Member Update From Rick Mills

Snow marked the start of 2024 at the United Educators (UE) office, making me, as a Vermonter, feel more at home than ever. I’m grateful for the many opportunities I’ve had over the last five months to connect with members and industry leaders from NBOA, URMIA, brokers, reinsurers, regulators and The Institutes. With your partnership, we’re carefully navigating the challenges of the liability marketplace and the rising cost of claims.

Member-owner governance is a key component of our enduring success as a risk management and insurance company.

A few key updates:

• Our Subscribers’ Advisory Board met in December to discuss our 2023 corporate performance and 2024 strategic planning.
• We’re maintaining limits capacity consistent with 2023, subject to underwriting approval.
• We just published our newest Large Loss Report to help you better understand the evolving liability landscape.
• We distributed Top Risks Reports for independent K-12 schools and higher education institutions detailing the biggest risks our members believe their institutions face. 
• Join a live UE in Brief 30-minute webinar on Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 1:30 p.m. EST to discuss our insights on critical risks for education in 2024. Register here.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be traveling coast to coast to see members, meet with our Broker Advisory Committee, and attend APCIA’s CEO Roundtable and other industry events.

I look forward to exploring new ways we can partner with you and support your evolving needs. Thank you for sharing our commitment to the important work sustaining education and helping keep our campus communities safe.

Best,

Rick
Richard Mills
President and CEO

I want to draw your attention to new risk management resources and key happenings at United Educators (UE).

• In November, we hosted our Risk Management Advisory Committee (RMAC). We learned about risks that are top of mind for our members. We also heard insights from UE Board Member Heather Hoerle, CEO, Enrollment Management Association, and Jonathan Fansmith, SVP, Government Relations and National Engagement, American Council on Education.
  
  
• Next week, the Subscribers’ Advisory Board will meet at our offices to discuss our corporate 2023 performance and 2024 strategic planning as part of our member-owner governance.
  
  
• Recent UE risk management offerings include:
  • Risk Treatment Framework and Questionnaire
  • K-12 and Higher Ed: Recognizing and Avoiding Race, Color, and National Origin Discrimination
  • Avoid Misrepresentations to Current and Prospective Students

Results of our Top Risks Survey will be released next week — providing you insights on your peers’ views of concerns on their campuses. Thanks to all who responded.

Feel free to contact our team at risk@ue.org if you have questions about how we can support your risk management efforts.

Best wishes,

Sarah Braughler
Vice President of Risk Management

Greetings from Bethesda, Md., as I mark the start of my second month at United Educators (UE). It’s my privilege to lead this member-owned risk management and insurance company.

We are a mission-driven company that is here to support education, as we’ve been since our founding in 1987. It’s a mission of tremendous importance for me personally as well as for you — our members and brokers — and the communities you serve.  

Shortly after arriving at UE, I attended the annual URMIA conference in Baltimore. It was a welcome chance to meet many UE members and take in the valuable exchange of risk management knowledge.

Last week we hosted our Broker Advisory Committee at UE’s offices to share updates and exchange insights on trends in the liability landscape. Next month we’ll meet with our Risk Management Advisory Committee to learn about key issues you are facing so we can provide you with practical risk mitigation support.

Coming from education, I understand the importance of effective risk transfer tools. I’m committed to combining my experience with learnings from our members to ensure our coverage and risk management solutions help prevent losses.

I look forward to getting to know you and hearing how we can better serve your school. I hope you will join me and Sarah Braughler, Vice President for Risk Management, on Tuesday, Nov. 7, at 1 p.m. (Eastern) for a virtual meet and greet. Register here.

Thank you for your role in UE's success. I appreciate your partnership and shared commitment to serving education.

Best,

Rick
Richard Mills
President and CEO

United Educators (UE) serves education by offering essential coverage, effective claims handling, and proactive risk management support.

As a member-owned insurance company, we pride ourselves on providing exceptional service by listening to your needs.

Based on your feedback, we’ve been hard at work to improve your experience and save you time so you can focus on your educational mission.

Recent updates include:

• Website improvements to help you track the status of your claim and policy renewal
• Exclusive UE in Brief webinars on timely issues including top risks facing education
• Risk management collections to help you find relevant resources on a specific topic

Exceptional Customer Service

Whether you’re making routine requests or facing a crisis, our goal is to provide the support you need quickly so you can get on with your day. We created tools in the My UE portal to help you:

• Manage claims
• View your policy renewal status
• Access your Risk Management Premium Credit (RMPC) dashboard
• Manage institution contacts
• Save risk management resources for future reference with “My Favorites”

We also improved phone and online support to quickly connect you with the right team member.

Streamlined Premium Credit Program  

Each year, we study our education-specific claims data to decide which risks to include in the RMPC program. We added hazing and bullying for the 2023-24 program in response to more of these claims in K-12 and higher ed.

Managing RMPC program deadlines can be challenging with your many campus safety priorities. If you’re unable to select a risk to mitigate before the intake deadline, we’ll automatically grant an extension.

These improvements add to the value you get by implementing a strategic risk mitigation activity while earning up to a 6% premium credit with our RMPC program. To learn more about RMPC program or share a topic you’d like to discuss, contact us at risk@ue.org.

Refined Collections by Topic

Based on your feedback, we updated several collections pages. These pages include resources on commonly requested topics members want to address —such as Title IX, contracts and waivers, and campus violence.

Recently refreshed collections include:

• Employee Sexual Misconduct: Higher Ed
• Student Mental Health
• Workforce Management
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

And we regularly add to our library of tabletop exercises for K-12 schools, colleges, and universities. We Want to Hear From You  We’d love to hear about your UE experience. Reach out with ways we can improve to better meet your needs.

We Want to Hear From You 

We’d love to hear about your UE experience. Reach out with ways we can improve to better meet your needs.

Adam Shapourian, CCXP 
Associate Vice President, UE Experience 

Adam leads teams responsible for constituent experience, marketing, and communications at United Educators. 

Here are important updates from United Educators (UE) as we begin a new school year.

We are pleased to welcome Richard “Rick” Mills as our new President and CEO. He will join UE on Sept. 1. Rick brings a deep understanding of education and its risks as well as experience as a litigation attorney. Most recently he was Dartmouth College’s Executive Vice President for Administration.

Other key news: 

• UE earned an A (Excellent) financial strength rating for the 25th consecutive year from AM Best.
• Our Top Risks Survey will be sent in September. We hope you’ll participate so we can learn your view of the top concerns for your campus community. See last year’s survey results.
• Timely risk management offerings to support your return to campus:
  • Steps in Response to the Supreme Court’s Admissions Ruling
  • Student Mental Health Resource Collection
  • Student bystander intervention online course and other training solutions

Are you attending URMIA in Baltimore in September? Let us know. We’d love to connect with you in person.

We are here to serve you and wish you all the best for the new school year!

Warmly,

Joe Carter
Vice President of Business Development and UE Experience

P.S. Return to campus sparks an uptick in claims for many members. Here’s how to report claims using our secure, online portal.