The NCAA’s Post-Eligibility Insurance Program has received significant attention for its potential impact on the future lives of student-athletes who suffer injuries. As the claims administrator, A-G Specialty Insurance is honored to participate in this innovative initiative. To delve into the details and advantages of the NCAA Insurance Program, we spoke with Liz Schneckenburger, NCAA Director of Insurance. In the video and in the article below, she addresses some of the most crucial questions about this trailblazing effort.
5 Top NCAA Insurance Program Questions Answered
The NCAA Post-Eligibility Program offers future financial protection to student-athletes who suffer injuries during their collegiate careers from a NCAA organized sport.
1. Can You Explain What the NCAA Post-Eligibility Insurance Program Is and When It Was Introduced?
The NCAA’s Post-Eligibility Insurance Program provides coverage for every student-athlete for up to two years post separation from their school. Historically, many student-athletes face medical expense challenges once they leave school, especially if their injuries result in ongoing health issues. This program offers continued coverage after their college eligibility ends, ensuring they have access to necessary medical treatments without bearing the full financial burden themselves.
The NCAA health insurance policy was developed between 2023 and 2024, and it went live on Aug. 1, 2024. “Our transformation committee, along with the Board of Governors, ultimately decided that there needed to be insurance coverage for every student-athlete, regardless of division,” Schneckenburger shares.
2. What Specific Benefits Does the NCAA Post-Eligibility Insurance Program Offer to Student-Athletes?
“The NCAA Post-Eligibility Insurance Program offers up to $90,000 worth of medical benefits for any athletic-related injury stemming from an NCAA organized sport,” Schneckenburger explains.
Additionally, this NCAA student-athlete health insurance addresses another critical concern with the NCAA’s mental health focus: Of that $90,000 benefit, the program also provides up to a $25,000 limit for mental health injury as long as it stems from an athletic-related injury.
More information about the policy and documentation requirements can be found on the NCAA’s website and in a recent NCAA PEI Town Hall hosted by A-G.
3. How Does A-G Specialty Insurance’s Experience in the Sports Insurance Industry Make Them a Suitable Partner for Managing the NCAA Post-Eligibility Insurance Program?
“I think what really drew me to A-G Specialty Insurance is their experience in the space and the amount of data they collect,” Schneckenburger says. “At the NCAA, data truly drive our decisions.”
A-G has provided sports insurance to student-athletes for more than 40 years, and it offers industry-leading claims data and seamless claims management. “We want to make sure that we’re up to date on all the most recent types of occurrences happening, especially when it comes to health-related benefits for our student-athletes,” she shares. “We want to make sure that we’re keeping a pulse and we’re staying ahead of market changes and industry changes to ensure that our student-athletes ultimately get the best coverage they possibly can.”
4. What Technological Advantages Does A-G Specialty Insurance Bring to its Role as Claims Administrator for This Program?
“I think A-G Specialty Insurance does a fantastic job of being flexible, being creative, and really bringing new solutions to the table,” Schneckenburger explains. “They have a phenomenal team of technology and software developers, and they were able to customize some technologies for us at the NCAA, and that’s an important piece whenever anybody is handling our claims, because our claims are unique.”
A-G also enables them to look at data in real time and receive the most accurate information via a custom-built dashboard.
5. How Does A-G Specialty Insurance’s Approach to Risk Management Align With the Goals of the NCAA Post-Eligibility Insurance Program?
Schneckenburger believes in A-G’s creative thinking, as well as its ability to understand both the collegiate sport perspective and the health insurance marketplace. “When I first got to the NCAA, the same answer I kept hearing to all of the ‘why’ questions that I was asking is, ‘Well, that’s how it’s always been done.’ But I think A-G Specialty Insurance truly understood how to think outside the box and be creative in looking at our renewals, our policies, and our program structure year over year.”
A Game Changer for Student-Athletes
The NCAA Post-Eligibility Insurance Program puts student-athletes’ health and future at the forefront. It helps student-athletes achieve a full recovery and lead healthy lives post college. It alleviates stress about their future well-being and financial resources, allowing them to focus on their performance and academics while still in school.
A-G is proud to be recognized for the more than 40 years of sports insurance and claims management experience that has led us to be part of this groundbreaking program. Are you curious about how we can protect your school and student-athletes? Request a quote, and we will get the conversation started. In the meantime, you can watch Schneckenburger’s complete video above or see the PEI Town Hall for more information.
