OASW-Ontario Association of Social Workers Insurance Program

As a Social Worker, you help people and families solve complex problems in their everyday lives. It’s a rewarding career—but it’s also unpredictable. Social work is all about communication and sometimes what you communicate isn’t always what’s understood. In the heat of the moment when clients are at their most vulnerable, you may be just as vulnerable to risk. Despite your best intentions, your advice or actions might be misinterpreted and you could face a lawsuit.

Like Social Workers, PROLINK—Canada’s Insurance Connection believes in building strong, positive relationships with all our clients to resolve any and all conflict. That’s why we’ve partnered with the OASW to address the specific risks you face as a Social Worker with our bundled Professional Insurance coverage. We’ll take care of you so you can take care of your clients.

Our Professional Liability program will protect you from any allegations of negligence, error, or misrepresentation, even if the claims made against you are groundless, while our Commercial General Liability policy will take care of any third-party claims of bodily injury or property damage.

Highlights of our program include:

• $1,000,000 limit for Abuse Coverage;
• $200,000 limit for Disciplinary Defense Costs;
• $100,000 limit for Criminal Proceedings;
• FREE legal advice with unlimited calls to the Trisura Legal Assistance Hotline at 1-866-945-5207 (8AM to midnight, 7 days a week)
• FREE annual listing on FindASocialWorker.ca , sponsored by PROLINK ($100 value);
• FREE 6-month subscription with and listing on the Psychology Today directory ($180 value);
• Coverage for false advertising, slander, and defamation;
• And more!

Contact PROLINK to learn more today!

• FAQ

  • 1. What does Professional Liability insurance cover?

    In general, Professional Liability covers you against allegations brought by a third party (i.e., a client) seeking damages resulting from a negligent or wrongful act, error, omission or arising from your profession and within your scope of practice.

  • 2. Will the Professional Liability policy protect me if a complaint is filed against me with my Regulatory Body?

    The chance of having someone file a formal complaint against you is greater than the chance of being sued. There are different regulatory bodies in each province; however, this policy will provide access to lawyers who specialize in defending professionals being investigated by a regulatory body or authority due to a complaint.

  • 3. Will the Professional Liability policy protect me if I am charged with a criminal offence?

    The policy will reimburse you for the legal defence costs incurred in a criminal action related to their services if the criminal charges are dropped or if you are found not guilty for the offence.

  • 4. How will I know if someone is claiming against me?

    You will know if you are served with a statement of claim. However, there are other circumstances where you should also contact PROLINK because it could constitute a claim under your Professional Liability policy.

    The other circumstances include:

    • A client or their lawyer issues a verbal or written demand for damages (i.e., a letter or email is sent to you);

    • A client or their lawyer makes threatening comments verbally or in writing indicating that they are seeking damages and/or may sue you.

    • You made a mistake in how you rendered your professional services and may have caused harm to a client.

  • 5. What do I do if I receive a statement of claim?

    Once you are aware of an actual or potential claim, report it to PROLINK immediately. Please refrain from making written or oral statements, and do not offer to compensate or admit liability. Taking such actions could interfere in the insurer’s ability to manage the claim.

  • 6. Is there a common expiry date for the OASW professional insurance program?

    Yes, all policies under PROLINK's OASW program will expire on May 1. If you sign up mid-year, you will pay a pro-rated premium and your policy will expire with the rest of the group on May 1 at 12 AM.

  • 7. Why is Commercial General Liability important?

    Unfortunately, you can be sued for any injuries or property damages that occur while working with clients—even if you’re not at fault. This situation is so common that most venues, government parties, and corporations require that you have this type of coverage in place before you engage in any contract.

    Additionally, if you run your business from home, you could be at risk. For example, if a delivery man slips and falls delivering a work-related package, your typical home owner’s policy may not cover it. Commercial General Liability will.

If you have your own Social Work practice, chances are you also own, rent, or lease office space. Whether it’s a major corporation, an up-and-coming firm with a few staff, or a home-based office, every business has valuable assets. And whether it’s a natural disaster, a power outage, or a break-in, every business is vulnerable to damage.

The cost of repairs and replacements can affect your business for years to come—for smaller firms, that impact might be financially devastating. Even if you can cover the expenses out-of-pocket, there’s the added blow of losing any income you would’ve earned before having to relocate or close down temporarily to fix the damages. Plus if your new location is out of the way, it might inconvenience your existing clients and keep any new ones away.

And if your office is home-based? Keep in mind that your business and contents might not be covered under your Home & Auto policy, especially for any equipment taken on the road.

That’s where we come in. With over 35 years of experience, PROLINK has seen it all. We’ll take the time to carefully audit your office contents and ensure that your business property, equipment, and furnishings are protected for their full value. We’ll also make adjustments to your coverage as your business continues to grow so you’re secure no matter what.

Contact PROLINK to apply online today!

In this day and age, all companies are data companies. When you rely on computer networks for the bulk of your work, hackers, malware, and ransomware pose a real threat. Whether it’s a stolen laptop, a breach in your cloud provider, or a snooping employee, being on a network exposes you to cyber risk. And you may not realize the value of your digital assets—and the implications of a breach—until it’s too late.

As a Social Worker, you might even be more attractive to some cybercriminals for your third-party connections. Given the value of private health information, it’s no coincidence that healthcare providers are among the most targeted professionals when it comes to security breaches. And size doesn’t matter; smaller practices with fewer security provisions are just as likely to be hacked as any major organization.

You might think that your property or liability insurance policy will restore your files for a small add-on fee. But there's no fast fix for a cyber attack. Data Security and Privacy Breach Insurance with PROLINK can protect you against these losses, help you get your electronic assets back in order, and your business back online.

Highlights of our policy include:

• Breach Counseling - Help determine whether a breach has occurred and assess the severity of the incident;
• Crisis Management - Time-saving professional service in handling a breach;
• Media Relations Consulting - Public relations assistance to help restore your business’ reputation;
• Legal Support - Documentation of steps taken and remediation services provided.

Contact PROLINK today for more information about purchasing these optional enhanced coverages:

• Regulatory Research and Compliance Expense - Coverage for lawyers’ fees incurred in providing advice and guidance on applicable legislative requirements;
• Forensic Investigation Expense - Covers the costs for forensic experts to determine how the intruder got into the device/system and what data has been compromised;
• Notification Expense Reimbursement - Covers the costs for a breach expert to assist in drafting a notification message along with all printing, mailing, postage, or address verification costs for sending this notification message;
• Notification Recipient Services - Covers the cost in providing fraud remediation services to individuals that have been affected by the breach.

New Clients

If you are interested in privacy breach insurance and are a new client, or someone who has already renewed their 2020 professional insurance, please complete the form below and provide an email address. We will send you a link to apply or amend your application as-needed. Please note that it may take a little longer to contact you than usual, as we try to complete the 2020 renewal for over 5000 OASW members.

Existing Clients

If you have not yet renewed, the option to purchase Privacy Breach Insurance is included in your online renewal application. Please click on the link you already received in your email to purchase Privacy Breach Insurance.

Contact PROLINK to apply online today!

As a Social Worker, your job often requires you to be mobile, so you probably spend a lot of time in your car. If you’re an independent practitioner, chances are, you work from home. That means your car and your home aren’t just your most valuable assets or your prized possessions; they’re also key to your livelihood.

Accidents can happen for any number of reasons—theft, loss, natural disasters. No matter the cause, one thing’s certain: you’ll be out thousands of dollars in damages. A financial setback no doubt, but it’ll sting even more if you’ve added a major renovation to your home or bought a brand-new car.

At PROLINK, it’s our job to worry about your coverage and your risks so that you don’t have to.

With over 30 years of experience and access to a network of insurers, we’ve seen it all. With PROLINK, you’ll have your pick of insurance solutions and added benefits at just the right price point for you. Plus, as a member of OASW, you can receive up to 20% off your Home & Auto Insurance!

GET A HOME & AUTO QUOTE

If you’re an independent Social Worker, you probably don’t have access to traditional employee benefits like Health, Dental, and Drug coverage.

But expensive treatments, prescriptions, and dental work always seem to pop up when you’re least expecting them. And if you end up with a serious illness, injury, or chronic condition that requires ongoing care, the costs can add up pretty quickly.

We can help. PROLINK’s comprehensive program covers Health, Vision, Dental, and Drugs, and can get you access to Paramedical services such as Massage, Chiropractic Adjustment, Physiotherapy, and more. Taking advantage of your plan and being proactive about your health now will help you prevent long-term conditions in the future.

Plus, by purchasing your insurance through PROLINK, you become part of a member pool across all of the associations that we represent in addition to OASW. And that means access to lower rates.

To learn more, contact PROLINK today!

GET A HEALTH & DENTAL QUOTE

Life insurance is the coverage you avoid thinking about—until there’s a major emergency or health scare that forces you to reconsider.

If something were to happen to you, who would provide for your family? Who would take on your debts? Who would cover your funeral expenses and the estate taxes from getting your affairs in order?

Your loved ones might never truly heal from the pain of losing you, but you can help them recover from the financial strain of an untimely death. Plus if you insure early on, you can avoid paying a higher premium as you get older.

Don’t wait. Pass the pain over to us. At PROLINK, we’ll take the time to understand you, your needs, and your family. We’ll provide you with affordable, long-term protection so you can provide for your loved ones if the unexpected happens to you.

Contact PROLINK to evaluate your options today!

Living with a critical illness isn’t just physically and mentally exhausting—it’s also financially draining. Most medications and treatments aren’t covered by a traditional drug plan. The latest healthcare breakthroughs are rarely available outside the U.S. On top of that, there are also travel expenses, childcare, and all the added indirect costs that come with a major health condition.

Even if you’re financially stable, medical bills will take a toll on your hard-earned savings. Especially if your family relies on your income.

Critical Illness Insurance can help with that by providing you with a lump sum that can be leveraged in whatever way best suits your needs. Once it’s been paid, how you spend it is completely up to you, whether that’s hiring a nurse, making your home accessible, or even paying off part of your mortgage.

You can’t predict when you’ll get sick, but you can plan for it. With PROLINK, you can access top-quality care through a customized and cost-effective Critical Illness policy for the long-term financial flexibility you need.

Contact PROLINK to learn more today.

You work hard and you deserve a worry-free vacation. Even so, no matter how much you plan, accidents can happen. Getting injured or sick overseas be anything from a minor inconvenience to a massive financial blow.

Think of travel insurance as a small investment with high value. It seems like an unnecessary expense and it’s definitely not the most exciting part of trip planning. But your peace of mind is priceless. Taking the time to set up protection in advance can save you the nightmare of unexpectedly forking out thousands of dollars abroad.

With access to over 30 insurers, PROLINK can offer you a comprehensive insurance plan that suits your travel needs. Beyond emergency medical costs, we can also help you with lost baggage and trip cancellations fees with a few enhancements to your policy, even if it’s just for a weekend trip across the border.

With PROLINK you’ll be prepared for whatever happens, wherever it happens. We want you to travel with ease, comfort, and the confidence of knowing we’ve got you covered.

Contact PROLINK to learn more today!

If you’re like most pet owners, your pet is your constant companion. So when your beloved companion inevitably falls ill, it can be stressful. It’s hard to see your once-lively pet refuse to eat or struggle up the stairs.

While the veterinarian might be able to remedy whatever’s ailing your pet, that cure usually comes at a high cost, especially when you want your pet to receive the best care possible. Depending on the treatment, you might have to save up first—during which time your pet could get sicker—or put yourself in debt to afford all those unexpected fees.

Purchasing PetSecure insurance through PROLINK can help take away the financial burden of getting your pet the care they need. For a small monthly rate, you can receive up to thousands of dollars in coverage for your pet’s accidents, illnesses, and dental care.

Contact PROLINK to learn more today!