Office of Risk Management

COMMON INSURANCE PROGRAMS

All subpoenas must be reported immediately to the Office of General Counsel. Call (814) 867-4088.

All lawsuits and letters of representation must be reported immediately to the Risk Management Office (Jared Wise, Claims Supervisor, at (814) 863-5539).

For information about submitting insurance claims and incident reports, see the “Claims” tab on the Risk Management section of this website.

Outlined below is general information about the University’s most commonly-used insurance programs. In addition to these programs, the Risk Management Office manages numerous specialty insurance programs for such risks as Aviation, Bonds, Broadcasting, Camps, Cargo Transit (Shipping), Crime/Theft, Cyber, Directors & Officers, Employment Practices, Fine Arts, International, Medical Malpractice (for employed medical staff), and many other programs. Any and all commercial insurance purchased by and on behalf of the University, its employees, its property/equipment, and its operations must be approved and handled by the Risk Management Office. Employees are not permitted to purchase insurance without Risk Management’s review and approval, including any insurance programs designed to “fill in” the deductibles in the University’s insurance programs. Please contact the Risk Management Office for additional information about insurance.

INSURANCE CERTIFICATES

PSU: If you need a Certificate of Insurance ("COI") issued on behalf of the University please complete the COI Request Form and email to: [email protected] (include COI in the subject line) and attach the completed form. 

If you need to submit a contract for review and signature, please refer to the Contract Information tab on the Office of Risk Management section of this website and follow the instructions.

Penn State Health:  If you need a Certificate of Insurance issued, please complete the PSH COI Request Form and email it to: [email protected] (include COI in the subject line) and attach the completed form.  

If you need to submit a contract that needs to be reviewed and signed by Penn State Health, please submit it to the appropriate Penn State Health Contracting or Purchasing Office or the Office of General Counsel.

Alumni Chapters, Interest Groups, other alumni-related organizations:  for insurance certificates for Alumni organizations, please contact the Penn State Alumni Association.

Recognized Student Organizations:  for insurance certificates for Recognized Student Organizations, please contact the Penn State University Office of Student Activities.

INSURANCE PROGRAMS

Workers’ Compensation: The University covers its employees for work-related injuries in accordance with the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act and the Workers’ Compensation laws of other states. The employee should report any injury, no matter how minor, to his/her supervisor. All Workers’ Compensation claims are administered by the Office of Human Resources. Please refer to the Workers’ Compensation website: Human Resources/ WC

General Liability: Protects the University, its employees, and volunteers for claims of bodily injury, property damage, and personal injury to others, where we (the University, its employees, and volunteers) are negligent in connection with University business while acting within the scope of University duties. There is no coverage for intentional and illegal acts.

Separate liability insurance policies exist for advisory boards, alumni groups and recognized student organizations. Contact the Risk Management Office for additional information about these programs.

Automobile: Provides auto liability and physical damage coverage on owned, hired, leased, and loaned/borrowed licensed motor vehicles used on University business. If a non-University vehicle is used on University business (such as an employee’s personally-owned vehicle), that vehicle’s insurance will be primary and the University’s auto liability insurance will be excess. The University's automobile insurance does not provide physical damage (comprehensive and collision) coverage for personally owned vehicles. Injuries to employees while operating a vehicle on University business are covered by Workers’ Compensation.

For information regarding vehicle titles, registration, and insurance cards for University vehicles, please contact:

Auxiliary & Business Services
100 Housing and Food Services Building
University Park, PA 16802
(814) 863-2526

For Charter transportation information, please refer to the “Vendors” tab of the Risk Management website.

University Policy BS20 (University Vehicle Operations or Use policy) for information about vehicle use, who is authorized to operate a vehicle, rental vehicles (including rental trucks), trailers, and other important vehicle use information.

The University’s Travel Policy for information about arranging transportation while traveling on University business (including air, rail, boats, shuttles, rental vehicles/trucks, and personally-owned vehicles).

Insurance for physical damage to the University’s vehicles includes collision and comprehensive coverages with the following deductibles (which are charged-back to the unit responsible for the vehicle at the time of loss):

• Collision deductible = $1,000
• Comprehensive deductible = $500

Property: Provides insurance protection for physical damage to buildings, equipment and contents owned, leased, and loaned/borrowed (where there is a written requirement to insure the loaned/borrowed property) by the University. In addition to the University’s standard property insurance, specialty insurance for artwork, cargo transit (equipment in transit), and other specialty items may also be available; contact Risk Management for more information.

The University’s various property insurance programs have deductibles that may apply. Please contact the Risk Management Office for additional information and how the deductibles apply and are paid for.

Contact the Risk Management Office for more information.