Last updated: September 14, 2026
Ohio Type A/B homes need $100,000/$300,000 liability or a parental waiver. Centers have no published CGL licensing floor—buy with BWC in mind.
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Ohio daycare liability: homes vs. centers
Ohio Revised Code 5104.041 and the home rules under OAC 5101:2-13-07 (renumbered in the 5180:2-13 chapter for the Department of Children and Youth) apply to Type A and licensed Type B family child care homes. Those homes must either (1) maintain liability insurance of at least $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate, with proof on-site (and landlord additional-insured rules if requested), or (2) use the JFS 01933 Liability Insurance Statement signed by each parent by the first day of attendance.
Type A homes generally serve 7–12 children in the provider residence; Type B homes serve 1–6 (not counting the provider’s own, per statutory definitions). The $100k/$300k OR waiver path is the citeable general-liability dollar floor in Ohio childcare law.
Licensed child care centers are different. ORC 5104.041’s insurance mandate applies to Type A and licensed Type B homes—not centers. Published center application rule OAC 5180:2-12-02 lists occupancy, fire, food service and plan-of-operation items, not general-liability or property certificates. Leases, lenders and subsidy contracts can still require CGL even when licensing does not.
How much liability coverage should you buy?
For Type A and licensed Type B homes, $100,000/$300,000 (or the parental waiver) is a legal floor—not a finding that this amount covers every loss. Centers have no published licensing dollar floor, so limits there are a risk and contract decision. Send the provider any lease, school agreement or other contract requiring higher limits. Ask for comparable options at lower and higher limits, with the same covered activities and deductible, so you can see the cost difference.
Review the per-occurrence limit and any aggregate or separate abuse-related limit. Ask how defense costs affect available protection. If considering an umbrella, have the agent identify the underlying policies it requires and the childcare exposures it excludes; do not assume it fills every gap in the base policy.
Coverage to compare for an Ohio daycare or preschool
| Operation or exposure | Coverage question to resolve |
|---|---|
| Children and visitors at your premises | Which liability coverage applies to injuries and property damage, and which activities are excluded? |
| Supervision, instruction and care | Is professional liability included or separate? How does the proposal treat abuse or molestation allegations? |
| Staff and volunteers | Who is insured, and what employee injury or employer-liability coverage is needed? |
| Furniture, supplies and play equipment | Who owns the property, what values are insured and which losses or locations are excluded? |
| School pickup and off-site activities | What vehicle and business coverage is needed for the drivers, trips and activities described? |
General liability, professional liability and abuse or molestation coverage answer different questions. Have the provider explain how the proposal handles a premises injury, a supervision allegation and a claim involving a staff member. Confirm that the services you offer are described and that the relevant people and locations are insured.
For a home, ask the residential insurer how business childcare affects its coverage and compare the proposed endorsement with a separate childcare policy. For a center or preschool, distinguish landlord-owned property from your furnishings, supplies and improvements. Ask which causes of loss and interruptions are covered before adding property or business-income protection.
How much does Ohio daycare insurance cost?
There is no single premium for every daycare. As a broad reference, Insureon’s national human-and-social-services customer medians are $91/month for general liability, $135 for a business owner’s policy and $99 for professional liability, checked September 14, 2026. That sample is broader than daycare; these are not state daycare averages or Simply Business prices.
Use those figures only to understand separate budget categories. A business owner’s policy can bundle liability and property, so do not add every figure as though it were a required package. Request a childcare-specific proposal using your program type, child count and ages, payroll, transportation, claims history and required limits.
Compare the total annual premium, deductible, included activities and any separate abuse-coverage limit. Ask about installment charges, endorsements and the cost of changes during the year. Two prices are comparable only after the provider explains the differences in protection.
Request quotes using your actual license category and services. Disclose holiday and summer operations, transport and off-site activities when offered. Comparing these details consistently is more useful than assigning every Ohio program the same estimated premium.
Workers’ compensation: Ohio BWC from the first employee
Ohio is monopolistic. Private employers pay premiums into the state insurance fund under ORC 4123.35 or obtain approved self-insurance—private workers’ compensation policies cannot substitute for Bureau of Workers’ Compensation coverage. Coverage is generally required from the first employee.
Operating without coverage can expose the employer to liability and penalties under ORC 4123.75 et seq. Keep BWC separate from any facility liability policy you purchase for homes, contracts or risk management.
Transport and field-trip safety rules
OAC 5180:2-12-14 sets center transportation and field-trip safety—permissions, ratios, restraints and an appropriate Ohio driver license. No childcare-specific commercial-auto dollar floor appears in that rule. Ordinary Ohio financial-responsibility and commercial-vehicle laws still apply to the vehicle.
A premises liability certificate does not establish vehicle coverage. Ask about commercial auto or hired/non-owned exposures before school pickup or off-site trips.
Keep coverage and licensing evidence aligned through the year
Homes using the insurance path should keep proof on-site and refresh evidence when the policy renews. Homes using JFS 01933 must collect signed statements by the first day of attendance for each parent. Calendar renewals with Department of Children and Youth licensing paperwork.
Update the agent before adding transport, capacity or locations. Agency renumbering from ODJFS 5101:2-xx to DCY 5180:2-xx does not change the substance of the home insurance OR waiver rule.
Prepare your Ohio daycare insurance quote
- Legal operator name, address, permit or certificate type and requested coverage date.
- Licensed capacity, actual enrollment, ages served, hours and all locations.
- Staff, volunteers, payroll and screening/supervision procedures.
- Transportation, field trips, water activities and other services offered.
- Existing policy, claim history and insurance requirements from leases or contracts.
Ask each provider to identify the named insured, covered activities, limits, deductibles, exclusions and endorsements. Confirm whether defense costs reduce any relevant limit and how claims must be reported. If a quote cannot cover an activity, resolve that gap rather than assuming a certificate will make the proposal acceptable.
Get a daycare insurance quote
Start your daycare insurance quote with Simply Business. Answer a few questions about your business and let their team help you find coverage.
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Data for Ohio
Free research and planning tools for starting a daycare in Ohio. Most of the data pages compare every state, so look for Ohio in the table or map.
- Childcare subsidy waitlists and funding: subsidy waitlists and provider payment delays in selected states.
- Workers’ comp threshold bills: bills that would change how many workers you can have before coverage is required.
- Workplace injury rates by industry: how often workers get hurt in cleaning, landscaping, HVAC, daycare and other services.
- Insurance requirements for contracts: what limits, certificates and endorsements commercial and public buyers ask for.
- Daycare break-even calculator: how many enrolled children you need to cover costs and pay yourself.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ohio’s daycare liability insurance minimum for family homes?
Type A and licensed Type B homes must maintain at least $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate, or use the JFS 01933 parental liability-insurance statement signed by each parent by the first day of attendance (ORC 5104.041).
Do Ohio child care centers have a licensing CGL dollar floor?
No published center CGL dollar mandate was located. ORC 5104.041 applies to Type A and licensed Type B homes. Center application rule 5180:2-12-02 does not list GL certificates among required submissions.
Can parents waive Ohio home liability insurance?
Yes, for Type A and licensed Type B homes, the statute and rules allow the JFS 01933 Liability Insurance Statement path instead of carrying the $100k/$300k policy. Follow the form and timing rules exactly.
When must an Ohio daycare buy workers’ compensation?
From the first employee through Ohio’s monopolistic BWC system (ORC 4123.35). Private WC policies cannot substitute for BWC coverage or approved self-insurance.
Sources
- ORC 5104.041 — Family home liability insurance or parental statement
- OAC 5180:2-12-02 — Center application documents
- OAC 5180:2-12-14 — Center transportation / field trips
- ORC 4123.35 — BWC premiums / self-insurance
Related guides
Daycare Insurance · Ohio / Daycare
Requirements and source benchmarks checked September 14, 2026. Policy terms and availability depend on the insurer and your business.
