Addressing the gap in Sexual Misconduct Liability Coverage for U.S. Schools

MIAMI (Nov. 2, 2026) -- For schools, colleges and universities, a sexual misconduct liability (SML) claim isn’t always a matter of recent events. Increasingly, claims are reported years, sometimes decades, after the alleged incidents, when restrictive provisions may have reduced the coverage available to respond.  

This is a significant and often overlooked exposure facing U.S. educational institutions today. It’s why we developed Howden SML Sunset Guard for U.S. Education. 

The time it takes for survivors to come forward is now widely recognized, and many laws have changed to reflect it. According to a 2025 report by Praesidium, a firm that advises organizations on sexual abuse prevention, about one in three abuse claims is filed 10 or more years after the alleged incident. 

Legislators have responded. Since 2002, roughly 30 states and three U.S. territories have passed legislation expanding statutes of limitations for childhood abuse claims or reviving older claims that would otherwise have expired. 

These legislative changes give survivors, including those affected by experiences from many years ago, a path to come forward and be heard. They also heighten the need for educational institutions to review whether their insurance is structured to respond to historical claims. 

At the same time, SML limits continue to shrink as premiums rise, and many institutions purchase coverage with restrictive provisions, including sunset provisions, that reduce available limits when claims surface years later.  

The result is a mismatch that can leave a school with less coverage than it purchased when a claim arrives. For a school, that gap can affect its ability to continue to deliver on its mission.

Howden SML Sunset Guard for U.S. Education is designed to address this coverage gap by providing up to $15 million of an institution’s coverage limits.*  

Developed in collaboration with our London Specialty teams, SML Sunset Guard is available exclusively through Howden. 

“This product reflects Howden’s commitment to bringing U.S. schools innovative, specialized insurance solutions designed around unique and evolving risks,” said Lindsay Cunningham, executive managing director for education at Howden. “Survivors may take years to come forward. Over that period, the insurance protection available to a school may differ from what it originally purchased. SML Sunset Guard is designed to help institutions address that difference while continuing to deliver on their mission.”