The policy provides coverage for employment practices liability and sexual misconduct and molestation liability for educational institutions in the U.S. that receive federal funding.
PRODUCT: Title IX Coverage
COMPANIES: Beazley
BEST RATING: A (Excellent)
AVAILABILITY: Coverage is available through any surplus-lines broker.
FOCUS: Lawsuits brought by students against educational institutions have evolved since the Title IX amendment was first passed in 1972. Today, even the most informed and diligent educational institution runs the risk of a complaint.
Claims from discrimination based on sex affect all areas of education, including recruitment, admissions and housing; comparable facilities and access to course offerings; sexual harassment and assault; financial assistance; marital and parental status of students; health services and insurance benefits; and physical education and athletics.
“Along with uncertainties and fluctuations in the enforcement environment, Title IX complaints have become more complex for educational institutions to manage,” says Paul Nash, EPL focus team leader & underwriter, head of employment practices liability, Beazley. “To help educational institutions cope, we developed a package that combines the benefits of our employment practices liability coverage with insurance specially designed to protect against sexual misconduct and molestation claims.”
“At Beazley, we have extensive knowledge in the field of employment law and sexual misconduct and molestation liability. We understand the risks posed to educational institutions and have significant experience in risk management and crisis response services needed to mitigate and manage these risks,” Nash adds.
COVERAGE DETAILS: Beazley has been writing employment practices liability since 2001 and offering sexual misconduct and molestation liability since 2006. Title IX Coverage is a new comprehensive policy that covers infringements of the federal law prohibiting discrimination in any public education program.
The policy provides coverage for employment practices liability and sexual misconduct and molestation liability for educational institutions in the U.S. that receive federal funding.
Under the policy, employment practices liability and sexual misconduct and molestation liability coverage includes:
- Loss resulting from any employment practices claim
- Loss resulting from any sexual misconduct and molestation claim
- First dollar safeguarding crisis response costs
- Sublimited defense costs resulting from any wage and hour claim
- Sublimited employment event loss
- Sublimited defense costs resulting from any immigration practices claim
- Sublimited Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defense costs resulting from any OSHA citation
Employee-on-employee sexual molestation coverage can also be considered. The coverage provides employment practices liability and sexual misconduct and molestation liability limits up to $10 million.
UNDERWRITING: Both employment practices liability and sexual misconduct and molestation liability are rated on the number of employees, locations and type of educational establishment.
Further rating factors include the number and age of students, gender split of employees, quality of risk management and prior claims history. A fully completed application form and 10-year claims history is required to provide binding terms.
MINIMUM PREMIUM: N/A
TARGET: The product is intended to meet the needs of educational institutions in the U.S. that receive federal funding, including universities, colleges and K-12 schools.
COVERAGE TERRITORY: All U.S. states.
COVERAGE AVAILABILITY: All U.S. states.
CONTACT: Paul Nash, EPL Focus Team Leader & Underwriter, head of employment practices liability, Beazley; +44-207-674-7255.
Will Jones is IA senior editor.
