Student Internship Insurance

EWU students who are participating in an internship, practicum, clinical, field study, or similar activity may be required to have Professional Liability insurance. This insurance helps ensure that students are protected against liability claims that may arise out of their internship activities.

Most internship insurance costs are charged as a separate course fee.

Course fee amounts vary but are designed to equate to approximately $18 per student for the academic year.

Certificates of insurance will be available to students through their academic departments.

Questions or concerns should be directed to the Risk Manager at 509-359-6618 or email to: riskmanager@ewu.edu.

NOTE: Because most internship insurance is collected through a course fee, please do not purchase optional insurance through the EWU Marketplace unless you are instructed to do so by your academic department. If your academic department does instruct you to purchase insurance on your own, you may purchase the insurance here: https://secure.touchnet.net/C20347_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=25

Insurance Terms and Coverage Limits

Each student intern who is required to have insurance or who elects to have insurance must pay for their insurance coverage. To reduce insurance costs and increase efficiency and accountability, the University works with the Department of Enterprise Services to obtain blanket insurance policies.

The limits of liability under the master policy are:

$1 million per occurrence with a $3 million per school annual aggregate for non-medical student interns.

Coverage is limited to the insurance policy terms, conditions and exclusions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the definition of an Internship?

For purposes of internship insurance, an ‘intern’ is a student who is working in a facility (e.g. local business, hospital, clinic, school, etc.) as part of their academic program. An internship may also be referred to as a ‘clinical’, ‘practicum’, or ‘field experience’. No matter what the experience is called, the defining element is that a EWU student is:

1) enrolled in an EWU academic program that includes the ‘internship’ as part of the requirements to complete the program, and,

2) present in a working environment where they observe and/or participate in activities, and,

3) are participating in this internship with the knowledge, consent and approval of the EWU academic program.

What is Professional Liability Insurance?

Whats the difference between medical v.s non-Medical internships?

Whether an internship is medical or non-medical is based on the academic major of the student and the actual location of the internship.
Any student who furnishes professional and/or mental or physical health-related professional services required as part of an enrolled curriculum, practicum, student teaching experience or internship (e.g. Dental Hygiene, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Psychology, Sports Medicine, etc.) or any student who’s internship takes place in a facility that may expose the student to patients and/or patient records, is categorized as a medical intern for insurance purposes. All other interns are categorized as professional interns.

Does this insurance provide medical coverage?

No. A student’s personal medical insurance is their primary medical coverage. Students with paid internships are typically covered by the employer's worker's compensation insurance. Students on unpaid internships (i.e. volunteers) may also be covered by worker’s compensation if the host business/organization has opted to provide such coverage. For students participating in unpaid internships, the University has purchased insurance that provides some coverage for medical expenses resulting from a covered accident as defined under the policy terms.

Risk Management, Compliance and Procurement
211 Tawanka Hall - Cheney, WA 99004
Email: riskmanager@ewu.edu
Phone: 509.359.6618 Fax: 509.359.2266