 Born From Crisis
NPU was started in 1988 as a vehicle insurance pool and was originally conceived solely as a
support for nonprofit specialized transit (paratransit) providers in California. As a result of the
“hard” insurance market of the mid 1980’s, many of the nonprofit transportation nonprofits were
going out of business, causing a serious shortage of available paratransit services in California.
Because this crisis was detrimentally affecting its members, the California Association for Coordinated Transportation (CalACT), researched the feasibility of
forming a self-insurance pool. Peter Steinert, an employee of CalTrans, submitted a grant to pay for the feasibility study and a Steering Committee (see photo above) was appointed to hire and work with the study's consultants.
Ultimately, in 1988, the Paratransit Insurance Corporation (our
original name) was formed with 73 members. All were nonprofits and a majority were focused on
transportation. It was the first nonprofit insurance pool in the State of California.
Through the years the vehicle pool’s membership widened to include virtually every sector of the
nonprofit community. To reflect this diversity, in 1998 we changed our name to NonProfits’
United Vehicle Insurance Pool.
History Repeats Itself
In 2002, the worsening Workers’ Compensation insurance situation prompted the NonProfits’
United Board of Directors to explore the feasibility of starting a Workers’ Compensation self-insurance
group on the same model as the Vehicle insurance pool, to offer an alternative to
nonprofits struggling under the burden of punishing Workers’ Comp rates.
In December 2004, the NonProfits’ United Workers’ Comp Group began with 3 core members. A
year later, the NPU-WCG has over 40 members and continues to grow. The group serves
members using the NPU mission as a guide – by empowering them and educating them as to the
advantages and responsibilities of self-insuring. As with the Vehicle Pool, the success of the
group hinges on individualized loss control assistance and recognition of the particular challenges
of nonprofits in maintaining healthy and safe organizations.
Our Mission Remains the Same
Our mission is to help nonprofits control risk management cost, and save their resources for their
programs. We accomplish this by providing stable affordable rates, and focused, relevant risk
management services.
“NonProfits’ United is a member-governed and funded alternative to
traditional commercial insurance. The mission of NonProfits’ United is to provide quality and cost-effective
pooled risk coverage for private nonprofit organizations. We are
committed to providing services that are responsive to our members’
needs and that contribute to the professionalism of nonprofit services.”
The NPU mission was written by our Board of Directors 18 years ago and has remained relevant not
only to the Vehicle Pool but also to the new Workers’ Comp Group. Many of the individuals who
originally founded the VIP in 1988 still serve today on both the VIP and WCG Board.
Our Board is committed to the mission of NPU and to the stewardship of the funds of both pools
for the furtherance of NPU’s mission to support its members. |
