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Ohio collects your insurance certificates before it licenses you — and one coverage can’t be bought privately at all. The Department of Children and Youth (which took over child care licensing in 2025) expects certificates for general liability, property, and automobile cover if you transport children in the pre-licensing file. Workers’ compensation is separate: Ohio is a monopolistic state, so WC comes only from the state BWC fund.
One policy, priced for a Ohio 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 Ohio Actually Requires
| Coverage | Ohio requirement |
|---|---|
| General liability + property | Certificates collected in DCY pre-licensing documentation |
| Automobile liability | Required if the center transports children |
| Workers’ compensation | Ohio BWC state fund ONLY — private WC policies cannot be sold in Ohio |
Two Systems, Two Sellers
Liability, property and auto come from the commercial market. Workers’ comp does not: Ohio is one of four monopolistic states, so you open an account with the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation and pay premiums to the state fund from your first employee. A quote for “full coverage” from any private carrier will simply not include WC here — check the BWC box separately.
Note the agency too: rules formerly under ODJFS/5101:2-12 now run through the Department of Children and Youth with renumbered chapters — old citations in older guides point at the right rules under the wrong numbers.
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 — in Ohio, only from the state BWC fund.
- 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.
Affiliate link — we earn a commission at no cost to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What insurance does Ohio require to open a daycare?
The Department of Children and Youth collects insurance certificates — general liability, property, and automobile if children are transported — as part of pre-licensing documentation. Workers’ compensation is handled separately through the state BWC fund.
Can an Ohio daycare buy workers’ comp from a private insurer?
No. Ohio is a monopolistic workers’-compensation state: coverage comes only from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. Private carriers can sell you liability and property cover, not WC.
Comparing states? See daycare insurance requirements in every state, or the full guide to starting a daycare in Ohio.
Sources
| Source | What it confirms |
|---|---|
| Ohio Admin. Code (center licensing) | Pre-licensing documentation incl. insurance certificates; rules renumbered under DCY |
| Ohio BWC | Monopolistic state workers’ compensation fund |
