Resources
In this section you will find content created by our team at: First Fidelity Brokerage, Inc.
Mark Muscatiello – Managing Director
Office: (212) 933-9050 markm@ffbinsurance.com
Near-Miss Reporting In Schools
For every incident that occurs in the workplace, there are just as many, if not more, close calls. Maybe a student slips during arrival or is sent on the wrong bus at the end of the day. Or, perhaps an unknown individual is found wandering the school. Situations like these happen at every school and are referred to as near misses. Close calls are valuable lessons in safety.
Keeping Students Safe at the Crosswalk
School is back in session and students are again walking to and from school. Each state has established rules regarding the extent to which school district and governmental bodies are held liable for student injury during transit —in many places, they have immunity against being sued. Among the countless opportunities for injury to children on school grounds is the walk home. Crossing guards are a good way to ensure student safety; however, in some jurisdictions, exposures remain even when you make the investment in hiring them.
Four Components of Risk Management
Risk management is the identification, assessment and prioritization of risks and the subsequent application of resources to minimize, monitor and control the probability and impact of losses. Effective risk management activities create value and should be an integral part of planning processes. Intentional and comprehensive risk management can significantly impact your bottom line by:
Your Liability When Responding to Cyberbullying
Being cruel to others by sending or posting harmful material or engaging in other forms of social aggression online or using other technology, also known as cyberbullying, is a serious concern for school administrators. While school officials must proactively protect students and prevent disruptions, they are also legally obligated to respect students’ right to free speech. Effectively maintaining this balance requires careful consideration of each specific case and cooperation with legal counsel.
Gender Discrimination and Harassment in Schools
Educators have received widespread praise for their flexibility and hard work throughout the pandemic. However, a look at the insurance data provider Advisen’s database shows allegations of gender discrimination and harassment occur more frequently than in other industries.
Calculating Workers Compensation Premiums
All workers compensation (WC) policies are essentially the same by statute. These policies cover the same employee injuries at the same coverage limits. However, the cost of coverage can vary widely – even for schools that have similar payrolls and employee counts. Understanding how premiums are calculated is the first step to controlling costs and saving money for your school.
When Is a Worker's’ Compensation Claim Compensable
Carefully evaluating workers’ compensation claims is crucial in helping your company save money and prevent fraud. Workers’ compensation is simply a form of insurance that offers employees medical coverage in the event they are injured during a work-related function. Depending on the state of residence, it may also give compensation for disabilities sustained or cover rehabilitation costs.
Understanding Your Technology Risks
Businesses today don’t only hold physical assets. Through the use of technology companies now
are responsible for very valuable intangible assets, such as sensitive data, software and
intellectual property, which a general liability policy doesn’t account for.
Educational Institutions’ Liability Under FERPA
Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), educational facilities are obligated to protect the privacy of education records and allow parents and students over 18 to view and correct the information contained therein. Violating FERPA rights could represent a serious exposure for your facility. Knowing the Act and educating faculty can help mitigate your risk.
Is your broker working for you?
Insurance broker services are vital to ensuring school districts have proper coverage terms and conditions, sufficient liability limits, manageable deductibles, professional risk management, and experienced loss control services. In theory the cost, which can be substantial, is an absolute necessity, but are school officials really receiving all of the services they should be?
School Insurance Renewal - Best Practices
In an already hardening market, COVID-19 could have an unfavorable impact on school insurance renewal pricing with substantial increases possible for specific lines of coverage. Administrators should discuss their insurance program renewal with their brokers and risk managers now. In order to ensure the best possible renewal for your school, we recommend the following:
Will COVID-19 Impact Workers' Compensation Premiums for 2021-2022?
As the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, insurance industry analysts predicted that workers’ compensation claims could skyrocket due to an increase in high-cost claims related to the disease. If this occurred, employers could expect to see large increases in policy premiums. Every school is different, but generally claims related to COVID- 19 have been limited.
Schools turned quickly to remote learning and took extraordinary measures to ensure the safety of students and staff.
Prepare Early for School Insurance Renewal
The commercial insurance industry continues to navigate the challenges created by COVID-19. Heightening concerns of a recessed economy, decreased marketplace capacity, gray area
coverage terms, social inflation, and a projected eighty billion dollars of losses, have pushed insurers and underwriters to revisit both policy terms and premium pricing. To prevent any surprises at renewal schools should plan ahead, start the renewal process earlier than usual, and be sure to secure multiple quotes or options.
Common School Insurance Policies
Though it would be easiest if there was one simple policy that could cover all risk for your school, the insurance industry has not yet evolved to that point of sophistication. Instead,
there are separate policies for each category of risk and all have exclusions and limitations that need to be understood. State law requires all employers to carry Workers Compensation and Disability Insurance. Charter School authorizers also dictate that schools must carry certain policies.
Best Practices for Avoiding Wrongful Termination Claims in the School Setting
What is Wrongful Termination?
Wrongful termination is one of the most
common lawsuits filed by employees. This
type of claim occurs when an employer
terminates an employee, yet the employee
believes the employer was not justified in
their decision. The equal employment
opportunity commission (EEOC) notes that it
is illegal to terminate an employee based on
age, race, national origin, gender, or
disability.
A Quick Look at Directors & Officers Liability Insurance
Schools can purchase Directors and Officers Liability (D&O) coverage as part of an Educators Legal Liability (ELL) policy or as a separate stand-alone program. This coverage protects the individual members of the board of trustees and school officers from claims by employees, parents, creditors and/or third parties alleging that a wrongful act was committed.
Failure to Educate Claims During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Generally speaking, most Carriers should honor Failure to Educate Claims during the Pandemic if you have a proper coverage and limits. However, this is a question that should not be delayed. Reaching out to your Insurance Broker for confirmation is imperative. The United States Department of Education dictates that every child is entitled to a free appropriate public education (FAPE).
A Quick Look at Cyber Liability and Data Breach Coverage
Cyber and Network liability policies generally cover liability and property losses that result from electronic activities, primarily data breaches. The scope of coverage varies by carrier, but for the most part all of the policies cover notification costs, credit monitoring, costs to defend claims from state regulators, fines and penalties, and coverage for the cost of restoring and recreating breached data. Many Cyber policies now also include coverage for cyber extortion which has become a common occurrence.
Insurance Considerations for Schools during the Covid-19 Pandemic
In order for your organization to maximize the benefits of your insurance program there should be someone on staff who has an understanding of your coverage, the areas within your program that might need more attention and your responsibilities as a policyholder.
This is why we have developed our new Practical Insurance Guide series. The series will include three installments moving from the basics of insurance, to insurance procurement, and then finally the concept of risk management.