standalone SAM coverage will require that employees, independent contractors and volunteers pass background checks and that they be checked against the national sex offender registry. The insurance companies may request a copy of a company's code of conduct and policies and procedures to make sure that rules are in place regarding employee conduct and will enquire about the rules that apply to one-on-one contact with children and at-risk individuals.

SAM insurance is being requested more frequently and is more commonly requested by school districts, government agencies, municipalities, landlords, and franchisors. The most commonly requested SAM limit is $1 million, but most requests range from $100,000 to $2 million.

What is covered under a SAM policy?

A SAM policy provides coverage for losses and defenses costs of covered claims. Standalone SAM policies tend to provide more comprehensive coverage than when SAM is provided through an endorsement. As an example, a standalone SAM policy may also provide coverage for crisis communications and management services, forensic and investigatory services, government relations services, victim support service, and hotline services. Please note that SAM policies are not designed to provide coverage that should be provided under Employment Paractices Liability policies.

Monoline SAM policies are generally only available on a claims-made basis. This means that it is the policy that is in force when the claim is reported that responds to the claim. Claims resulting from wrongful acts that took place prior to the retroactive date are not covered. The policies can usually be endorsed to add an additional insured, a waiver of subrogation and be made primary and non-contributory.

Every SAM policy is different and it is important to review the full policy, including all endorsements, in order to understand the full scope of coverage.