Avoiding Malpractice Tips

Tips for Social Workers to Manage Risk

NASW Assurance Services provides information and tips to help social workers manage their risk. The following are links to recent tips. New tips come out around the first of every month, so check back often!

• The Cyber World and Your Liability
• COVID-19 Pandemic Sparks Alternative Treatments
• COVID-19 Pandemic Virus UPDATE
• Insurance – A Brief History … 5,000 Years on a Page
• Insurance Regulation (A General High-Level View for the Consumer)
• What’s in Your Insurance Portfolio?
• U.S. Liability Insurance Market Snapshot
• A Tale of the Extended Reporting Period Tail
• Why is a Couch Like a Turkey?
• To Sue or Not to Sue … That is the Question
• Watch Out for CAPS, GAPS, and MAPS
• General Facts About General Liability
• Because We Care, We Are Security Aware
• Beachin’, Cruisin’, or Just Restin’?
• You Cover Client Care … We Cover You
• I’m not Perfect, Just Insured
• Hot Topics from the Helpline
• Sunset Treatment Records
• Do Roses Have Thorns, or Do Thorns Have Roses?
• Treading Through Teletherapy Treatment Topics
• Top 5 FAQs from NASW Chapter Reviews
• Top of Mind Checklist for Your Practice
• Battle of the Spouses – Divorce Mediation
• Unsocial Consequences of Social Media on Social Workers
• At the Booth…Tidbits and Nuggets on Professional Liability Insurance
• What NASW Members Are Telling Us at State Chapter Conferences About Their Insurance Gaps
• PITFALLS? Does Your Employer Cover YOU?
• Caption Corner Part 17 – Vicarious Liability and Waivers
• Caption Corner Part 16 – Two Important U’s of Insurance and Unconditional Liability for Identity Theft
• Caption Corner Part 15 – Two Important T’s of Insurance
• Caption Corner Part 14 – Two Important S’s of Insurance
• Caption Corner Part 13 – Two Important R’s of Insurance
• Caption Corner Part 12 – The 3 P’s of Insurance
• Caption Corner Part 11 – The 3 O’s of Insurance
• Caption Corner Part 10 – The 3 N’s of Insurance
• Caption Corner Part 9 – The 4 M’s of Insurance
• Caption Corner Part 8 – The 3 L’s of Insurance
• Caption Corner Part 7 – The 3 I’s of Insurance
• Caption Corner Part 6 – The 3 H’s of Insurance
• Caption Corner Part 5 – The 3 Gs of Insurance
• Caption Corner Part 4 – The 4 F’s of Insurance
• Caption Corner Part 3 – The 4 E’s of Insurance
• Caption Corner Part 2 – The 4 D’s of Insurance
• Caption Corner – Insurance
• The Professional Will (Part 2)
• The Professional Will
• Risk Management Helpline Experiences
• Your Duty to Bear Witness
• Avoiding Insurance Coverage Gaps
• Pitfalls and Perils of a Professional Liability Insurance Policy
• Pitfalls and Perils of a Policy
• Simple and Quick Reaction Steps If You Are Named in a Lawsuit
• Documentation Pointers to Avoid Liability and Malpractice
• NEGLIGENCE is spelled more than simply as MALPRACTICE
• The 5 “C’s” in the Big “D” – Deposition
• Live with Purpose, But Live with Protection (Part 3)
• Live with Purpose, But Live with Protection (Part 2)
• Live with Purpose, But Live with Protection (Part 1)
• Recent Trends in Records Breach – Check Your Insurance Policies
• Are YOU an Unprotected Student of Social Work?
• Are You Protected from a Costly Lawsuit?
• Social Worker Liability
• Social Work Core Functions and Shifting the Risk
• President Obama Raises Cyber Threats in “State of the Union Address”
• Computer and Device Theft is Frequent and Growing…
• Cyber Crime. Today’s Reality.
• Cyber Crime Now #3 Insurance Crime
• As a Practicing Social Worker Are You at Risk to Protect Client Records?
• Social Worker Core Functions – Shifting the Risk to NASW Endorsed Insurance Plans
• The Importance of Cyber Liability and Breach of Patient Data Privacy
• What is Cyber Liability and Breach of Patient Data Privacy?
• Are You Certain Your Employers Professional Liability Policy Covers You?
• Are You Headed to Court?
• Thinking About Retiring? Here are Some Steps to Help You Make a Plan.
• When It Comes to Claims-made Professional Liability Coverage, Make Sure You Keep It Continuously With No Gaps!
• Report Court and Licensing Board Matters to Your Professional Liability Insurance Carrier Immediately
• Your Best First Step in Seeking Legal Assistance
• What to Expect in the Courtroom
• Being a Witness and Providing Sworn Testimony
• Client Records and Natural Disasters: Tips for Reporting Loss and for Recovery
• Seeking Legal Assistance
• Responding to a Subpoena–What You Need to Know
• New HIPAA Rule–What Does This Mean for You?
• Client Relationships

Resources and References

• NASW Professional Review and Ethics Adjudication Office 202-336-8231
• Visit our Professional Liability Insurance Program website for more information, get a quote, apply for or renew your NASW-endorsed professional liability policy.
• Check the list of Professional Workshops to see if one is scheduled in your area. (Workshops are added as scheduled, so check back frequently.)
• Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to receive notifications on news, updates, and announcements.