Parental Options

Local Authority environments

All stakeholders in the community agree that giving children 24/365 access to their RAS, for domestic and social use, as well as in school, is crucial to their overall development and best life chances. Local Authorities vary significantly by population size, demographics, geographic size, and financial health. Although there is no particular correlation, their approaches to giving children access to radio aid systems outside the school environment vary enormously as well.

The majority of LAs do not allow children to take their RAS outside the school environment. They simply cannot afford the additional risk and cost of lost/damaged/stolen RAS for domestic and social use. The school is seen as a somewhat controllable environment, whereas outside school is seen as unmanageable.
A few LAs do allow 24/365 use of RAS at the LAs risk, with no financial responsibility on the school or parents.
Some LAs/schools allow 24/365 use if the parents indemnify them against any loss/damage/theft either directly personally, or by including them on their household insurance.
A number of LAs pass the full burden of the risk with RAS to the school on their issue. A variation on this is the LA taking a deposit from the school against any future replacement cost.
The level to which schools/LAs involve parents in a ‘partnership’ approach to their child’s educational and social development also varies enormously. A number of LAs are now encouraging parents to take responsibility for insuring their child’s RAS, in order for them to have 24/365 use.

Parents choices

With the availability of Aspen’s specialist RAS insurance policy, parents do now have a third choice in giving their child 24/365 use directly, if the school/LA won’t allow it:

Indemnifying the school/LA against any loss/damage/theft directly personally. Some families can afford to do this, many cannot, with a typical financial exposure of £2,000 if the entire RAS is lost.
Adding their child’s RAS to their existing home insurance policy. Some insurance companies will cover RAS, many won’t. There are two separate impediments involved. First, a RAS is a highly specialised piece of equipment, and many companies simply don’t understand what they are and how they are used. Second, insurance is generally taken out to cover something owned by the policyholder. In the case of RAS, the LA has generally bought it and owns it, but it is used in school by a child. In the event of a claim insurance companies generally expect proof of purchase and ownership, which is virtually impossible with a RAS. Where home insurance policies will cover RAS, they vary enormously in terms of policy excesses in the event of a claim and increases in policy premium following a claim.
Aspen’s specialist insurance policy for RAS, Insurance4radioaidsystems, provides an additional third option. For an annual premium of £125, it offers comprehensive cover for accidental damage/loss/theft of a child’s RAS. In the event of a claim there is no policy excess to pay, and no change to the premium at the next renewal. As a standalone policy any claim has no impact on any other insurance policies.

To purchase the insurance policy click here to navigate to the Home page.