During Parents Weekend, the mother of a member tripped over a wire that was run through the bottom of rocking chairs on the front porch of the house. The wire was gray and was a couple of inches off of the ground. The member’s mother sustained a significant injury to her elbow when she fell.
A lawsuit was not filed. However, the claimant did retain legal counsel. It was alleged that the sorority created a hazard by running the wire under the chairs and that the hazard should have been removed while invited guests were on the property.
The claim settled for $450,000.
July 2021: Topics include transportation risks, wildfires, mental health, & COVID-19.
According to the USDA Forest Service, historic fire data show that wildfires are not only getting larger; they also are becoming more intense. As populations increasingly move from metropolitan areas into the outlying fringes bordered by woodlands, grass and brush, this has significant property and life safety implications for households, farms, ranches and businesses. This decentralization into natural settings has created a landscape known as the wildland/urban interface (WUI). The WUI is defined as “the area where structures and other human development meet with undeveloped wildland.”
For those who live or work in the WUI, advance planning and taking safety precautions are critical in helping to reduce wildland fire property loss and injury. To reduce the risk, considerations should be given to the fire resistance of building structures, the topography of property and the nature of and proximity to nearby brush, trees and vegetation. Safety considerations include, but are not limited to:
Protection and Preparation
Create Safety Zones Around Structures
- Maintain a clear space free of brush, trees, grasses of at least 100 feet, preferably 200 feet, between the structures and natural growth.
- If you live on a hill, extend the zone on the downhill side. Fire spreads rapidly uphill.
- Properly maintain or avoid ornamental plants known or thought to be high hazard combustible plants.
- Keep outside storage of flammable liquids, gases, and hazardous materials at least 100 feet from the buildings. Preferably, maintain them within a fire rated safety storage locker.
Maximize Fire Resistance Through Construction/Building Materials
(At time of new construction, remodeling, or through retrofitting)
- Consider exterior mounted fire sprinklers to protect the roof, walls and windows of the buildings.
- Install noncombustible roofing and siding materials.
- Replace plain glazing with fire-rated glass, or provide fire shutters.
- Cover house vents with wire mesh, to deter flaming debris from entering.
- Install spark arrestors on chimneys.
Prepare for Water Storage
- Develop an available water supply; and
- Connect with campus fire officials about availability of water
Other Considerations
- Make an inventory of property and furnishings. Here’s our version.
- Keep important papers, data and an inventory of your property and furnishings in a safe location offsite or fire-resistant rated safe.
- Have emergency/fire department telephone numbers readily available.
- Maintain building accessibility for fire department equipment.
- Have a continuity plan with alternative arrangements for continuing critical operations.
Response
Always be ready for an emergency evacuation
- Know where to go and what to bring with you.
- Plan several escape routes, in the event roads are blocked.
- Account for all members and employees of the chapter, during and after evacuation. Ensure a safe evacuation.
- Wear protective clothing.
- Practice evacuation plan.
Attend to last minute property mitigation measures
- Remove combustible items (wood, lawn furniture) outside your property’s safety zone.
- Close vents, windows, entry and garage doors.
- Close shutters and blinds to reduce radiant heat.
- Close all doors inside the house to prevent draft.
Attend to water preparation and other systems
- Shut off all sources of natural gas, propane or fuel oil supplies.
- Get water and water pump ready. Connect garden hoses. Fill pools, tubs, garbage cans, or other large vessels/containers with water.
- Put automatic garage doors on manual, in case of power outage.
Other considerations
- Follow disaster plan/ emergency shut down practices. This includes equipment, machines, HVAC and other building systems.
- Prepare hose lines and maintain a fire watch center. Activate any manually operated outside fire sprinklers, when appropriate.
Recovery
Read OSHA’s Wildfire: Response/Recovery.
Other Considerations
Contact your campus fire department, forestry office, emergency management office and building department for information about local fire laws, building codes and prevention measures. Obtain local building codes and weed abatement ordinances for structures built near wooded areas.
Additional Resources
Source: Travelers.com
The U.S. has learned from Japan that retrofitting buildings to withstand earthquakes can save lives and reduce losses. Click the link to watch a video from AM Best discussing retrofitting. “Earthquake Retrofitting Saves Lives, Reduces Losses” (April 2021)
FAQs: Commercial Kitchens – In this episode we discuss all sorts of cooking and kitchen related questions that we hear most often.
Click here for a guide on what to do before, during and after a storm.
January 2021: Topics include planning safer events during COVID-19, COVID-19 employment and vaccine questions and more.
May 2021: Topics include mental health, Covid-19 vaccine, and housing agreements.
We recommend that you complete a House Inventory Checklist and review it once a year (note about this resource: we have made this resource available in Excel because it has built-in formulas for easy manipulation and calculation. Once you click on the link, you can click on the download link in the upper righthand corner to edit your own version). For more information about the property coverage, please click here.
Use the Chapter House Self-Inspection checklist to review your property and life-safety risk management.
One of the more challenging exposures in insuring a women’s fraternity or sorority is keeping insurance and risk management recommendations contemporary with the changing dynamics of campus life. As chapter membership continues to grow, more members are seeking alternate housing arrangements where several sorority sisters live together.
On campuses where official sorority chapter houses are not as common—or where a specific sorority does not have a designated house—it has become increasingly typical for members to secure off-campus housing together.
Irrespective of the reason, the number of these “living arrangements” outside of traditional chapter housing is increasing. Unfortunately, many of these residences become known as the sorority’s house on campus and sorority-wide parties or events are held on the premises. We refer to these locations as “unofficial houses.”
Why Unofficial Houses Pose a Significant Concern
These unofficial houses present serious challenges to both the national organization and to the integrity of the insurance program. The most common issues include:
- Lack of Ownership and Oversight: Unofficial houses are not owned or managed by the sorority or its housing corporation, which often means they do not meet the same safety and maintenance standards as official facilities.
- Misunderstanding of Affiliation: While residents may view the arrangement as a private lease among friends, the broader campus community often perceives the property as connected to the sorority. This perception can create a direct association with the organization if and when an incident occurs.
- Public Perception and Liability Exposure: When a majority of residents are members of the same sorority, it is easy for others to assume the residence is a sanctioned chapter house. Should a serious incident—especially one involving alcohol or guests—occur, both the residents and the organization could be named in a lawsuit, regardless of who holds the lease or owns the property.
- Significant claims activity: We have seen a notable increase in claims arising from these unofficial residences rather than official chapter houses.
- Higher claim severity: In addition to increased frequency, we have also seen a substantial increase in the ultimate cost of claims stemming from unofficial houses. This is often due to the combination of (1) no ownership or oversight by the organization, (2) safety and behavior standards that fall short of what is expected in an official chapter house, and (3) the ease with which plaintiffs can argue affiliation when the house is known locally as the sorority’s residence.
Risk Management Expectations
If such living arrangements exist, they should be handled with a similar level of awareness and caution as an official chapter facility—even though they are privately rented and not subject to sorority policies.
To reduce risk and confusion, we strongly recommend the following:
- No exterior identification of the residence as affiliated with the sorority—this includes letters, symbols, banners, or signage of any kind.
- Avoid hosting gatherings that could be even remotely interpreted as sorority events, such as recruitment functions, celebrations, or social events organized primarily for members or guests of the sorority. Do not announce functions hosted at the unofficial house at chapter meetings or on chapter group chats.
- Be mindful of alcohol use and party activity. Even if residents are of legal drinking age, incidents involving alcohol can quickly lead to liability if the house is viewed by others as “the [sorority name] house.”
- Communicate early with chapter advisors or housing volunteers if this type of housing arrangement exists, so leadership is aware of any potential reputational or liability risks.
- Promptly notify national leadership if concerns arise or if the property has become informally recognized on campus as the organization’s house. We at MJ Sorority can assist in reviewing and advising on the situation.
Next Steps
We have identified this issue to your national leadership, as it represents a growing exposure within the women’s fraternity/sorority community. As a local volunteer or advisor, you may be more aware of these housing situations than headquarters.
If you become aware of an unofficial house affiliated with your chapter, please bring it to the attention of your leadership team. Upon review, they may engage MJ Sorority to assist in evaluating and addressing the specific risks associated with that housing arrangement.
Our goal is to ensure that members understand the potential consequences of allowing a privately rented property to become publicly known as a chapter house. Even without formal affiliation, the perception of connection can create legal and financial exposure for both the residents and the organization.
Scenario
The employee fell on the ramp outside the house and injured his leg. The insured disputed the employee’s injury because he was working the next day and was not limping. The injured employee then told the insured he would be off work because the doctor did not know the full extent of his injury without an MRI. Despite the concerns of the insured, the claim was accepted. The employee was released to work, but with restrictions with which the insured could not comply. The doctor requested surgery on the employee’s knee, which the employee wants to do; however due to the employee being overweight, he could not find a surgeon who would operate. The issue is whether the carrier is liable for the injured employee’s gastric bypass surgery, which the employee looked into before the injury. The carrier submitted their opinion to panel doctors, and they found the carrier is liable for the bariatric surgery. The injured worker’s knee surgery is on hold until the bariatric surgery is completed, and the employee is a better candidate for knee surgery.
Result
In summarization, there was an admitted knee injury but due to non-industrial health issues (obesity), the employee’s attorney and adjuster agreed to an Accredited Medical Exam specifically on need for bariatric surgery on industrial basis. The report confirmed the liability on the carrier to provide surgery, which is scheduled soon. The workers’ compensation carrier has paid $59,757 thus far and has set aside an additional $78,884 in reserves (what the carrier expects to pay additionally).
Issues to Discuss
- What procedures do you have in place to prevent slips and falls?
- What policies could have been in place to prevent a claim like this from happening in the first place?