by Tim Larden, Sales and Marketing Director, Access Insurance Services
Special schools operate in uniquely complex environments, and the risk landscape for 2026 is shifting in ways leaders should be aware of. Access Insurance shares a quick overview of what’s changing and why now is a good moment to review your insurance arrangements.
The Market Is Softening
After several difficult years, insurers, on the whole, are changing – offering more competitive terms and have an increased willingness to engage with specialist and complex risks. This makes 2026 an ideal time to revisit limits, challenge restrictive exclusions and ensure your cover properly reflects the specialist services you provide.
Cyber Risks Are Increasing
With large volumes of sensitive pupil data and growing digital dependency, special schools remain concerned about cyber risk. Cyber insurers are no longer just paying claims. Many now help organisations assess and manage cyber risks, providing wider cover and practical support such as incident response when things go wrong.
Risk Management Pressures Are Rising
Special schools continue to face higher exposure across areas such as safeguarding, unpredictable liability incidents, transport, specialist equipment, medical tasks, staff wellbeing and regulatory scrutiny. Strong, documented risk management is key, both for safety, compliance and for insurance purposes.
Avoid Common Insurance Pitfalls
Some of the things, insurance decision-makers should be aware of when reviewing their insurance are declaring everything an insurer would expect to know about your activities, insuring property for the correct values, not relying on historical policies and making sure key covers and terms are understood. A clear, proactive review can prevent long term gaps in cover, or paying for more cover than you need to.
Read the full guide
This blog provides a snapshot. The full guide provided by Access Insurance offers deeper insight into the 2026 market, emerging risks and practical steps to strengthen your insurance and risk management this year.
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Tim Larden is a Director at Access Insurance. He has 25+ years experience in the insurance sector, with 20 years specialising in the charity sector. In 2015 he took up the running of charity-specialists Ladbrook Insurance, which was acquired by Access Insurance in 2025. Access is an ethically driven, charity-specialist, Chartered Insurance Broker that advises 18,000 charities, community and not-for-profit organisations.
About Access Insurance - Access is an ethically driven, charity-specialist, Chartered Insurance Broker that advises 18,000 charities, community and not-for-profit organisations, including independent special schools. Access Insurance is part of the Benefact Group, an international family of financial service businesses with deep charity expertise in insurance, broking and investment management. The Benefact Group gives all available profits to charity and is itself owned by a charitable trust.