Sexual Abuse and Molestation (SAM) insurance is no longer optional. As claims rise and settlements hit historic highs, regulators and institutions are requiring businesses to carry dedicated SAM coverage.
In California, extended abuse reporting timelines have tripled the volume of claims. Premiums climbed from $114 million in 2019 to $490 million in 2025, and settlement costs are projected to reach $1.9 billion. In the nonprofit sector, the Boy Scouts of America’s compensation fund has swelled past $7 billion.
To understand how agents can help clients respond, we spoke with Tony Huynh, a professional liability broker in Jencap’s Southern California office. Huynh works with agents across high-exposure industries, helping them navigate the turbulent SAM market and secure meaningful protection when traditional packaged policies fall short.
A Market in Flux
“Sexual abuse and molestation claims have been on the rise. There’s been an increase of over 50% in sexual abuse offenses from 2020 to 2024, per government statistical data,” Huynh explains. “Lots of carriers are experiencing severe losses, over seven digits.”
That pressure has led carriers to retreat from offering SAM coverage in packaged policies. Agents are seeing:
- Low sublimits that do not meet regulatory requirements
- Deductibles so high that coverage is unusable
- Significant premium spikes to keep coverage in place
- In some cases, complete exclusion of SAM from renewals
Statutes of limitations are also expanding, giving survivors decades to file claims. That legal shift revives dormant cases and exposes businesses that thought their risk was behind them.
Why Low Limits Leave Clients Exposed
When a package policy only offers limited or excluded SAM coverage, clients face devastating defense costs and settlements on their own.
“Buying adequate limits helps mitigate potential financial losses and protect the assets of the owners or investors,” Huynh says. “A large SAM loss can set companies back and erase their financial progress.”
The pressure is highest in four industries:
- Healthcare, where patients are vulnerable
- Education, from K–12 to higher ed, with legacy exposures
- Hospitality, where guest interaction and vendor oversight create risk
- Entertainment, with unsupervised environments and high liability potential
In states like California, regulators, school districts, municipalities, and private employers are mandating dedicated SAM coverage before work can begin.
The Monoline SAM Advantage
Standalone Sexual Abuse and Molestation coverage when written monoline provides:
- High, Dedicated Coverage Limits
Standalone SAM policies can reach $10 million per victim or $15 million aggregate, compared to packaged policies that often cap at $25,000. - Affirmative, Non-Erodible Protection
Monoline policies separate SAM limits from GL and umbrella coverage, ensuring defense and indemnity remain intact. They also provide clarity by avoiding ambiguous exclusions. - Risk Mitigation and Incident Response
Many carriers now embed risk-management tools into SAM coverage, including staff training modules, background screening resources, codes of conduct, and crisis response kits. These tools strengthen underwriting confidence and can help agents secure better pricing. - Contractual Compliance Across High-Risk Sectors
From schools to hospitals to youth organizations, contracts often require explicit SAM coverage. A monoline policy ensures compliance and avoids disqualification from bids. - Specialty Market Access
As standard carriers exit, specialty and surplus-line carriers are stepping in. Partnering with a broker who knows these markets gives agents access to $5 million or more in limits, sometimes at premiums starting around $2,000 to $5,000 depending on risk factors.
Pre-Market With a Risk Management Mindset
In today’s market, carriers expect more than a clean application. They want evidence of risk control.
Huynh’s advice: “Make sure your client has risk management in place before going to market, especially if they’ve recently had a SAM incident.” That includes:
- Comprehensive staff training
- Background checks for employees and volunteers
- Written codes of conduct
- Ongoing compliance with evolving abuse reporting laws
“Being a guide to your client is the best way to earn their business and improve their chances of obtaining a competitive SAM quote,” Huynh adds.
At Jencap, we specialize in helping agents secure SAM solutions with the right markets, limits, and risk-management support. Contact us today to protect your clients before they are caught off guard.
The Jencap Advantage
Navigating SAM coverage requires more than policy access. It takes brokers who understand the shifting legal environment, recognize industry-specific exposures, and know which carriers are still writing these risks. That is where Jencap stands apart.
- Specialty Market Access: We maintain relationships with carriers who continue to offer meaningful SAM coverage, even as standard markets exit.
- Expert Guidance: Our brokers, like Tony Huynh, live and breathe professional liability and know how to structure policies that meet regulatory requirements and protect client assets.
- Integrated Risk Support: We help agents guide their clients through risk management best practices, improving insurability and access to competitive quotes.
- Proven Results: Time and again, we help agents secure higher limits, stronger terms, and faster placements than they could achieve on their own.
By partnering with Jencap, you gain more than a market. You gain a strategic ally who equips you to protect your clients and win accounts in one of the toughest liability markets today.
FAQ: Common Agent Questions About Sexual Abuse and Molestation Insurance Coverage
Q: What is SAM insurance coverage?
A: Sexual Abuse and Molestation insurance provides protection against claims of sexual misconduct, abuse, or molestation. It covers defense costs, settlements, and often includes embedded risk-management resources.
Q: Who needs SAM coverage?
A: Healthcare providers, schools, nonprofits, youth organizations, hospitality businesses, entertainment venues, and any business that works with vulnerable populations should carry SAM insurance.
Q: Why isn’t the SAM coverage provided in a package enough?
Package policies often impose sublimits as low as $25,000, exclude SAM altogether, or apply high deductibles. Standalone policies offer higher limits, dedicated protection, and contractual compliance.
Q: How much SAM coverage is available?
A: Standalone SAM policies can provide limits up to $10 million per victim and $15 million aggregate, depending on the underwriter and the risk profile.
