10 Things to Know About Public Entities and Schools

1. When underwriting an educational institution for the purposes of sexual assaults and Title IX, a little further digging may be required. Looking into who the people are who will be responsible for Title IX compliance and investigations is an extra step that could provide a better assessment of the risk. — Claudia A. Costa, special counsel and a member of the professional liability department at Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin
2. The higher education space faces a complex legal landscape particularly with respect to issues such as discrimination under Title IX, educators’ professional exposures and the challenge of making sure that board members are adequately protected for their personal liability. It’s important to work with a carrier that has the specialized underwriting and claims experience in this marketplace, and to provide risk management resources to help your clients with these challenges. — Tom Herendeen, nonprofit directors and officers’ product manager for Travelers
3. Educators legal liability (ELL) insurance is designed to cover a range of non-bodily injury/non-property damage liability claims made against the administrators, employees, and staff members of both schools and colleges. ELL, also known as “school board legal liability insurance,” is a hybrid of traditional directors and officers and errors and omissions coverages. — International Risk Management Institute
4. An aging workforce was the top concern of higher education risk management professionals (57 percent), followed by returning employees to work (56 percent) and controlling claims frequency (39 percent). — Poll of higher education risk management professionals conducted by PMA Cos. and the University Risk Management and Insurance Association
5. Nearly half of higher education risk management professionals (46 percent) say their workers’ compensation claim costs increased during the past three years, while 22 percent saw a reduction. — Poll of higher education risk management professionals by PMA Cos. and the University Risk Management and Insurance Association
6. The liability exposure faced by a public official from “wrongful acts” is usually defined under public officials liability insurance policies as actual or alleged errors, omissions, misstatements, negligence, or breach of duty in his or her capacity as a public official or employee of the public entity. — International Risk Management Institute
7. Elementary schools (66,689) outnumbered secondary schools (24,357) in the U.S. as counted in 2015. — U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics
8. The number of private schools has risen since 1980. As of 2012, there were 30,861 private schools compared with 20,764 in 1980. — U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics
9. The Los Angeles Unified School District in late 2014 agreed to a settlement awarding nearly $140 million to dozens of Miramonte Elementary School students who had filed a civil lawsuit against the district over its handling of the sexual abuse case of a former teacher. It is considered the largest civil settlement L.A. Unified has ever agreed to in a sex abuse case. — Insurance Journal
10. Male risk managers earn an average of $110,791 annually compared with an average of $96,628 annually for women. — University Risk Management & Insurance Association 2015 survey

Topics USA Education Training Development Risk Management