I am talking about if I am going to provide caregiving service in the client’s home, do I need insurance so I don’t get personally sued if the client falls or gets hurt while under my care?
I’d be doing this on my own, not for a company.
I’m even willing to volunteer in my neighborhood for a few hours respite here & there but was discouraged for doing so in case the elderly person gets hurt (then “they can sue the caretaker”)
What type of care specifically will you be providing for this client? Some tasks are more risky than others. I found an excellent private duty company, licensed, insured, good reputation, but the nurse who made the initial assessment declined to arrange for dysphagia services b/c of the liability.
If you want to help out with respite care, contact your county. Ours makes arrangements for respite care, through the county resources, so insurance coverage is in place.
I would consider it potentially catastrophic to volunteer for respite care w/o adequate insurance protection.
Now, if you will be an "employee" for a client, it would be up to that client to have workman's comp policy in case you get hurt on the job. Not many people know about this.