Safer School Environments Thanks to Insurance

Globally, there’s no single date for going back to school. While in Europe, in countries like Spain, Italy, and Greece, the new school year usually begins in September, in others, such as Denmark and Finland, classes start in mid to late August.

In Latin America, on the other hand, the first day of school mainly depends on geographic location; that is, whether the country is in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. In Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico, classes typically resume in September; while in Colombia, Costa Rica, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Chile, the school year begins between February and March.

By that time, parents will have already made one of the most important decisions: choosing the school where their children will study; a difficult decision given the impact it can have on their academic and personal development. Along with school quality, values, open communication with families, and extracurricular activities, among other factors, it’s important not to overlook the need to prioritize comprehensive safety, including both physical and emotional well-being.

Every day, hundreds (sometimes thousands) of people share these spaces: students, teachers, support and administrative staff, service providers, and families. Even when every possible preventive measure is taken, accidents can still happen in the classroom, on the playground, in the cafeteria, during school transportation… at any time.

Insurance coverage plays a key role in the educational setting. In fact, you may not even realize how many different types of insurance policies surround schools and protect your children during class hours.

Let’s start with the policies designed specifically to respond to accidents and medical emergencies that can occur in these environments. In Spain, this type of insurance is mandatory for certain educational levels. The law defines the minimum coverage requirements and benefits, including medical assistance, compensation for disability, and support in the event of a student’s death.

This isn’t the case in Latin America, where in most countries such insurance isn’t mandatory, although it’s strongly recommended because of its wide range of benefits:

• In medical emergencies or accidents, it ensures that students receive the necessary care quickly and efficiently.
• It helps schools handle unexpected incidents that may occur inside or outside the premises and, as a result, reduces their financial impact so the school can continue its educational mission. Knowing that the school cares about students’ safety builds trust within the educational community.
• It’s an essential tool for risk prevention within the institution. It helps identify potential hazards, promoting a safer environment for everyone.

Like any building, a school must be protected. That’s why it’s common to have a multi-risk insurance policy that covers damage to facilities and equipment: broken windows, electrical damage, fires, theft… Think of laptops and tablets, the new classroom essentials replacing traditional textbooks. Such policies can also cover theft or screen damage.

In general, multi-risk policies also include liability coverage, which protects the school in situations that may cause harm to third parties. Some insurers already offer protection against bullying and cyberbullying, with services such as monitoring a child’s online presence, deleting harmful content, and providing specialized psychological support for students and families.  

That’s not all. If your children use school bus transportation, the company that operates the buses must carry auto insurance that includes passenger coverage.

There are also policies tailored to students’ needs during their educational years, such as health insurance for those who require full medical coverage, or travel insurance for study abroad programs or end-of-year trips. We should also mention life insurance savings plans designed to ensure children can continue their studies in the event of a parent’s or guardian’s death or disability. 

Recognizing how important safety is in this area, MAPFRE offers insurance for schools and students in Spain and Latin America, addressing the specific needs of each country or region to help create safer educational environments.

In Spain, it complements the mandatory school insurance with private coverage and a wide range of value-added services, such as educational programs on health and nutrition, medical chat services, and, in an era when cyberbullying and digital threats are increasingly common, solutions to prevent and manage these issues.

In Latin America, in countries such as Colombia, Chile, and Venezuela, MAPFRE also offers school accident insurance that protects students in these situations and covers medical expenses, death, disability, and more. In Argentina, MAPFRE provides a comprehensive insurance policy for educational institutions, a combined plan that protects the school building and includes students as third parties under its liability coverage. In most of these markets, there are also insurance solutions to guarantee that students can finish their studies in the event of a parent’s or guardian’s death.

As you can see, our children are well protected during their school hours. Insurance covers “almost everything” in the school environment, because when it comes to bad grades, the only coverage is studying.

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