Get the protection you deserve
Working in a public school can be risky, and the Legislature has steadily increased the responsibilities placed on educators in recent years, even creating new criminal and civil consequences. In this environment, it’s essential that Texas educators have legal protection.
The ATPE Protection Program includes two key elements: ATPE Member Legal Services and the Educators Professional Liability Insurance Policy.
ATPE Member Legal Services Department
If you have a question or legal issue, ATPE is here for you:
- ATPE has nine staff attorneys—more than any other Texas educators’ association—plus a network of other attorneys ready to assist ATPE members in all 254 counties of Texas.
- Our legal team can provide eligible members with quick, confidential assistance with employment-related legal concerns**—in English or Spanish—at no additional cost. You can arrange an after-hours call if it’s inconvenient to speak during regular business hours.
- If you have a legal problem involving another ATPE member (such as another teacher or supervisor), you can rest assured. If attorneys are needed, each eligible member may retain a separate attorney from a panel approved by the insurance company. Each attorney is ethically bound to provide counsel in the best interest of their client. Legal costs for covered claims are paid through the insurance policy.
Educators Professional Liability Insurance
ATPE is committed to providing insurance coverage you can understand and count on. That includes:
- Professional liability coverage*, which protects your personal assets in the event of a lawsuit.
- Employment rights defense coverage*, which can pay the costs of defending yourself against specific claims—including dismissal and certification claims. Unlike some other organizations’ insurance policies, ATPE’s underlying employment rights defense insurance is guaranteed to cover eligible costs, whether you win or lose.
Note: Insurance coverage only applies to an insured’s activities that begin during the policy period. View more details.
“Most people do not think they need legal protection until they need it. One accusation can destroy your career in an instant. Without ATPE, I could never have afforded the thousands of dollars in legal fees it would have taken to defend myself.”
—Sonia Wolfrom, ATPE member, Magnolia ISD
*THE EDUCATORS PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE POLICY IS UNDERWRITTEN BY NATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE CO. OF PITTSBURGH, PA. ALL COVERAGE IS SUBJECT TO THE EXPRESS TERMS OF THE MASTER INSURANCE POLICY ISSUED TO ATPE AND KEPT ON FILE AT THE ATPE STATE OFFICE. Coverage applies to an insured’s activities within his/her professional capacity and does not apply to activities that predate the coverage period. View insurance policy details here. Eligibility for ATPE membership benefits is contingent upon ATPE’s receipt of the entire annual membership dues amount for your appropriate membership category. A disruption in payments to an authorized payment plan may result in discontinuation of membership benefits, including cancellation of insurance coverage. ATPE reserves the right to determine eligibility for the appropriate membership category. The membership year runs from Aug. 1–July 31.
**Staff attorney services are provided separate from the Educators Professional Liability Insurance Program.
