November 13, 2020
Renewal of Statewide Accidental Insurance for All 4-H Members and Volunteers
I am pleased to announce that Kansas 4-H will continue to provide accidental insurance under a statewide group activity accident policy for 4-H members and volunteers through American Income Life. Utilizing resources from the annual 4-H Program Fee, this benefit will strengthen the 4-H commitment to safe environments, quality programming, and support of local Extension volunteers through 4-H Youth Development.
If there is any local Extension unit that still has a blanket policy, it will be refunded and now be included under this statewide policy, just like last year. This policy provides PRIMARY, NO-DEDUCTIBLE coverage as outlined here. Local KSRE professionals will have access to specific policy details in the Youth Development TEAMS resource page. I am especially grateful to the longstanding relationship and trustworthiness that American Income Life - Special Risk Division has demonstrated over the years to 4-H Programs across the country.
In the recent email yesterday to KSRE professionals, take special attention to the COVID-19 related policy implications and adjust information shared accordingly. The Kansas 4-H policy number and COVID-19 guidelines are now located in TEAMs under the Youth Development Channel in a folder labeled POLICY.
The following is a message from Erin Bain, AIL Special Risk 4-H and Camp Specialist who will be servicing Kansas 4-H American Income Life Accident Insurance questions and claims.
"Dear KSRE Professional,
The Special Risk Division of American Income Life is pleased to be the leading insurer of Extension programs (including 4-H) nationwide and with the establishment of a Statewide Policy for Kansas 4-H Youth Development we hope that we can continue to provide you with excellent coverage and assistance for your programs. The Kansas 4-H Statewide Policy Number is included in a professional correspondence you should have received recently via email. Instructions for how to file a claim under this policy as well as the form itself are available in PDF format online here.
For those Counties/Clubs/Groups with existing Annual Policies, their coverage will be transitioned to the Statewide Policy and we will process pro-rated refunds for any unused premium that you might have. For example: a County with an Annual Policy that renewed in January of 2020 will receive credit and a refund for three months – October-December. If you have any specific questions or need clarification about that process, please don’t hesitate to contact Erin.
If you are not already familiar with our Annual Policies or need a refresher, specific information can be found online here. There are several important coverage enhancements with the new Statewide Kansas 4-H policy -
The annual policy includes coverage for all KS 4-H Community and Project Club Youth Members and Board Approved Volunteer Leaders.
- Dental coverage benefits
- Illness coverage is included for 4-H members enrolled in summer residential camps as defined by 4-H Online Enrollment and/or the Federal ES-237 Report. This eliminates the need for staff to submit individual coverage requests for camps under Special Activities Policies.
- Illness will also be covered for enrolled 4-Hers during the following overnight events: Discovery Days, Citizenship in Action, and Kansas Youth Leadership Forum.
While we know that the Annual Policy will be beneficial for your 4-H Programs and cover your participants during many events and activities, there are a number of situations when we still recommend electing our Special Activities Coverage. As an Extension Professional, we know that it is your responsibility to determine the level of risk associated with 4-H educational experiences and plan accordingly. If risk increases by the nature of the activities or due to the fact that there might be a high degree of non-4-H members participating, you may want to consider the following. Please note that if you choose to use Special Activities coverage for an event, you must count all participants including 4-H youth.
Our Special Activities Policies allow you to provide daily coverage for programs and events at a very low cost. With premium options of .20, .25, or .30 per person per day and an $8.00 per event/day minimum, these policies should hopefully be budget friendly for all 4-H or Extension programs and provide additional peace of mind knowing that everyone who is participating will be covered in the event of an accident! Special Activities Coverage can be obtained by filling out this quick and easy online application prior to the event.
Below are some of the most common examples, but if you ever have a question about what is the most appropriate, please feel free to contact our office and we will help you determine whether additional coverage would be needed or not.
When American Income Life Recommends Special Activities Coverage in Addition to an Annual Policy:
- Any overnight, multiple day, or travel event other than a Summer Residential Camp or the specific overnight events outlined above, where you would want participants to be covered for Illness. (If you wish to include illness coverage for participants in these types of events, you can do so under the 25¢ and 30¢ premium options.)
- Downhill winter sports (No downhill winter sports are covered under our Annual Policies. This includes skiing, snowboarding, sledding, tubing, etc. Cross-Country skiing is covered.)
- Programs or events which are open to non-4-H youth. (This may include events where participants are counted via “Group Enrollment” at schools or community events. If youth register for a program individually and enroll in 4-H, then they would be covered under the Annual Policy.)
- Any “high risk” programs including Volunteers who have not been covered by an annual policy. (This may include horse/livestock shows, shooting sports events, etc. where adults who are not officially registered as 4-H volunteers may be assisting with the operation of the event. For example, a parent who is helping unload a trailer at a horse event – unless they are an official 4-H Volunteer, they would not be covered under the Annual Policy, but with Special Activities they can be.)
Should you ever have any questions about the Kansas 4-H Annual Policy or our Special Activities Policies, please do not hesitate to reach out to our office for assistance. Check out our FAQ page here. I can be reached directly via email at efbain@ailife.com or via our toll-free number at 800-849-4820, Extension 3. I look forward to working closely with you and helping Kansas 4-H “To Make the Best Better” for years to come!
--Erin Bain, AIL Special Risk 4-H and Camp Specialist