Getting to Know the Exceptional Student-Athlete Disability Program

What is the Exceptional Student-Athlete Disability Program?

Professional athletes often purchase insurance to protect against loss of salary should they be seriously injured, but the NCAA also sponsors an insurance program for “exceptional” athletes – those typically bound for professional leagues. This program is known as the Exceptional Student-Athlete Disability Program.

The organization offers student-athletes in football, men’s ice hockey and men’s and women’s basketball and baseball who have shown professional promise during their collegiate careers a special sort of insurance policy through the Exceptional Student-Athlete Disability Program. Students must have a realistic chance of being picked in the first three rounds of the NFL or NHL drafts or the first round of the NBA, WNBA or MLB drafts to qualify. The program allows these student-athletes to purchase insurance contracts covering injuries that could affect their athletic careers, and offers access to financing programs if necessary.

Exceptional Student-Athlete Disability Program policy

These policies protect the student athletes against loss of future salary should an injury derail their professional prospects. Qualifying student-athletes are automatically eligible for a loan through U.S. Bank N.A., Sports Division, with competitive interest rates and no co-signer required. The individual is obligated to pay back the loan when one of three things happens:

1. The student-athlete signs his or her professional contract.
2. The disability benefits become available.
3. The coverage term ends and the loan note matures.

The Exceptional Student-Athlete Disability Program provides permanent total disability policies to qualifying individuals. The program offers a 24-month maximum policy term that includes 24-hour accident and sickness coverage.

This program can offer student-athletes in sports such as football – where injuries are all too common – a safety net should their professional prospects be affected by a serious injury. These sports typically offer massive paychecks, and missing out on that salary due to injury could be an extremely unfortunate turn of events for a talented athlete.

For more information on the Exceptional Student-Athlete Disability Program, speak with a sports law attorney who can offer more information on insurance programs for athletes with professional prospects, as well as for current professionals.