Officials Insurance

Since the 1970-71 school year, the Michigan High School Athletic Association has provided participants at each member school and all registered officials with insurance that is intended to help pay catastrophic excess accident medical bills to administer to injuries sustained in athletic activities under MHSAA jurisdiction. Here are the traditional features:

Coverage is provided for grades 6-12 for all students accidentally injured while students are engaged in interscholastic athletic activities under the jurisdiction of the Michigan High School Athletic Association; namely: baseball, basketball (boys and girls), bowling (boys and girls), cross country (boys and girls), football, golf (boys and girls), gymnastics (girls), competitive cheer (girls), ice hockey, lacrosse (boys and girls), soccer (boys and girls), softball (girls), alpine skiing (boys and girls), swimming and diving (boys and girls), tennis (boys and girls), track and field (boys and girls), volleyball (girls), and wrestling.

All eligible students who participate in interscholastic athletic activities at an MHSAA member school in sports which end with an MHSAA tournament are covered provided their school principal attests in writing and the MHSAA agrees that they were eligible under all MHSAA regulations at the time of the injury. Eligible student athletes are covered while traveling directly to and from a scheduled event as a representative of the school while traveling in transportation sponsored by the school, and while participating in season in an allowed activity under the direct supervision of a full-time school employee or coach designated by the school acting within the scope of his/her coaching duties in those sports for which the MHSAA provides a tournament series.

Student-athletes ineligible under MHSAA Regulations are not covered.

• Students who are ineligible under local school rules but would be eligible under MHSAA rules would be covered if they were allowed to practice with their school team.
• Students who are otherwise eligible but are suspended from contests under Regulation V, Section 3 (contest disqualifications) would be covered if they were to continue practicing with the school team.

Officials must be on the premises of the contest to be covered under the policy.

Sideline cheerleaders are covered while traveling directly to and from interscholastic athletic events as a representative of the school while traveling in transportation sponsored by the school, and while cheering at interscholastic athletic events under the direct supervision of a school employee designated by the school.

MHSAA Catastrophic Accident Medical Insurance does NOT cover ANY out-of-season activities or any activities occurring beyond the mileage limits of Regulation II, Section 6, Interpretation 174, even if those activities are not expressly prohibited by the MHSAA.

This coverage is provided at no cost to the eligible athletes of MHSAA member schools and to registered officials. The MHSAA is the policyholder and pays the premium for this layer of catastrophic accident medical coverage. It will pay for $250,000 in medical expenses after a deductible of $25,000 in paid medical expenses per claim has been met. The MHSAA arranged program will then pay medical expenses above the $25,000 deductible left unpaid by the parents' or official's insurance or any other sources such as school purchased insurance.

A payment of a catastrophic cash benefit of $50,000 will be made if a covered person is paralyzed or in a coma within 180 days after the accident. Payment will not be made until a physician certifies that, after a 12-month waiting period, the injury is permanent and irreversible. This payment is in addition to those payments already covered for medical expenses.

The first medical expense must be incurred within 26 weeks after the date of the accident. The $25,000 deductible must be met within 2 years of the date of the accident. An accidental death or dismemberment benefit of $10,000 is paid if either event occurs within 2 years of the injury. After 2 years, the amount of the benefit decreases to $7,500.

The Claims Administrators' name, telephone number and e-mail address is:

Mr. Bryan Cronen, FIRST AGENCY, INC., 5071 West H Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI 49009-8501
Phone: 269.381.6630 Fax: 269.381.3055
Email: [email protected]

MAKE SURE ALL HIGH SCHOOLS AND JUNIOR HIGH/MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN YOUR DISTRICT ARE DESIGNATED BY YOUR BOARD OF EDUCATION AS MHSAA MEMBER SCHOOLS SO ATHLETES ON BOTH LEVELS ARE COVERED BY THIS MHSAA-PURCHASED PLAN