Information for Vendors, Providers and Contractors
Required Certificate of Insurance
The university can be exposed to risk when using contractors, consultants, service providers, and/or vendors to provide goods or services or when outside organizations and individuals use university premises and/or facilities.
University policy requires that contractors, consultants, service providers, and/or vendors doing business with the university, as well as outside organizations and individuals using university premises and/or facilities, maintain liability insurance and other insurance as necessary to reasonably protect the university's financial interests, and in amounts deemed adequate by the university.
In order to protect the university's interests, and other parties as necessary, any business working with Brandeis University is required to submit a current Certificate of Insurance to Procurement Services prior to commencement of service or work. Certificates of Insurance may be scanned to Procurement Services or sent by mail to:
Procurement Services
MS 048
Brandeis University
415 South Street
Waltham, MA 02453
Indemnification
Contractors, consultants, service providers and/or vendors who provide goods or services to the university, as well as outside organizations and individuals who use university premises and/or facilities, shall indemnify the university against all loss, damage, and expense which it may sustain or for which it will become liable on account of injury to or death of persons, or on account of damage to or destruction of property resulting from the performance of work, the provision of goods or services, and/or the use of university premises and/or facilities, or due to or arising in any manner from Providers'/Users' wrongful acts or negligence, or of any employee of any of them.
Insurance Requirements
Insurance coverage serves as part of the financial backing for the liability assumed by a contracting party through the indemnification language in a contract. Instead of intentionally utilizing its own assets to support the liability, the contracting party is transferring the risk to the insurance company in return for payment of the insurance premium. Without insurance, most contractors / vendors would not be able to meet their indemnification obligations when a significant loss occurs.
- ALL policies shall be written by insurance companies with an A.M. Best rating of A- or better and licensed to do business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and be acceptable to Brandeis University.
- ALL Certificates of Insurance shall contain substantially the following statement: "Should any of the above described policies be canceled before their expiration date, the issuing company will mail THIRTY (30) days written notice to Brandeis University."
Each insurance certificate must contain the following statements as evidence of the required endorsements:
- Brandeis University is to be named as an "Additional Insured" on a primary, non-contributing basis on the General Liability, Automobile, Umbrella Policies and Professional Liability as their interests may appear and a copy of the endorsement should be sent to Procurement Services before any contract is executed
- Waiver of Transfer of Rights of Recovery (or Waiver of Subrogation) in favor of Brandeis University applies on all policies.
- General liability general aggregate is per project.
Exceptions to Minimum Insurance Requirements
- The Office of Risk Management may develop exceptions to these insurance limit requirements, in conjunction with university and campus administrators, following a process of risk identification and evaluation. If they determine that little or no risk is involved, the limits may be lowered or the requirement removed. Conversely, if it is determined that additional risk is involved, the limits may be raised.
- Purchases that are so small they do not require a purchase order or contract do not need insurance verification.