The past year saw a surge in severe convective storms, particularly hailstorms, causing billions in insured losses across the US. This trend is likely to continue in 2024 and beyond, impacting insurance premiums and available coverages, especially for properties like sorority chapter houses.

The graphic above shows the increase in the number of hail storms and the severity of the damage associated with them over the last twenty years. To zoom in and read the entire report, which we found very informative, click here.

These storms, packing powerful winds, hail, and heavy rain, pose a significant threat. In 2024 and beyond, the risk of severe convective storms looms large, driven by a combination of factors such as warmer atmospheric temperatures, higher moisture content, and shifting wind patterns. These storms can unleash destructive winds, large hailstones, torrential rainfall, and even tornadoes, causing extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure in their path.

Sorority chapter houses, often located in areas prone to severe weather, often face heightened exposure to convective storms. Their typically large, historic structures may be more susceptible to damage from high winds and hail, leading to costly repairs or even total reconstruction. Furthermore, the social nature of sorority houses means that they are frequently occupied, putting members at risk during severe weather events. 

Insurance companies take these risks into account when setting premiums for property coverage. As the frequency and severity of convective storms increase, insurers may adjust their pricing models to reflect the heightened risk. Other options for insurers in this new environment include: stricter requirements for risk mitigation measures, such as installing impact-resistant roofing materials or reinforcing windows and doors against high winds. 

In response to these challenges, sorority chapters must prioritize proactive risk management strategies. These strategies include the following recommendations and resources:

By staying informed and taking proactive steps, sorority houses can weather the storm – both literally and figuratively.

The MJ Sorority Insurance Program is designed to provide comprehensive coverage to owned property that is currently housing chapter members. Any leased properties must be assessed on a case by case basis to determine coverage eligibility. 

Our current policies presume third party tenants have their own property insurance coverage, which should be recorded in conjunction with the executed lease agreement.  

To assess continued coverage eligibility under the your insurance policy, MJ Sorority needs to have a copy of the current lease agreement attached to the property in question. Reviewing your lease agreement will provide us with the necessary information to determine continued eligibility under the current insurance program. 

In addition to a copy of the Lease Agreement, we will need to determine if the following risk management guidelines are in place: 

Tenant is a single sex organization: ___ Yes ___ No 

Adult employee/supervisor is living on the premises: ___ Yes ___ No 

Open Flames are prohibited ___ Yes ___ No 

Alcohol is prohibited ___ Yes ___ No 

Property Manager hired to oversee property ___ Yes ___ No 

Also, please provide the following information: 

If you have a leased property, please provide your Client Executive with the information requested above.

Water damage poses a significant threat to sorority chapter houses, often resulting in costly repairs, business interruptions, and reputation damage. In this resource, we share tips and strategies to effectively prevent water damage and safeguard the integrity of sorority chapter houses. For a shorter, visual resource, click here.

Domestic plumbing is the primary culprit of water damage. Most claims involve leaking pipes caused by corrosion, pipe burst, or failure. Failure to prevent and control corrosion is the root cause. Unfortunately, most corrosion is internal and is not easily identified. Galvanic corrosion is one of the most common types of corrosion.

Water is invasive and there are some things even the very best insurance coverage can’t replace. When it comes to water, the best protection is risk prevention and it’s more critical than ever. 55% of property claims in the MJ Sorority program are due to water-related issues, from burst water pipes to sewer and drain backups. Given the age of many of our properties, these occurrences are not unexpected. For more information on how and why to install leak protection systems, including a 5% premium credit, please refer to our paper on leak protection.

Therefore, proactive risk prevention measures are paramount, especially in the face of these challenges. Adopting technological solutions can greatly enhance a chapter house’s water protection system. Here are four key types of technology solutions that can be employed:

In addition to technological solutions, implementing a comprehensive preventative maintenance program is essential. Regular inspections by professionals can identify vulnerable areas and minimize downtime, enhancing overall reliability.

Given the persistent challenges posed by water damage, the MJ Sorority Program strongly recommends the adoption of these advanced technologies. Because of the potential damage caused by water leaks in the chapter house, we have negotiated with the property insurance carrier to offer our clients who install leak detection systems with the applicable monitoring functionality a five percent credit to their property premium.

Consider using one of these best-in-class leak detection technology companies:

Other leak detection companies that we have researched include the following:

Failure to address water damage proactively may lead to increased insurance deductibles and further financial strain. As such, property managers are urged to explore and implement these solutions to safeguard their chapter houses effectively.

Winter can be a harsh season for fire protection systems. Use this checklist from Ryan Fireprotection of best practices for preparing your system for the winter.

As winter arrives, it is important that we consider the potential of freeze claims, especially during breaks for the upcoming holidays. Preventing frozen pipes is probably the most important consideration over the winter breaks, but closing the chapter house before Thanksgiving and winter breaks involves several additional tasks to ensure that everything is in order and secure. Here’s a checklist we’ve developed to help:

Before break:

During the break:

After returning:

Additional tips:

In the past few issues of News & Notes, we have written about changing dynamics in the property insurance industry. In recent years, insurance companies have found themselves at the forefront of a complex and evolving challenge: the impact of changing weather patterns on property coverage. As the world grapples with more frequent and severe weather events, such as hurricanes, wildfires, and floods, insurance providers have found themselves at a crossroads, compelled to make difficult decisions regarding property coverage. These changes reflect the growing recognition that the traditional insurance models may no longer suffice in the face of a rapidly changing climate landscape.

Insurance companies are increasingly restricting coverage or raising premiums for property insurance as a response to the escalating risks associated with changing weather patterns. Rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and the intensification of extreme weather events have significantly increased the likelihood of property damage. Consequently, insurance providers are left with the unenviable task of recalibrating their risk assessments and pricing models to maintain their financial stability while continuing to offer coverage to policyholders. This shift underscores the critical need for a proactive and comprehensive approach to managing risk, including building reserve funds for your chapter facilities.

We have asked our business partner, Blu & Co., to develop a resource for house corporations that will help House Corporations fund for the future:

By: Annmarie Novotney, CPA
Audit Director / Owner Blu & Co.

National fraternities and sororities have been dealing with changing circumstances on many fronts over the last five years.  Part of this changing landscape involves property management and adapting to significant increases in property claims across the nation.  As a result, property owners must prepare for higher property deductibles, due to the increase in the frequency of claims and in the increase in the severity (cost) of claims than in years past.  

It is critical to an organization’s sustainability to have adequate short-term cash reserves and liquidity resources for operational flexibility and for ensuring that organizational commitments are met timely.  Beyond short-term cash reserves, fraternities and sororities should also consider building reserves to fund insurance deductibles as claims are incurred.  Such reserves (often designated by the Board of Directors) are funded so that intermittent claims can be managed without disrupting already tight operating budgets.

In considering building an insurance reserve fund, organizations should consider the following areas:

Blue & Co.’s Not-for-Profit Services Team advises organizations on ways to improve both the balances and the utilization of reserves and liquidity resources to enhance sustainability over time.  Please reach out to your local Blue & Co. advisor with any questions regarding these recommendations. 

We have recently had several claims involving fraudulent checks. Sororities aren’t the only victims. In an alert sent out in February, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, also known as FinCEN, reported that, “Despite the declining use of checks in the United States, criminals have been increasingly targeting the U.S. Mail since the COVID-19 pandemic to commit check fraud.” Criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their methods, making it crucial for organizations to stay vigilant. These fraudulent activities encompass a range of tactics, including counterfeit checks, altered payee information, and even identity theft to gain access to legitimate bank accounts. As a result, it is imperative for chapter and house corporation officers and volunteers to be aware of these risks and adopt strategies to mitigate the threat of check fraud. We recommend the following strategies:

This edition of the MJ Sorority newsletter covers the following topics: property market insurance update, building a reserve fund, addressing check fraud , 2024 economic outlook, FAQs, and more.

National fraternities and sororities have been dealing with changing circumstances on many fronts over the
last five years. Part of this changing landscape involves property management and adapting to significant
increases in property claims across the nation. As a result, property owners must prepare for higher property deductibles, due to the increase in the frequency of claims and in the increase in the severity (cost) of claims than in years past.

It is critical to an organization’s sustainability to have adequate short-term cash reserves and liquidity resources
for operational flexibility and for ensuring that organizational commitments are met timely. Beyond short-term cash reserves, fraternities and sororities should also consider building reserves to fund insurance
deductibles as claims are incurred. Such reserves (often designated by the Board of Directors) are funded so
that intermittent claims can be managed without disrupting already tight operating budgets.
In considering building an insurance reserve fund, organizations should consider the following areas:

Blue & Co.’s Not-for-Profit Services Team advises organizations on ways to improve both the balances and the utilization of reserves and liquidity resources to enhance sustainability over time. Please reach out to your local Blue & Co. advisor with any questions regarding these recommendations.

Thanks to our partners at Blue & Co. for this resource.

As you enter the summer months there are several things that should be done to ensure the property is protected while vacant:

Thanks to our business partner, CSL Management, for this resource.

Note: you can easily print this resource to use at your chapter house by clicking printer icon to the right of the resource title at the top of this page.

The NPC community is working very hard to ensure that their organization represents diverse membership. An important dimension of this effort is the question of whether your chapter house is accessible to members and guests with a disability, be it a physical or a mental condition.

We have heard from several clients who expressed an interested in an accessibility audit, in which their chapter houses could be inspected to see where the facility could be made more accessible.

One question that has arisen is regarding doing the audit for a location and what liability may be created by doing an audit and not addressing the deficiencies identified for accessibility. This question, first off, needs to examine what liability in fact is being imposed upon sorority chapter houses, if any. The natural assumption is that disability accessibility is imposed through the Americans with Disability Acts (ADA). Please review our resource on this topic that illustrates that the ADA does not apply to fraternal organizations (aka sorority chapter housing).

However, there may be some local municipalities that have imposed similar ADA-like regulations which may or may not apply to the sorority chapter houses.

Therefore, with the lack of any applicable regulation(s) there is no liability imposed on the sorority chapter house. In the absence of any liability, if an accessibility audit is completed and for whatever reason any or none of the recommendations are not addressed, there is virtually little or no threat to your organization or the chapter house.

We do believe that there could be liability if there are promises made to a specific member or prospective member for a condition to be addressed, and the chapter ends up being unable to do so, which could potentially result in a contractual liability claim (also referred to as breach of contract).

Should you have additional questions or concerns regarding this subject, feel free to contact your Client Executive.