Frequently Asked Questions

General university insurance policies are purchased to cover the actions of faculty, staff and volunteers working within the scope of employment or acting on behalf of the university with written permission. Sanctioned student actions/activities are also afforded coverage when those activities are part of a student’s academic requirements or when acting on behalf of the university with written permission.

Student groups may be afforded coverage if the group:

• Is recognized by Student Association
• Has a university-employed advisor
• Has financial backing from the university and/or the university has decision-making authority over the group

For off-campus student events, coverage under university insurance may only be considered if NIU is the contracting and signing authority for any venue, catering or other agreement necessary. Any agreement must go through the contracting office within Procurement Services.

For events with alcohol service, individuals must complete the alcohol service request form and submit it to Risk Management for review and approval. For more details regarding these requests, please review the Board of Trustees Alcohol Beverage Policy. If your event falls within these guidelines, complete and submit the alcohol request form.

Employees who use their personal vehicles for business use will be required to use their personal auto insurance as primary coverage.

The university does not assume responsibility for any loss, theft or damage to an individual’s personal property brought onto university premises or university-leased premises, even if the property is brought in to be used in connection with their work or education. Individuals are encouraged to review their insurance policies to confirm coverage for personal property. Students and staff residing on campus are encouraged to procure renter’s insurance as the university assumes no liability for items housed on campus.

For events with alcohol service, individuals must complete the alcohol service request form and submit it to Risk Management for review and approval. For more details regarding these requests, review the Board of Trustees Alcohol Beverage Policy. If your event falls within these guidelines, please use the alcohol request form to complete and submit the request.

View or download a general liability certificate (PDF).

View or download a certificate for state coverages (PDF), including workers’ compensation and auto liability.

If you are in need of a different certificate or one with more detail, please contact Risk Management at riskmanagement@niu.edu to make the request. If the certificate is required by contract, agreement or other written exchange, Risk Management will need to review the agreement.

Premium allocation depends on the coverage being purchased. In general, if the policy is for the institution as a whole (i.e., general liability, property insurance), the costs are appropriately allocated among more centralized funds.

If a policy is purchased that benefits one particular area (i.e., professional liability, sports camp liability, media liability), that department or individual is usually responsible for the additional cost.