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View Full Version : I am thinking of using MM Or NCMA but which is better?



lovechildcare1
01-11-2012, 10:08 PM
HI Forumites,

I am thinnking of using MM for public liability insurance and using MM contracts and paperwork etc as they are cheaper but which is better NCMA with its registration fees or MM?

Newly registered childminder!

sharonmanc
01-11-2012, 11:20 PM
there's only one way to find out ....FIGGGHHHHTT.... sorry I could'nt resist lol

I went with Morton Michel, it is the only one I know, i like the fact they are more flexible

rickysmiths
01-11-2012, 11:39 PM
Comparing MM and NCMA is a bit like comparing Apples with Pears!

MM is an Insurance Broker who want to sell insurance and have no interest in childminders what so ever apart from attracting their business. In order to do this they offer sweeteners such as free online magazines and information which you can get elsewhere anyway. they also produce Contracts etc for cm all of which is more expensive than NCMAs paperwork as is their insurance in fact their PL insurance is nearly double that offered by NCMA.

NCMA is a membership organization and it is the only one who represents the interests of childminders to government, Ofsted etc and campaigns on our behalf often with no publicity behind closed doors on issues like Deregulation (Watch this space) keeping the Ofsted Fee low etc. Of course this also benefits non members as well! So you pay a membership fee each year to be a member of this Unique organisation. You also have access to NCMA Local, i Child where you can advertise your vacancies, an online way to record you own Professional Development in a form that is approved by Ofsted, Cheap Public Liability Insurance and cheaper Paperwork and other things to buy for you business. The is also support and advise available from professionals who understand how we work.

I have been a member for 18 years and over the years have met many cms who I would have otherwise not met through attending meetings and going to Conferences.

The choice is not which is best but do you want to belong to an organisation that stands up for your profession or do you just want to buy insurance from a broker?

sarah707
02-11-2012, 08:15 AM
I am insured with Morton Michel and they have always supported me when there have been problems.

If you are looking to save money as we all are in the current economic climate then MM is the obvious choice.

For paperwork I think they are much the same tbh - NCMA may be slightly cheaper once you have paid for membership.

If you are insured with NCMA you must use their contracts - with MM you can use your own.

However, if you want to be part of the NCMA you will have to pay the extra for membership but their insurance is then cheaper.

Hth :D

Joda
02-11-2012, 08:26 AM
I have PLI with MM and use all of their paperwork as I personally prefer it to the NCMA paperwork that I used when I first started CMing.

rickysmiths
02-11-2012, 11:15 AM
From an insurance/legal point of view NCMA are currently supporting me with a parent issue and so far have been very good.

I have used their paperwork very successfully for 18 years but I have never used MM paperwork. I must say though that NCMA have recently changed their Contracts and they have listened to members and the new ones include a lot more information on them which I was very pleased to see.

lovechildcare1
07-11-2012, 07:54 PM
Thank you for all of your responses :) I have to say I have picked MM for insurance and contracts as the insurance was cheaper and I am just starting out so have decided to go with MM for cost reasons more than anything. I would like to join NCMA but maybe next year

josie torsiello
22-05-2013, 07:04 PM
Hi my name is Josie I'm new to all of this and I'm currently registering as a childminder. I'm a little confuse about which company to go with for insurance, support, paperwork, products etc.
can anyone please advise me on a good company.
I have looked at MM and Pacey but I dont know which one to go for.

LittleAcornsThatcham
01-07-2013, 10:56 AM
I used PACEY/NCMA first time round, this time I am using BD and BD contracts, with MM insurance. I never found NCMA to be of any use or support, HOWEVER I will point out I never needed them for anything 'big'. The most I ever contacted them about was small generic enquiries.

kellyskidz!
01-07-2013, 11:09 AM
I use mm and have never had a prob, insurance was cheaper and I wasn't really bothered about joining paceys network. Depends on each person probably. I also write my own contracts and MM support this and still offer insurance whereas with Ncma/pacey you can only use theirs xx

rickysmiths
01-07-2013, 11:29 AM
I use mm and have never had a prob, insurance was cheaper and I wasn't really bothered about joining paceys network. Depends on each person probably. I also write my own contracts and MM support this and still offer insurance whereas with Ncma/pacey you can only use theirs xx




I would like to correct a few inaccuracies here if I may.

Pacey PL insurance is less than half the price of MM PL insurance. Pacey is £22pa and MM is £45pa

However to take advantage of Pacey cheaper Pl insurance you have to be a member of Pacey and you have to pay to be a member, cheap insurance is a membership benefit.

MM is purely and Insurance Broker whose aim it is to sell as much Insurance as they can to anyone who will buy it. They add a few sweeteners like paperwork to attract business but their paperwork if you use it also costs more than Pacey's for their members.

Not sure what you mean about not being bothered to join Pacey's network? If you still have pacey workers on contract to your LA they may run networks to the pacey model.

Other than that just as any professional Association Pacey offers services to its members so they can connect with other like minded professionals, so they don't feel isolated, so they can exchange information, ideas and frustrations and this is done by going to local Forum Meetings, joining in with Pacey Local and on the members areas of the web site.

Trying to compare Pacey with MM is like trying to compare Apples and Pears.

kellyskidz!
01-07-2013, 11:35 AM
I would like to correct a few inaccuracies here if I may.

Pacey PL insurance is less than half the price of MM PL insurance. Pacey is £22pa and MM is £45pa

However to take advantage of Pacey cheaper Pl insurance you have to be a member of Pacey and you have to pay to be a member, cheap insurance is a membership benefit.

MM is purely and Insurance Broker whose aim it is to sell as much Insurance as they can to anyone who will buy it. They add a few sweeteners like paperwork to attract business but their paperwork if you use it also costs more than Pacey's for their members.

Not sure what you mean about not being bothered to join Pacey's network? If you still have pacey workers on contract to your LA they may run networks to the pacey model.

Other than that just as any professional Association Pacey offers services to its members so they can connect with other like minded professionals, so they don't feel isolated, so they can exchange information, ideas and frustrations and this is done by going to local Forum Meetings, joining in with Pacey Local and on the members areas of the web site.

Trying to compare Pacey with MM is like trying to compare Apples and Pears.

I just found MM much better when I looked at both websites and phoned both. MM seemed more interested in speaking to me and not trying to make me sign up to various networks. All I wanted was insurance at the time, and not interested in joining any networks. I don't need to, I use my own local CM network team so wouldn't benefit from paying any membership fees or feel isolated, I share info with them. I use all my own paperwork anyway, so that side of it doesnt apply to me:thumbsup:
We're all entitled to our own opinions and mine is that I prefer MM, I may change my mind in the future, I don't know but right now I'm happy with MM and plan to stay with them :)

rickysmiths
01-07-2013, 02:54 PM
I just found MM much better when I looked at both websites and phoned both. MM seemed more interested in speaking to me and not trying to make me sign up to various networks. All I wanted was insurance at the time, and not interested in joining any networks. I don't need to, I use my own local CM network team so wouldn't benefit from paying any membership fees or feel isolated, I share info with them. I use all my own paperwork anyway, so that side of it doesnt apply to me:thumbsup:
We're all entitled to our own opinions and mine is that I prefer MM, I may change my mind in the future, I don't know but right now I'm happy with MM and plan to stay with them :)

But thats what I don't understand if you phoned NCMA /pacey to take out insurance they would only require you to be a member. They don't make you join 'Networks'!

Of course we are all allowed to have our own views I just didn't want you to have misunderstood what MM are and what pacey are.

kellyskidz!
02-07-2013, 08:15 AM
Pacey said to get insurance I would have to sign up to their membership for an extra fee... Which I didn't want to do, I purely wanted insurance. The lady on the phone then began talking about 'Networks' that Ncma were involved with. As you weren't a party to my phone call how do you know this isn't true (it is, for the record)
I'm not going to get into an argument over this, it's silly. I'm happy with MM you're happy with Pacey, that's really all there is to say. Am I trying to make you feel inferior for choosing Pacey? No, because its your choice.

rickysmiths
02-07-2013, 08:41 AM
No argument in tended and I did say everyone has a free choice but I just wanted to point out so other people reading this thread did not get confused.

That pacey and MM are not the same thing and can't be directly compared and to make it very clear that pacey's insurance was not more expensive than MM because it is not you just have to pay a membership fee to belong to pacey to get the cheap insurance they offer.

Simona
04-07-2013, 10:31 PM
Pacey is a representing association...MM is an insurance but do not represent cms, they just sell insurance which many cms rate well

it is worth mentioning there are other choices such as:
UKCMA who represent cms as well but little is known about them, you can be a member but you need to buy insurance separately, they are expensive at over £100

*******, another association representing independent cms, you can buy m'ship and insurance from them

PLA who now represent cms with m'ship and insurance, the package will be launched in Sept but you can apply for it now

What is important is for you to decide what you want: m'ship or representation for cms' issues..who speaks for us and gets heard!!

Simona
04-07-2013, 10:32 PM
Why the starring for the Independent Child Minders - Social Enterprise... can we not mention them either?...oh! it is so confusing now