A major part of the the benefit that OASA provides to it's member
leagues, indoor centers, tournaments, teams, referees, coaches, managers,
players, staff and volunteers is "Risk Management" - that is: the
identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks followed by coordinated
and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the
probability and/or impact of unfortunate events. Risks in soccer can come
primarily from legal liabilities or accidents, The strategies to
manage risk include transferring the risk to another party (insurance), avoiding
the risk, reducing the negative effect of the risk, and accepting some or all of
the consequences of a particular risk.
One of the ways we practice risk management is to make sure that everybody signs a wavier form before getting a player card, and the main reason referees check player cards prior to each game is to ensure that everybody is registered and thus have not only signed the wavier but each person playing in the game is covered by accident insurance.
Another important way we practice risk management is by providing player card control and a structure that provides for appeals - this ensures that leagues can not suspend players unfairly, but also that players can not repeat a pattern of abusive behavior by moving from league to league (or indoor center), the disciple record and suspension stays with the player, allowing for a more pleasant playing experience for everyone.
But the most important risk management tools we provide (through our affiliation with USASA) are a robust set of insurance policies that cover leagues and players while playing in affiliated soccer games, practices and other team activities. If the league, tournament or indoor center you play in is not affiliated with OASA you should consider (or ask!) what might happen if you are sued by someone who gets injured and does not have any coverage. By playing affiliated soccer you can rest assured that everybody has at least minimal coverage and that your exposure (risk) is limited. How to affiliate your league or indoor center
Overview of Insurance Coverage:
Click on the title for more detailed information.
General Liability Insurance - Protects leagues, players, coaches, managers, staff members, team workers, referees, officials, scorekeepers and volunteers against claims of negligence resulting in bodily injury or property damage which occur during an OASA sanctioned event inclusive of practices, games and tournaments. The Policy is amended to include as an additional insured any person or organization of the types designated below, but only with respect to liability arising out of their operations: 1. Owners and/or Lessors of Premises 2. Sponsors 3. Co-Promoters (in plain language, this is the policy that OASA provides so that we can get certificates of insurance to use the field)
LIMITS
OF INSURANCE:
Commercial General Aggregate Limit $3,000,000
Products-Completed Operations Aggregate Limit $3,000,000
Personal and Advertising Injury Limit $2,000,000 Each Occurrence Limit $2,000,000
Additional Insureds - Included $2,000,000
Legal Liability to Participants $2,000,000
Sexual Abuse & Molestation ($2,000,000 Aggregate) $1,000,000
Damage to Premises Rented To You $ 300,000
Medical Expense Limit - Other than Participants $ 5,000
Available for purchase: Excess/Umbrella Liability - Provides additional limits, if necessary, over the General Liability Insurance.
Many field or facilities owners will require a Certificate of Insurance (proof of General liability insurance coverage) prior to granting field access. OASA can obtain a Certificate of Insurance on behalf of our affiliated entities. This is a benefit of affiliation. In order for a league or team representative to obtain a Certificate of Insurance, they must complete the Request for Certificate of Insurance form and fax, email or mail it to the OASA. The OASA will then request the certificate through the insurance company and mail, email or fax the certificate to the requesting party as well as the facility owner.
Soccer Accident Insurance - Soccer accident coverage is excess medical insurance coverage which extends to players participating in OASA sanctioned events. All players are covered as soon as they complete the player registration and are given a player card, as long as your card is valid and present you are covered during all OASA sanctioned events. resumen en español
This policy has a $400 deductable and a $5,000 limit - it's secondary and frankly $5,000 doesn't go very far, on the other hand, it's better than nothing and is an important piece of risk management.
Leagues (sorry, not players) may purchase additional coverage: The additional premiums are as follows: $10,000 coverage is an additional $3.48 per player and the $25,000 coverage is an additional $3.79 per player.
How do I file a claim?
All registered players are covered during sanctioned events such as games, practices and tournaments. Unaffiliated activities, currently including all indoor centers in Oregon are NOT covered.
If you are injured during a sanctioned event you should fill out the Special Risk Accident Claim form as soon as possible and return it to OASA. (Claims submitted over 90 days may be denied by the insurance company.) Your team should also follow any applicable league procedures for reporting the injury and should ask the referee to note the injury on the game report if possible. Especial riesgo de accidente formulario de reclamación
Once we receive the Special Risk Accident Claim Form we will perform Risk Management: we make sure you are registered and the activity was sanctioned.
Once OASA confirms your claim is eligible, we pass it along to the insurance company. From there on out, the insurance company will be in contact with you.
Please note: Insurance fraud, even what is know as: Soft Fraud, where normally honest people often tell "little white lies" to their insurance company. Many people think it’s just harmless fudging. But soft fraud is a crime and raises everyone’s insurance costs; please be honest.
Insurance 101 - How to file a claim
Who or What is: (USASA) State Verification Officer?
Just think “OASA Office”.
The SAI policy is considered "excess". What if I have no primary health insurance?
If you have no valid and collectible health insurance, our coverage will become primary. The policy pays for treatment based on usual, reasonable and customary charges for a given treatment in the city or area where treatment is provided.
How does my primary insurance coordinate with OASA's Excess Insurance?
Our policy provides deductible relief for those participants with primary health insurance. For example, if medical bills from a covered injury total $6,000 and your policy pays $5,000, our policy may pay the difference between the out-of-pocket expense of $1000 and our policy deductible of $400.
Directors & Officers (D&O) Liability - Insures OASA Directors and Officers and all Member Leagues Directors and Officers for claims made against the organization(s) for wrongful acts.
OASA's directors and officers are covered automatically under this policy, leagues must fill out a simple form to extend coverage to: any natural person who has been, now is or shall become a duly elected director or trustee, duly elected or appointed officer, employee or committee member (whether or not salaried) of an organization, and any natural person acting in a voluntary capacity on behalf of an Organization.
Extends coverage to affiliated indoor centers - Highlights:
• Broad form CGL
• Unintentional E&O/Knowledge-Notice of Occurrence
• Liability can be extended to include non-sanctioned and other exposures of
the facility.
• OASA Sanctioned Events are covered at other locations.
• Ancillary associated exposures are included: i.e. Arcades; Clinics;
Instruction; Offices; Sports Camps; Concessions; Restaurants
• First named insured is the facility purchasing coverage
• Legal Liability to participants has a separate limit subject to the aggregate.
• Written with AIG, A+ rated companies on an admitted and surplus lines
basis.
• Additional insureds approved for certificates of insurance.