Registered Campus Organizations (RCO)

Previously, Campus Organization events and activities held on-campus were not covered by the University of California’s own insurance programs. This posed a problem for both students and the University because:

• The students had to rely on personal or family financial resources to defend a claim or lawsuit arising out of their activities.
• The University had no financial recourse when its property was damaged by student activities or when it received a claim or lawsuit arising from student activities.

To remedy this problem, the University has established insurance policies to cover RCO events.

Provided your Student/Campus Organization is in good standing with your Campus’ Student Life Department, and you have written permission from the appropriate Campus department to use the space requested, your event will be automatically insured under the blanket RCO On-Campus policy.  The RCO Off-Campus policy requires premium payment from the RCO to obtain a Certificate of Insurance.

However, if any one or more of the following applies to your event, then additional review is required to determine eligibility for insurance coverage under this policy:

• The event is listed as a hazard class 4 in the hazard class chart. Some examples include:
• Events of a political nature, such as conventions, lectures, rallies and speakers;
• Events held by National Greek Life Organizations.
• 5,000 people or more in attendance.
• Products coverage for sales that are expected to be >$10,000.Covers costs to you associated with injuries or illness sustained by a guest arising from ingesting or using a food, beverage, or souvenir. If the distribution or sale of food, beverages and souvenirs will be part of your event, you must purchase products coverage ($5 per $1,000 of expected sales).
• Local police or outside security guards are needed (Campus security only does not require underwriting review).
• Any overnight event including minors (under age 18).
• Any activities with or exposure to pollutants/hazardous materials, hazardous equipment, or physical hazards.
• Amusements.
• Inflatables.
• Large tents (>10’x10’).
• Liquor Liability Insurance is needed.

 
If any of the above circumstances are applicable, your event will require additional review which may take 7-10 business days. You may proceed with the online application, and it will be sent automatically to our underwriting team for review. Please be sure to submit your application at least 7 to 10 days prior to the event to allow time to complete the review.

1. When you are unable to determine how to obtain coverage for your event, email Campus Risk Management and describe your event in detail. Be sure to include the date, time, location, and how many people will be attending. Risk Management will assist you with determining how/where to obtain coverage. Please give Risk Management at least 7 to 10 days’ notice of the event.
2. If your event is not covered by the university’s insurance policy for student events, you will have to obtain coverage through the university’s insurance broker, AMBA CampusConnexions. Contact their Service Center for assistance at 866-838-9536 between 8:00am and 5:00pm CT, or for less urgent requests, by email at plsdsteam.service@getamba.com.
3. There may be a charge for coverage of events not included in the university’s insurance policy. Charges must be paid by the Registered CAMPUS ORGANIZATION via credit or debit card prior to the event.
4. At the end of the process, print out the Certificate of Insurance, for verification of coverage.
5. Give a copy of the Certificate of Insurance to the department in charge of the facility you are using.

What is Participants Legal Liability?

Participants Legal Liability provides coverage for claims you are legally obligated to pay because of actions brought against you, the Named Insured, by players and/or other participant(s). Participant means any player, coach, manager, staff member, team worker, official, media personnel, cheerleader, or band member practicing for, or participating in, the sporting event. This means all of your team members and players and any participating non-members! Participant liability insurance, like all liability policies, would provide coverage to the injured party only if the named insured were liable.

****Failure to comply with one, or both, of the following requirements will affect Participant Legal Liability in place for any event even if a Certificate of Insurance is provided.****

1. Excess Accident Medical Insurance Requirements
   • Please see the Accident Medical Policy Summary in the ‘Download Forms’ menu for information on the Accident Medical policy that is provided by the University of California to determine if your group meets the definition of an “Insured Person”.
   • The event liability policy requires all players/participants to have Accident Medical coverage in force with a limit of no less than $10,000 for each of your participants (players).
   • If no Accident Medical coverage is in place, a deductible of not less than $10,000 will apply to any general liability claim for Participants Legal Liability. This deductible applies separately to each claim, or suit, with respect to any “Insured Person”. The limit of insurance will not be reduced by the amount of this deductible.
   • If you believe your group does not qualify as an “Insured Person”, please contact AMBA CampusConnexions and we will verify eligibility with the insurer for you.
   • When it is confirmed that your group does not qualify as an “Insured Person”, then please complete a pdf application to purchase Excess Accident Medical coverage of at least $10,000 per participant through our trusted business partner, SMIC (Special Markets Insurance Consultants). Select the applicable application based on your organization type: Sports Teams/Leagues, Clubs/Groups, or Special Events to obtain an Accident Medical policy for your sports related event.
2. Waiver and Release Form System Requirements
   • Insured Person must also have a Waiver and Release form system that is regularly maintained, or Participants Legal Liability will be subject to a $10,000 deductible.
   • This system must secure and maintain properly executed Waiver and Release forms for all player participants in your group.
   • For minor participants (under eighteen years of age) you must always secure and maintain properly executed Minor Waiver and Release forms signed by the parent or legal guardian.

Please refer to the following resources for event specific instructions on the above requirements.

• UC Hazard Class Chart in the Download Forms menu.
• University of California Waivers and Release of Liability Matrix.

Nationally affiliated Greek Life Organizations are required to apply for coverage via their National Chapter first. If your National Chapter declines coverage, CampusConnexions will then consider an application for the event in question. All of the underwriting criteria provided below must be met. These applications will be subject to underwriting approval.

• Written declination of coverage from the National Chapter is required to be provided with the CampusConnexions event liability application.
  • If the application was submitted online, you may email the declination to us separately at plsdsteam.service@getamba.com and state the following in the subject line of the email: Online App Submitted, the event date and the event name.
  • The written declination may be emailed to us with the paper application at plsdsteam.service@getamba.com.
• The event is a philanthropic or community service-based event.
• There will be limited alcohol exposure at the event.

Events held by National Greek Life Organizations always require additional review. You may complete the online application, and your completed application will be automatically sent to our underwriting team. Please be sure to submit your application at least 7 to 10 days prior to the event to allow for underwriting.

Alternatively, if the National Chapter has approved coverage for your event, assuming the event requires evidence of insurance, the next step would be to contact your National Chapter. They should be able to provide your organization with evidence of insurance coverage; it is required that you request to include your group and the University of California as Additional Insureds.

Make Sure Non-Affiliates Have the Required Insurance.

If non-affiliates (people who are not students, officers, or employees of UC) will be providing any of the following goods or services at your event, they must provide proof of insurance coverage naming your organization and The Regents of the University of California as Additional Insureds.

• Examples: caterers, restaurants.
• Entertainment. Examples: bands, bounce house owners, theatrical troupes.
• Any other goods or services with serious inherent risks that can be reasonably foreseen.

First ask whether the non-affiliate already has liability insurance coverage for their business. If they do, they must send a Certificate of Insurance to the department in charge of the facility you are using.

Certificate requirements are listed below. However, always check with the university as coverage requirements may differ for various reasons/circumstances.

• The non-affiliate must be listed as the Insured.
• The REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA and your organization must be listed as Additional Insureds.
• The Insurer/Producer name and contact information must be on the certificate.
• The policy start and end date must encompass the entire length of your event.
• The policy must include General Liability coverage of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 aggregate.
• If the non-affiliate is bringing a vehicle onto campus, the policy must include Automobile Liability coverage of at least $1,000,000. This coverage is not provided through AMBA CampusConnexions, please seek advisement from a local insurance agent.
• If the non-affiliate is bringing employees onto campus, the policy must include evidence of California Workers’ Compensation coverage. This coverage is not provided through AMBA CampusConnexions, please seek advisement from a local insurance agent.
• The Certificate of Insurance must provide 30 days’ advance written notice to the University of any modification, change, or cancellation of any component of the insurance coverage.