FAQ: What is Insurance?
Overview
Access Granted Systems has partnered with Vertical Insure to offer members optional insurance protection for eligible membership purchases. If an unexpected illness, injury, involuntary job loss, or other covered event prevents a member from using their membership, Vertical Insure may reimburse them for eligible unused membership fees.
Why is this good for my organization?
- Reduce Refund Requests: Give members an alternative way to seek reimbursement for qualifying events, reducing requests for exceptions to your organization's refund policy.
- Encourage Membership Purchases: Help prospective members feel more confident purchasing seasonal or annual memberships, knowing optional protection is available.
- Protect Membership Revenue: Maintain established refund policies while offering members additional financial protection through an independent insurance provider.
- Improve Member Satisfaction: Demonstrate your commitment to members by offering an additional layer of financial peace of mind.
- Reduce Payment Disputes: Providing members with an alternative way to seek reimbursement for covered circumstances may help reduce refund-related chargebacks and credit card disputes.
- Simplify Administration: Allow eligible insurance claims to be handled through the insurance provider, reducing the need for your staff to evaluate individual hardship situations.
- Maintain Consistent Policies: Apply your organization's refund policies fairly and consistently while giving members an option for protection against certain unforeseen circumstances.
- Enhance Your Membership Offering: Provide an additional member benefit without having to create or administer your own insurance program.
Why is this good for my members?
- Protect Their Investment: They may qualify for reimbursement of eligible unused membership fees when a covered event prevents participation.
- Purchase with Confidence: Members enjoy greater peace of mind knowing their membership investment may be protected against unexpected circumstances.
- Coverage for Unexpected Events: Provides protection against certain unforeseen circumstances, such as illness, injury, or other qualifying events covered by the policy.
- Convenient Enrollment: Members can easily add optional protection when purchasing their membership through AGS.
- Straightforward Claims Process: They submit eligible claims directly through the insurance provider, without needing to request an exception to your organization's refund policy.
Do members have to purchase insurance?
No. Membership Protection is completely optional. During the application process, members can simply select "Yes" to purchase insurance or "No" to decline coverage.
No additional paperwork or separate application is required.
Do all purchases qualify for insurance?
No. Insurance eligibility and pricing are determined by Vertical Insure based on several factors, including the total purchase amount.
Insurance may not be offered in the following situations:
- Free Memberships: No insurance is offered when there is no membership payment.
- Low-Value Purchases: Insurance is not offered when the purchase amount falls below the minimum amount required for insurance eligibility.
- Payments Outside AGS: Insurance is not offered when your organization does not use AGS to collect the membership payment.
Additional eligibility requirements may apply based on Vertical Insure's underwriting guidelines.
Who is managing claims and providing member support?
Vertical Insure manages insurance-related services, including policy administration, claims processing, and customer support.
Neither your organization nor Access Granted Systems is responsible for determining insurance claim eligibility or approving claims.
Members with insurance-related questions should contact Vertical Insure directly.
How can I check a member's insurance status?
All submissions have an Insurance Status.
- Not Offered :Insurance was not available for the purchase.
- Purchased: The member selected and purchased insurance.
- Declined :The member was offered insurance but chose not to purchase it.
- Cancelled :The member initially purchased insurance but subsequently cancelled the coverage.
Uncommon States
- Accepted :The member selected insurance but has not yet paid. This may occur temporarily during the purchasing process.
- Pending Cancel :The member initially purchased insurance but subsequently cancelled the coverage. This may occur temporarily during the cancelation process.
- Failed: The member selected insurance but has not yet paid. This may occur if the insurance payment has failed.
Should I offer my members a refund?
Your organization should continue to follow its established membership refund policy. Membership Protection through Vertical Insure provides members with an additional option for financial protection when unexpected circumstances prevent them from using their membership.
If a member has purchased Membership Protection and requests a refund due to a potentially covered event, your organization can direct them to Vertical Insure to submit an insurance claim.
Membership Protection allows your organization to maintain consistent refund policies while reducing the need to issue discretionary refunds for unexpected circumstances.
However, your organization remains responsible for issuing refunds as required by its policies, membership agreements, or applicable law. For example, if your organization declines a membership application, cancels an event, or fails to provide the purchased service, a refund may be required.
What should I do if a member requests a refund and has purchased insurance?
If a member requests a refund due to a potentially covered event, direct them to Vertical Insure to submit an insurance claim.
To assist your member:
- Direct them to Vertical Insure's Customer Portal (https://customers.vicoverage.com/login) or have them email support@vicoverage.com.
- The member will need their Policy Number and Policyholder Name.
- This information can be found in the Application's journal.
Note: Members also receive their insurance information by email when they purchase coverage.
What circumstances are covered?
Coverage depends on the specific details and what's outlined in the policy. Covered circumstances may include a range of unexpected situations like illness, injury, family emergencies, or other qualifying events. The exact details depend on the policy. The best place to confirm is directly with ViCoverage (support@vicoverage.com).
What if get asked a question? How should I respond?
Here is the language you can use...
[Your Organization] recommends adding refund or cancelation protection to cover your registration payment if you cannot participate due to illness, injury, or the unexpected. You can buy it through Access Granted Systems and Vertical Insure or through any licensed provider. For specific questions about coverage, eligibility, or claims, please contact Vertical Insure at support@vicoverage.com.
The above language is recommended because it positions coverage as optional, doesn't specify outcomes, and acknowledges other providers are available.
Can My Organization Disable Membership Protection?
Membership Protection is automatically offered to members when their purchase meets the eligibility requirements. Organizations cannot disable this option.
However, purchasing insurance is entirely optional for members. They can choose to accept or decline coverage during the application process.
Why did AGS partner with Vertical Insure?
Vertical Insure (https://verticalinsure.com) specializes in providing insurance solutions for recreational activities, memberships, events, and other programs.
Their experience in these areas makes them a valuable partner for AGS and the organizations we serve. Through this partnership, AGS can offer optional insurance protection directly within the membership purchasing process, providing additional financial peace of mind while minimizing administrative work for organizations.