Services
The NEFEC Risk Management Services Team provides a risk management program designed to contain or reduce the risk-related costs and expenses for the participating rural school districts in northeast Florida.
We will provide consultative and effective pre-loss safety and loss prevention programs designed to avoid and/or reduce the incidents that threaten our properties, assets, and the health and welfare of our students, staff, support teams, and the public.
With skill and savvy, we will oversee an aggressive claims management program that protects the interests of our member districts, rapidly and effectively resolves each claim to its lowest possible cost, supplies actionable data, and respectfully addresses the injured party.
By utilizing the combined buying power and loss exposures of our districts we will obtain the broadest insurance coverage for our property, casualty, and specialty programs at the most competitive rates.
We will engage results-oriented business partners that share our passion for providing premier service and support to our participating districts.
General Responsibilities
Claims Management and Pre Claim Advice
1. Property, Liability, and other insurance policies and programs.
2. Investigate and handle self-insured claims in an expeditious manner. Support filing and processing of insured claims with insurance carriers. Coordinate with third-party administrators of claims programs as applicable.
3. Perform risk assessments and analysis in cooperation with other departments or programs.
4. Establish levels of self-insurance and administer all self insurance programs.
5. Collaborate with the school districts to develop policies and procedures to prevent or minimize losses. Risk mitigation programs managed by our office.
6. Review contracts, agreements and certificates of insurance to ensure that the school districts bears only its proportionate share of any liability or claims that may arise from the agreement, and to ensure that appropriate insurance and other protective clauses are in the agreement.
7. Provide training, written procedures and guidelines to the school districts within the scope of the risk management and insurance programs.
Risk Management must be notified immediately if one of the following occurs, regardless of whether a claim is expected to arise:
Fatality (e.g., student, faculty, staff, visitor, independent contractor, community member)
Major paralytic conditions such as paraplegia and quadriplegia
Second- or third-degree burns to 25 percent or more than the body
Amputation or permanent loss of use or sensation of a major extremity
Head or brain injuries resulting in coma, behavioral disorders, personality changes, seizures, aphasia, permanent disorientation
Loss of sight or hearing
Injury resulting in incontinence of bowel or bladder
Sexual molestation, sexual assault, or rape
Bodily injury resulting from medical services or from health care services provided in a clinic, infirmary, student health center, treatment room, or other facility that provides medical or health services to students or at other locations in the event of a medical emergency
Suspected or actual cyber security incident arising from or due to cyber security threats including but not limited to social engineering, ransomware, phishing, or malware.
Risk Management should be notified as soon as reasonably possible in the following instances:
Damage to a school district-owned vehicle or rental vehicle used for school district business
Threat of litigation or request for payment for bodily injury sustained by a 3rd party as a result of our negligence
Request for payment or threats of litigation against the college including but not limited to discrimination, wrongful termination, breach of contract, accreditation, or tenure denial
Title IX Investigation
Damage to school district-owned property totaling more than $5,000???
If assistance is needed to manage a reputational risk
If a threat assessment is needed to evaluate a campus community member
Insurance Purchasing and Advice
Risk Management conducts annual audits of our insurance needs and existing insurance programs to assure that the member districts maintain optimum, cost-effective protection from responsible, well-capitalized insurers.
The member districts have business relationships with a wide range of organizations throughout the state and region. Risk Management coordinates the procurement and acceptance of Certificates of Insurance from authorized insurers as needed to support these business relationships.
**The information below is applicable to all the member districts. If you have any questions regarding this information, please contact Stephanie Simonds at simondss@nefec.org, Melinda Sturdivant at sturdivantm@nefec.org or Robert Hartley at hartleyr@nefec.org.
Policy Development
Risk Management will assist member institutions with policy development. This assistance includes obtaining sample policies (where available), locating applicable resources, and draft policy review with at least ten business days advance written request.
Risk Management cannot advise on the suitability or legality of policies, processes, or documents designed to obtain compliance with federal, state, or local regulations. It is highly recommended that certain policies be reviewed by legal counsel prior to implementation.
Risk Management Guidance
Risk Management will provide risk management guidance and advice regarding any aspect of Public K12 operations, including athletics, student activities, international travel, safety, executive travel, and new initiatives.