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STATE REQUIREMENTS · DAYCARE & CHILDCARE

Daycare & childcare insurance in District of Columbia

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Daycare & childcare in District of Columbia usually carry general liability, professional liability (E&O) and commercial property. District of Columbia itself requires workers' compensation from the first employee, sets minimum auto liability for the vehicles the work puts on the road. The state's rules with their sources, what childcare centers carry, who asks for proof and how to keep it all current are below.

Reviewed by CoverMatch licensed agents, Licensed property & casualty agents · Reviewed Oct 12, 2026 Updated
Coverage scoreA childcare center with the right wallet
General LiabilityRenews in 47d
Professional Liability (E&O)Live cert ✓
Workers' CompensationCan switch
CoverMatch I read your General Liability — one thing on this checklist is missing. Want quotes?
District of Columbia rules with sources
TopicThe rule in District of ColumbiaSource
Workers' compensation: when it appliesEvery employer with one or more employees working in the District must carry workers' compensation, including part-time and temporary staff.D.C. Code § 32-1502, § 32-1534; DC Department of Employment Services — Office of Workers' Compensation: employers
Penalty for being uninsuredAn employer that fails to secure coverage can be fined up to $10,000 and is liable for the injured worker's benefits; injuries must be reported to the Office on Form 8 DCWC within ten days.D.C. Code § 32-1534; DOES Office of Workers' Compensation — Employer brochure
Auto liability minimumsBodily injury $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident and property damage $10,000, plus uninsured motorist coverage of $25,000 / $50,000 bodily injury and $5,000 property damage; personal injury protection must be offered and can be declined.D.C. Code § 31-2406 and § 31-2404; DC Department of Motor Vehicles — Insurance requirements

Rules change. Each row links to the agency or statute it came from; the review date above is when a licensed agent last checked them.

What District of Columbia asks of childcare centers

District of Columbia's rules that reach a childcare center are in the table above, each with its official source: workers' compensation: when it applies, penalty for being uninsured, auto liability minimums. Everything else a childcare center carries in District of Columbia comes from leases, contracts, platforms and clients rather than from statute, which is why the next two sections matter as much as the first.

What childcare centers in District of Columbia carry

Coverage Who usually asks Why it matters
General liability · expected State licensing, landlord, field-trip venues Injuries to children, parents and visitors on the premises; the base of the licensing requirement.
Abuse and molestation coverage · expected State licensing, landlords, insurers of partner organizations Excluded from standard liability forms; required for any business caring for minors.
Professional liability · expected Licensing in some states; your own protection Claims that care, supervision or instruction fell short, as distinct from a slip on the playground.
Property and equipment · expected Landlord, lender Classrooms, playground structures, kitchens and supplies; business income while closed after a loss.
Workers' compensation · expected Your state once you have employees; licensing Lifting children, slips, and exposure to illness. Required and checked.
Commercial auto for transport Licensing if you transport children; parents Vans used for pickups and field trips need commercial auto with the vehicles listed and appropriate limits.
Accident medical for enrolled children Parents' expectations; some licensing Pays medical bills for a child's injury regardless of fault, which keeps small incidents from becoming liability claims.

Who will ask a District of Columbia childcare center for proof

  • Landlords & commercial leases — general liability with the landlord as additional insured, property coverage on tenant improvements and workers' compensation (what they require)
  • Cities, counties & permits — general liability, auto and workers' compensation at the limits in the permit or contract (what they require)

Each of them wants a certificate, and most want it again at every renewal. A live certificate link from the wallet shows today's coverage to every holder and tells them when it changes.

Workers' comp the day a District of Columbia childcare center hires

In District of Columbia workers' compensation is required from the first employee, so the policy belongs in place before the first shift that crosses the line. CoverMatch quotes workers' compensation from the first employee, and asks every carrier that offers pay-as-you-go to bill through your payroll company, so premium follows each payroll run instead of a large deposit against an estimate.

Bring it, control it, get matched in District of Columbia

Bring your policies here. Upload what you already have. If the carrier is one we are appointed with in District of Columbia, one signed letter moves the policy to CoverMatch with no change to carrier, coverage or price; if not, we quote a replacement now or before the renewal. The wallet only holds policies CoverMatch takes care of.

Control them here. Renewal dates, documents, the roster of locations, vehicles and staff, and a live certificate for every landlord, contractor, platform or client in the list above, all in one place and current on their own.

Let us match you. When a childcare center in District of Columbia needs general liability, professional liability (E&O), commercial property, we compare quotes from the carriers we are appointed with on coverage first and price second, and a licensed agent is one tap away at every step.

Sources

Questions people actually ask

Does District of Columbia require a childcare center to carry workers' compensation?

Every employer with one or more employees working in the District must carry workers' compensation, including part-time and temporary staff. Whether a worker is an employee is decided by District of Columbia's own test of control and independence, not by the form you file, and workers who fail it are added at audit.

What insurance does a District of Columbia childcare center need to sign a lease or win a contract?

Usually general liability, professional liability (E&O), commercial property; Landlords & commercial leases typically ask for general liability with the landlord as additional insured, property coverage on tenant improvements and workers' compensation. A live certificate from the wallet answers each request without a new call to the agent, and changes to the policy update it on their own.

What auto coverage does District of Columbia require for a childcare center's vehicles?

The state minimum limits: Bodily injury $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident and property damage $10,000, plus uninsured motorist coverage of $25,000 / $50,000 bodily injury and $5,000 property damage; personal injury protection must be offered and can be declined. Business policies are written above those limits because leases, platforms and clients ask for more, and hired and non-owned auto covers staff who use their own cars for the work.

Can CoverMatch take over the policies a District of Columbia childcare center already has?

When the carrier is one we are appointed with in District of Columbia, one signed broker-of-record letter moves the policy into the wallet with no change to carrier, coverage or price, and the live certificate and renewal shopping switch on. For any other carrier we quote a replacement now or before the renewal; the wallet only holds policies CoverMatch takes care of.

What limits does state licensing require for a daycare?

Each state sets its own minimums for liability and sometimes for abuse and molestation and auto, and the figures change. Check your state's licensing rules or state page and have the wallet keep the certificate current for the license file.

Is abuse and molestation coverage included in general liability?

Usually excluded or sublimited. A childcare-specific policy includes it with its own limit; a generic small-business policy almost never does. The certificate licensing asks for should show it explicitly.

Do I need coverage for staff driving children in their own cars?

Yes, and most carriers restrict it. Hired and non-owned auto covers the center's liability; some states and carriers require owned, listed vehicles with specific equipment for transporting children.

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