The value of United Educators (UE) membership extends far beyond the insurance policy. Member institutions have access to our education-specific risk management resource library, including media, online courses, and publications.
Through our broad liability coverage, education-specific risk management resources, and mission-driven claims handling, we provide schools, colleges, and universities with the protection they need so that they can focus on their educational mission.
UE understands the unique risk profile of colleges and universities. Our coverage is designed to address your specific exposures and provide appropriate coverage.
UE's independent school coverage provides critical coverage from issues including athletic injuries, lab safety, sexual misconduct, and transportation.
UE distributes insurance and risk management services exclusively through our valued network of brokers and agents. We believe that strong relationships with experienced brokers makes a difference for our members when determining how to best address an institution’s unique coverage needs.
UE provides the coverage and tools needed to confidently operate your K-12 school, college, or university campus while managing education-specific risks.
The Risk Management Premium Credit (RMPC) program enables members to earn a discount on their renewal premium by conducting risk management activities.
Member institutions have access to our education-specific risk management resource library. From online learning programs to claims studies and webinars, our resources report on timely topics such as sexual assault prevention and response, concussion management, and study abroad.
We recognize the tremendous impact a tragedy or crisis can have on a school or campus. Expert guidance can be invaluable in helping to protect your institution’s reputation while you focus on recovery and managing operational and legal aspects of the crisis.
In alignment with our Cool Head, Warm Heart® philosophy — a recognition that responding to a tragedy requires a rational approach to legal matters and a thoughtful appreciation for the emotional trauma of the circumstance — we offer ProResponse®, a supplemental crisis response program.
ProResponse® services may not be available or may be limited for purchasing groups, consortiums, or K-12 public risk sharing pools. ProResponse® benefits don’t have to be tied to a liability occurrence or wrongful act by the institution. They cover up to $75,000 in expenses, per guidelines below (effective April 1, 2017), for:
Crisis communications
Trauma/grief counseling
Sexual misconduct investigation
Threat assessment case consultation
ProResponse Benefits: Quick Guide
This chart explains when and how to access ProResponse benefits and when to notify UE.
Crisis Communications Services
Crisis communications services are available to manage media relations in unusual situations such as:
- The assault of a student in a foreign study program - Allegations of financial scandal - Death of a member of the educational community
Members can use a communications firm of their choice, as long as the provider has crisis communications experience and doesn’t provide legal services or advice.
Benefit: UE will pay the provider directly for amounts up to $15,000 per event without prior approval and an additional $60,000 upon approval.
Trauma/grief counseling are available to aid recovery following the death of a member of the institution’s community, regardless of whether the death occurs on campus or during a school activity. Services provided by Black Swan/Empathia enable members to access trauma/grief counseling services to aid those affected by the crisis including:
- Students - Faculty members - Employees - Family of the deceased - Other community members
Benefit: UE will directly pay Black Swan/Empathia for amounts up to $15,000 per event without prior approval and an additional $60,000 with approval.
UE members should register with Empathia before services are needed. Contact Black Swan/Empathia at (866) 713-1978.
Sexual misconduct investigation services are available to help institutions investigate allegations of sexual misconduct. Services may include a full investigation, including interviews and gathering evidence, or providing expert advice to those conducting investigations. UE must approve the service provider in advance.
Benefit: UE will reimburse up to $10,000 for a sexual misconduct investigation with approval. For benefit periods beginning May 1, 2022, only one sexual misconduct investigation per benefit period will qualify for reimbursement.
Threat assessment case consultation to assess the severity of a threat or disturbing behavior. Depending on the circumstances, case consultation may include:
- A full threat assessment investigation - Assistance with an existing investigation - Specific subject matter expertise on a case
Benefit: UE will pay an approved Threat Assessment provider up to $10,000 per event.
The approved vendors are:
Bill Zimmerman, CTM APEX Resolutions (202) 369-9031 wjmz@outlook.com
K-12 and higher education members that carry UE’s educators legal liability (ELL) plus UE’s general liability (GL) coverage
Public school districts with UE’s SBL and PSL coverage.
Coverage must have been in place both on the date the underlying event occurred and the date that the triggering circumstances arose, depending on the benefit sought. If you have questions about your institution’s eligibility for ProResponse, contact UE before taking action.
The limit is $75,000 for all ProResponse benefits per benefit period, regardless of the number of ProResponse events. The benefit resets each benefit year with no balance carried over. The benefit period mirrors the member’s policy period. Sublimits apply for certain services.
No. ProResponse is a member benefit, not a coverage. The ProResponse limit is independent of the policy limits of liability and expenses covered by ProResponse do not erode any policy limit.
Because ProResponse is a separate benefit, benefits paid do not count toward your SIR or deductible and the benefit is available without exhaustion of the policy’s SIR or deductible.
No. If the matter has been previously reported to UE, is an existing claim, or is the subject of a pending lawsuit, the ProResponse benefit is unavailable. However, the benefit is available if requested at the same time that a claim, including a lawsuit, is reported to UE.
You must contact UE within 10 days of the event precipitating the crisis or within 10 days of when the event was discovered/reported to you. Contact UE as soon as possible so that we can help evaluate the circumstances and determine what assistance would be most valuable.
Yes. The ProResponse benefit is flexible and can be used for an event where multiple types of services may be needed. For example, upon an allegation of sexual molestation, the institution may hire a crisis communications expert to help respond to media reports and request a sexual misconduct investigator to help investigate the allegation.
For sexual misconduct investigations, UE will reimburse the institution after the written investigative report is received. UE will directly pay to the provider costs associated with all other benefits.
No. ProResponse benefits are only intended to help in responding to a specific situation, not for general media or disaster training. In responding to a crisis, a crisis communications firm may provide specific direction to staff as part of its services.
Yes. The SMI benefit is only available when a sexual misconduct investigator from UE’s approved list is used. A UE analyst will help you select an investigator from our pre-approved list. While we are happy to vet investigators that the institution has worked with in the past, we cannot vet for a current matter or on an as-needed basis. If you have investigators you’d like to use for future matters, please contact Laura Wilkes, lwilkes@ue.org, or Robin Hart, rhart@ue.org.
No, not for a single investigation. The benefit allows for one investigator per investigation. If multiple complainants come forward about the same respondent, the school may conduct multiple investigations and use multiple pre-approved investigators. However, only one benefit is available if a single investigator is used for multiple complainants. Each investigation is subject to the $10,000 SMI benefit limit, regardless of the number of complainants.
Yes. To be entitled to reimbursement for the benefit, you must provide UE a copy of the investigative report within 14 days of completing it. UE will reimburse the member only upon receipt of the SMI report.
Yes, but only to the extent necessary to protect identities of parties or witnesses. Names and other significant personal identifying information can be redacted, but pertinent information about the incident cannot be redacted.
No. The benefit does not allow for investigators to be used as hearing officers or participate in the adjudication of misconduct allegations.
