Family ... Care Assistance
What you need to know about Homecare Transportation Services
courtesy of Robin Ferguson Donnelly, My Eldercare Blog
This is an issue I have been attempting to educate the community on for some time because it is one of the most misunderstood issues in homecare; not only for those shopping for homecare, but also with many homecare agencies themselves. I have done lots of research on this matter and this is what I know for sure.
My agency is insured to provide transportation. Just like a lot of others. However, we never transport our clients in the caregiver’s vehicle. I could if I wanted to, but I choose not to. In my agency, any and all transportation needed from our families, can be done one of two ways.
- In the client’s vehicle with a signed release of liability stating the vehicle is insured and they are giving the caregiver permission to drive it.
- In our Visiting Angels van, that each individual caregiver is insured on.
While I can definately appreciate the families need to have the caregiver transport in their vehicle for convenience purposes, it’s important to know the facts and the reasons why I choose not to allow my caregivers to drive your mom or dad around in their own car:
- When a homecare company tells you they can transport your loved one, what most aren’t telling you is that the responsibility lies with the caregiver to have an additional business or commercial rider added to their existing policy. Unless the homecare agency can provide you with a document from their employee’s insurance company stating that this particular caregiver has the additional insurance, they should not be transporting your loved one.
- This is an across the board for all homecare agencies per my agent and as he put it, “this is a level playing field, no homecare company has an additional anything that covers them because there simply is no available insurance on the market that would do so. If the homecare agency down the street decides to allow caregivers to take on the responsibility of the transport, it’s as if they are telling them, thanks for all you do, but if you wreck while transporting one of our clients, you’re on your own.”
- Homecare companies that allow caregivers to transport in their own vehicles must disclose that the responsibility falls on the employee to have this additional insurance. Whether or not the employee actually gets the insurance, is another story. The homecare agency basically explains at time of orientation that they would be responsible for carrying the insurance, and have them sign a form stating that they understand.
- Non-medical homecare givers make anywhere from $8-$10/hr. I know that many, if not all, of my caregivers would not be able to afford an additional insurance, and most only have liability. In order to have this “rider” added to an existing policy the employee must have full coverage to begin with.
- On top of this, most of our caregivers struggle to maintain a vehicle, and have balding tires, faulty brakes, no seat belts, etc. I certainly would not want to put my mom or dad in their vehicle, and as an employer I can’t ask that they carry an insurance they can’t afford. We are close our caregivers and our job is to protect them as well as our clients. I would hate to send the message to my employees that should they have an accident transporting one of our clients, it’s up to them to fix any damage that might have occurred.
So, if you are being told by the homecare agencies you call, that they will transport your loved one, you better know the risks, ask questions and ask for proof of what they are promising you. Be Cautious!
