Ask for the Insurance Certificate Before the First Shift: Compare Injury, Liability, and Bond Proof Across Providers

Every in-home care option, whether an agency or a direct hire, puts a worker inside Dad's house. Before comparing rates, compare the proof that the worker is covered if something goes wrong. The document to ask for is a certificate of insurance, and it answers three separate questions: what happens if the worker is injured, what happens if the worker damages property or harms someone, and what happens if money or belongings go missing.

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

The three lines to find

Look for workers' compensation coverage, general liability coverage, and a fidelity or crime bond. Workers' compensation addresses injuries to the worker on the job. General liability addresses injury or damage the worker causes to others or their property. A bond or crime coverage addresses theft by a worker. Each line should appear on the certificate with a policy number, the insurer's name, and an expiration date printed on the document itself.¹

Check the certificate holder

A certificate normally names a certificate holder, which is the party the insurer has notified that the policy exists. Ask whether the household or Dad is listed. A certificate that names only the agency's office, or a generic holder with no connection to the family, is not the same as proof the family can rely on. Ask for a copy that names the household directly.

Confirm it with the insurer

A certificate is a summary, not the policy. Ask the provider for the insurer's name and policy number, then call the insurer or check its public listing to confirm the policy is active and the lines match the certificate. A provider who cannot give you the insurer's name, or who resists the call, has told you something useful about the offer.

Who is the employer on paper

Ask whether the workers are the provider's employees or independent contractors. The answer changes who carries the workers' compensation and payroll obligations, and it changes what the certificate covers. For a direct hire, the household may be the employer, which means the household may need its own coverage. Questions about how this applies in Missouri belong with a licensed attorney or the state agency that administers workers' compensation, not with a care provider's sales staff.¹

Compare the proof side by side

Put each provider's certificate on one sheet with four columns: workers' compensation, general liability, bond or crime coverage, and expiration date. Mark any line that is missing or unclear. A cheaper hourly rate that leaves one line blank is not a cheaper offer until the gap is closed in writing.

For help finding local offices that can answer these questions, see Local Help: St. Louis Offices. The reading guide for this desk is on the How We Write This Briefing page.

1. VA.gov, Aid and Attendance: information for care providers and family members, general guidance on paid in-home care.