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The District asks for the fullest insurance file on the East Coast: child development facility licensure requires proof of commercial general liability, umbrella “follow form” liability, sexual abuse and molestation liability, and vehicle coverage — with current documentation maintained at the facility and produced to OSSE on request. Only Tennessee matches the abuse-and-molestation mandate; nobody else asks for the umbrella.
One policy, priced for a Washington, D.C. daycare
Next Insurance writes daycare general liability with abuse & molestation coverage, plus commercial auto and workers’ comp where states allow, as one bundle — quoted online in minutes.
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What Washington, D.C. Actually Requires
| Coverage | Washington, D.C. requirement |
|---|---|
| The required stack | CGL + umbrella “follow form” liability + sexual abuse & molestation liability + vehicle liability — proof at licensure (5A DCMR ch. 1) |
| Ongoing documentation | Current insurance information maintained AT the facility and provided to OSSE upon request |
| Workers’ compensation | Required at 1+ employees — or DOES-certified self-insurance |
The Umbrella Requirement Nobody Else Writes
OSSE’s list is what an experienced insurance broker would build unprompted — and the District makes it mandatory. The follow-form umbrella extends your underlying limits instead of introducing new exclusions; the abuse-and-molestation line covers the claim class standard GL policies carve out; vehicle coverage rides along if you transport. Quote all four together: carriers price the package differently than the pieces.
The maintain-on-premises rule converts the file into something an inspector — or in practice, a diligent parent — can ask to see. Combined with the one-employee workers’-comp rule and the downtown property-management market’s own COI culture, a D.C. daycare’s insurance paperwork is effectively part of its licence.
The Coverages Every Daycare Carries Regardless
- General liability with abuse & molestation coverage. The playground injury and the allegation are different claims; a daycare policy without A&M cover is missing the exposure the business is actually judged on.
- Commercial auto if you transport children — a personal policy excludes business use.
- Workers’ compensation once you employ staff (required in D.C. from the first employee).
- Property and contents for the build-out, equipment and food stock.
Parents ask if you’re insured. So do licensors.
A certificate of insurance answers both in one page. Quotes are free and don’t require a phone call.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What insurance does a D.C. daycare need for licensure?
Proof of commercial general liability, umbrella ‘follow form’ liability, sexual abuse and molestation liability, and vehicle liability coverage — per the child development facility licensing regulations (5A DCMR chapter 1) — with current documentation maintained at the facility and provided to OSSE on request.
Does a standard general liability policy satisfy D.C.’s daycare rules?
No — the District separately requires umbrella follow-form coverage and sexual abuse and molestation liability, both of which sit outside a bare GL policy. Quote the full stack together.
Comparing states? See daycare insurance requirements in every state, or the full guide to starting a daycare in Washington, D.C..
Sources
| Source | What it confirms |
|---|---|
| DC OSSE — child care licensing regulations (5A DCMR) | The four-coverage proof-of-insurance requirement |
| DC DOES | The 1+ WC rule |
