broad protection from the unexpected
Your organization’s General Liability insurance program covers bodily injury, property damage, and personal injury for the following individuals while acting on behalf of the organization:
- The local undergraduate chapter and its officers, members (including new members), and volunteers
- House/facility corporations, alumnae associations, colonies, and all members, employees, and volunteers thereof
- The national fraternity/sorority, foundation, other national entities, and all officers, employees, and volunteers thereof
For the above individuals, the coverage protects against any covered claim—even if that claim is groundless. But keep in mind that this coverage is for general public liability: it isn’t a substitute for accident, health, or medical insurance.
Please refer to your location-specific Insurance Overview for coverage limits. Your organization’s liability coverage includes the following types of coverages:
| Type of coverage | Coverage description |
| Premises/Operations Each Occurrence | Covers liability arising out of the fraternity/sorority premises and operations. |
| Products/Completed Operations Liability | Covers injury directly resulting from the preparation and consumption of food and beverages. |
| Personal Injury & Advertising Injury | Covers libel, slander, wrongful eviction from, wrongful entry into or invasion of the right of private occupancy, and discrimination or humiliation that results in injury to the feelings or reputation of a person. |
| Damage to Premises Rented to You | Covers damage to premises rented to you. |
| Total Policy Limit (Aggregate) | The most the insurance company will pay for claims in any one policy term. |
| Guest Medical Payments | Covers medical expenses for bodily injury caused by an accident on premises you own or rent or because of your operations. This coverage does not apply to any insured, any tenant, any employee or to a person injured while participating in athletic activities. |
General Liability Trends
Contracts and Events
More and more, our clients come to us with contracts that obligate their organization to coverages their General Liability program can’t meet. Make sure you don’t overextend your organization by getting in touch with us before you sign a contract that includes any of the following requirements:
- Additional Insured request
- Primary Additional Insurance request
- Any reference to providing evidence of insurance to the third party
All Certificate and event review requests must be submitted via this form. Learn more about Certificates of Insurance in this section. Our library contains much more information and resources to help. Check out the Event Planning category.
Babysitting Services
Many chapter members contact us to find out whether they can provide babysitting services as a fundraiser or allow chapter members to babysit at the chapter facility.
No chapter should participate in or sponsor any activities related to childcare.
Your General Liability coverage is not designed to address the difficult exposures raised by childcare. The potential for liability is simply far too great.
Our FAQ on the topic explains the babysitting exposure more in detail and is easily shareable.
Riskier Events
Chapter events seem to be growing riskier. Activities like Trampoline-A-Thon, rock climbing, paintball, and slip-and-slides are part of a growing list of dangerous suggestions for chapter events.
With these activities comes a much greater potential for injury. For additional information, please refer to our position paper on the topic. At that link, you’ll also find a podcast episode on the subject, as well as an easy-to-understand flowchart to help you plan safer events.
Watercraft Coverage
Your policy covers liability associated with events held on any watercraft under 55 feet in length. For events held on a watercraft over 55 feet, you may be covered if there’s a crew aboard and you have a contract in place.
Before you decide to hold an event on a watercraft, please complete this form.
Parental Involvement
Parents continue to get more involved with membership, claims, and other issues, and we’re all for it. We encourage our clients to educate their members’ parents about the insurance program, and we have created a resource to help our clients communicate this information: a sample letter to members’ parents.
Liquor Liability
Good risk management means carefully choosing the providers you use for your functions. The first rule? Engage only an establishment that has comprehensive and adequate liability insurance, including liquor liability, when your function includes alcoholic beverages.
A liquor license is much different from Liquor Liability. Make sure you read our position paper on the topic before you sign an agreement with a third-party vendor.
contact us
We’re here to be your resource, partner, and expert advisor. Contact us with questions about General Liability coverages.
FAQs
Find answers to your questions about coverage, liability, and more in our FAQs.
Who is covered under the insurance program?
The policy defines an insured as the Fraternity/Sorority, Foundation, House Corporations, Chapters, Colonies and Alumnae Associations.Are all activities covered by the insurance policies?
The General Liability policy covers premises, as well as operations liability. Premises liability means that coverage exists for claims arising on owned or rented property. Operations liability means that coverage exists for any typical event that is held off premises.Are alumnae allowed to stay at the chapter house overnight or for events?
From an insurance standpoint, alumnae are allowed to stay in the chapter house for controlled and specific events.
