Student accident insurance

Coastal Carolina University, located in Horry County, South Carolina, is seeking a comprehensive student accident insurance provider through a competitive bidding process. The procurement solicits a comprehensive accident insurance policy covering approximately 9,500 full-time students, including undergraduate, graduate, and international populations, with 24/7/365 coverage and no territorial restrictions. Bidders must demonstrate a minimum of five years of experience providing student accident insurance to higher education institutions and hold an A.M. Best rating of A- or Standard & Poor's rating of "A" or better. The policy requires a minimum $10,000 accidental injury coverage on an excess basis, zero deductible, and specific benefits including hospital room and board, outpatient expenses, physician treatment, ambulance services, dental coverage for injury-related treatment, and a maximum $5,000 death or dismemberment benefit. A non-mandatory pre-bid conference was scheduled for April 4, 2019, at 10:30 a.m., with offers due by April 23, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. and questions due by April 4, 2019, at 3:00 p.m. The contract term is one year with four potential one-year renewals, with an estimated start date of August 1, 2019, and end date of July 31, 2024.

No specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises were noted in the procurement documents. The incumbent vendor is AIG, with historical premium rates consistently at $29.17 per student annually from 2016-2019. The current claims administration infrastructure processes claims within seven calendar days and requires online submission capabilities with provisions for hearing and visually impaired users. The university maintains secondary athletic insurance and international travel insurance for students studying abroad. Based on historical data, the total potential annual cost could reach approximately $118,000, which includes $40,000 in annual premiums, $24,000 in administration fees, and a recommended $78,000 upfront claims account funding. Award will be made to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, though a subsequent "No Award Statement" indicated that no responsive bids were received for the original solicitation, suggesting the procurement might be re-solicited with revised specifications.