You asked whether UConn and the Connecticut State University System (CSUS) provide health insurance coverage for student athletes who are injured while training, practicing, or competing in a university-sponsored sporting event. You also wanted to know whether any of the community colleges with sports teams provide health coverage for student athletes.

SUMMARY

Both UConn and the CSUS carry medical insurance policies for athletics-related claims. UConn's policy has a $2,000 deductible, paid by the athlete's primary insurance or the university, and a $1 million maximum per incident for claims within two years from the date of injury. The CSUS policy covers medical expenses, up to $75,000, that exceed any applicable deductible or the total benefits received from any other insurance policy, within two years of the date of injury. The CSUS also provides gap and catastrophic insurance policies for student athletes, student trainers, and student managers participating in club or intramural sports.

In addition to these insurance policies, student athletes injured in a qualified intercollegiate athletic activity are also covered under a catastrophic injury insurance program the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) provides for its member institutions. The policy has a $75,000 deductible and provides up to $20 million in lifetime benefits.

Of the 11 community colleges, only Gateway, Manchester, Northwestern, and Tunxis have intercollegiate or intramural sports teams. All four carry additional health insurance for student athletes. We have asked for additional information regarding the policies and will forward it to you as soon we receive it.

UConn and the CSUS require all full-time students to have health insurance. The universities automatically enroll students in a school-sponsored policy if students do not waive the coverage. The community colleges, on the other hand, offer all students a college-sponsored health insurance plan and automatically enroll students in an accident insurance policy.

HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR STUDENT ATHLETES AT UCONN AND THE CSUS

UConn

According to UConn's Division of Athletics, the university accepts responsibility for all medical claims related to athletics. This includes injuries occurring during training, practice, and competition. Student athletes are covered under a secondary insurance policy with a $2,000 deductible that is satisfied by the athlete's primary insurance policy or paid by the university. The policy covers up to $1 million maximum per incident and claims arising up to two years from the date of injury. The plan cost the university $78,000 this year, but it varies from year to year depending on the number of claims.

CSUS

The CSUS provides an insurance policy for student athletes, student trainers, and student managers participating in intercollegiate sports that covers expenses for injuries incurred during practice, competition, and authorized travel to and from such events. It covers medical expenses, up to $75,000, that exceed any applicable deductible or the total benefits received from any other insurance policy, within two years of the date of injury. (The NCAA catastrophic insurance program (see below) covers medical expenses that exceed this maximum.)

For student athletes, student trainers, and student managers participating in club or intramural sports, the CSUS provides gap and catastrophic insurance policies. The gap policy reimburses covered expenses, up to $25,000, incurred within two years of the date of injury.

The catastrophic policy reimburses covered expenses up to $2 million within 10 years of the date of injury. Both policies cover expenses that exceed any applicable deductible or the total benefits received from any other insurance policy.

The CSUS expects to spend $110,606 in FY 10 for student athlete insurance coverage.

NCAA Catastrophic Injury Insurance Program

The NCAA provides a catastrophic injury insurance program for its member institutions that covers student-athletes injured while participating in a qualified intercollegiate athletic activity. The policy has a $75,000 deductible ($90,000 starting August 1, 2010) and provides up to $20 million in lifetime benefits to varsity student athletes who are catastrophically injured during intercollegiate play or practice or during travel related to these activities. The policy also covers student coaches, student managers, student trainers, and student cheerleaders.

HYPERLINKS

NCAA student-athlete insurance program. http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?key=/ncaa/NCAA/About+The+NCAA/Budget+and+Finances/Insurance/sainsuranceprog, last visited August 3, 2009.

RP:ts