Contents insurance for schools

As a board of trustees you need to arrange contents insurance to cover your school for damage or loss to school contents. You can go into the Ministry’s Risk Management Scheme, or you can arrange your own cover.

Insuring your school’s contents

You must insure your school’s contents against them being damaged or lost. Contents include things like furniture, artwork and sports equipment.

Be aware that you cannot make claims for contents under the Ministry's School Buildings Insurance Funding Programme.

School Buildings Insurance Funding Programme

Vandalism Funding Programme

Two options for contents insurance

Option 1: Arrange your own cover.

Option 2: Ask to be covered by the Ministry’s Risk Management Scheme which offers full contents cover.

Risk Management Scheme — contents and liability insurance for schools

Paying for contents insurance

If you’re arranging your own contents insurance, pay for insurance premiums using your operational funding.

Operational funding

If you go into the Risk Management Scheme, the levies for the scheme are taken out of your operational funding each quarter. The levies are based on a per student cost and show up in your operations funding entitlement notice under 'Risk Management'.

Things that aren’t covered by contents insurance

Vehicles, such as vans, cars, tractors and ride-on mowers, aren't covered by contents insurance. You need to arrange separate insurance for them.

Any damage that’s caused by contractors doing property work at your school isn't covered by contents insurance. Contractors must have public liability insurance for any damage they cause.

Last reviewed: Has this been useful? Give us your feedback