Three insurance policies matter when you have a nanny: the nanny company's liability insurance, which covers damage the nanny causes at work; your home insurance, which covers your home and your belongings; and your child's accident insurance, which covers the child if they are hurt. Our nannies are covered by liability insurance with Trygg-Hansa during working hours. If you employ someone yourself or pay cash in hand, you are without the first one.
A four-year-old falls off the climbing frame in the park one Wednesday at four o'clock, with the nanny three metres away. The arm swells up, it is A&E at Sachsska children's hospital and an arm in plaster. Nobody has done anything wrong, it is an ordinary accident. But in the waiting room the questions come: who is responsible, what is covered, what would have happened if the nanny had made a mistake? Here we go through what applies, which policies exist and what to ask before you hire anyone.
The three policies, and what each one covers
| Insurance | Who holds it | Covers | Does not cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liability insurance (ansvarsförsäkring) | The nanny company | Damage the nanny causes at work, to children, people or belongings, where she has been negligent | Pure accidents where nobody did anything wrong |
| Home insurance (hemförsäkring) | You | Your belongings and your home in case of fire, water damage or burglary. Liability cover for you as private individuals | Normally not an employee's injury at work |
| Accident insurance for the child | You, through a private child policy, or the municipality through preschool and school | Costs and compensation when the child is hurt in an accident, whoever was with them | Illness, if it is a pure accident policy |
| Motor insurance (trafikförsäkring) | The car's owner | Damage in traffic, follows the car | Check the terms when someone else is driving |
The most important thing to understand is that the three do not overlap. An arm in plaster after a fall in the park is the child's accident insurance, not the nanny's liability, because nobody did anything wrong. An arm in plaster because the nanny left the child alone on the climbing frame while she was inside a shop is something else, and that is what liability insurance is for.
A nanny through a company
A reputable nanny company has liability insurance that applies when their staff work in your home. Happy Nanny Sweden AB holds ours with Trygg-Hansa, and it applies during working hours. It covers damage the nanny causes through negligence: a saucepan forgotten on the hob, a laptop dropped, a child hurt because she was not keeping watch. The nanny herself is employed by us, with the insurance that comes with that. You do not need to take out anything extra to have one of our nannies in your home.
Always ask a company what insurance they have and with which insurer. A company that cannot answer that straight away is one to think twice about. Read more about what sets companies apart in our guide to How to choose a nanny agency.
A nanny you employ yourself
If you employ a nanny privately you are the employer, and then it is you who bear the responsibility if she is injured while working for you. Ordinary home insurance does not normally cover that. Ask your insurer what they offer private individuals with employees in the home. Damage she does to your belongings is in practice your own loss, unless you have agreed otherwise. And if she hurts a child through negligence there is no liability insurance to turn to, only a private individual with small margins. That is one of the strongest reasons to go through a company if you do not want to get to grips with all this.
A nanny paid cash in hand
Here there is nothing. No liability insurance, no occupational injury insurance, and a situation where you would rather not explain to your own insurer who was in your home and why. The child's own accident insurance still applies, of course, an accident is an accident. But everything else you carry yourselves. We write more about it in our guide to Paying a babysitter cash in hand.
Your child's insurance: check this
- Private child insurance. Normally applies around the clock, whoever is with the child. If you have one, that is what applies in the park at four o'clock.
- The municipality's accident insurance. Children at förskola (municipal preschool, from age one) and school are often covered by a policy through the municipality. Some apply around the clock, others only during preschool or school hours. Check your municipality's website, it varies.
- What is included. Doctor's visits, travel, scarring, disability. The terms vary, and it is worth reading them once.
- Making a claim. After an accident, you as the guardians make the claim, whoever was with the child. The nanny writes down what happened, which makes it easier.
Car, bike and e-scooter
If the nanny is to drive the children, the car's motor insurance applies, but check with your insurer what the terms are when someone outside the household drives. The children must sit in your car seats according to the rules, rear-facing until at least the age of four. With us, a driving licence is a specific request you state at the first meeting, and the nanny drives only if you have expressly said yes. A bike with a child seat or a trailer is your decision, and a helmet is non-negotiable. An e-scooter with a child is a no, from us and from the law.
Five questions to ask before you hire anyone
- What insurance do you have, and with which insurer?
- Does it apply throughout working hours, including when the nanny is out with the children?
- What happens if the nanny breaks something in our home?
- Is the nanny employed by you, or is she self-employed or a private individual?
- What do we do if there is an accident, who do we call first?
The answers to these five questions say more about a company than their website does. And the answer to the last one is always the same: first 112 if it is an emergency, then you, then the company. The insurance comes a long way after that.
How we do it with our families
We have a routine for when something happens, and it is simple: the nanny calls you straight away, however small it is. A grazed knee is a text message with a photo. A fall from the climbing frame is a phone call, while she is already on the way to a doctor if needed. Then she writes down what happened, where and when, on the note she leaves. That is the record you need if it becomes an insurance matter, and the record we need if anything is to be reported to Trygg-Hansa. In all our years it has almost exclusively been grazed knees. But the routine is there for the time it is not.
Would you like a nanny who comes on the same days every week, someone the children know? Book a free first meeting with the nanny in your home, and we will work out the hours with you.
Read more: Paying a babysitter cash in hand · Criminal record checks for nannies in Sweden · Paediatric CPR · FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a Happy Nanny nanny have?
Happy Nanny Sweden AB has liability insurance with Trygg-Hansa that applies during working hours. It covers damage the nanny causes in the course of her work in your home. The nanny herself is covered by the company's insurance as an employee. You do not need to take out anything extra to have us in your home.
Does my child's own insurance cover accidents with a nanny?
Usually, yes. A private child policy normally applies around the clock, whoever is with the child. The municipality's accident insurance through preschool or school sometimes applies only during preschool or school hours and sometimes around the clock, it varies between municipalities. Check your child's terms.
What happens if the nanny breaks something in our home?
If she is employed by a company with liability insurance, it is reported there and the insurer assesses the damage. If she is employed by you privately or paid cash in hand, it is your home insurance or your own wallet. Small things are usually sorted out with a conversation, either way.
Can the nanny drive the children?
Only if you have expressly said yes, and then in your car with your car seats. Motor insurance follows the car, but check with your insurer what applies when someone other than you is driving. With us, a driving licence is a specific request you state at the first meeting.
Do we need our own insurance if we employ a nanny ourselves?
Yes, most likely. As the employer you are responsible if the nanny is injured at work, and that is not covered by ordinary home insurance. Ask your insurer what they offer private individuals who have an employee in the home. It is one of the most common gaps among families who employ someone themselves.