Insurance & Background Checks
Chapter Protection Center

Insurance & Background Check Resources

Everything your chapter needs to maintain proper insurance coverage, obtain certificates, understand exclusions, and run required background checks on coaches, volunteers, and staff — powered by AMB's partnership with the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU).

AAU — Amateur Athletic Union
Official Insurance & Athlete Protection Partner
Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) — All chapters must hold active AAU membership

Insurance is a Benefit of AAU Membership

AMB chapters operating under the AAU's insurance umbrella receive sports accident coverage and general liability insurance as a benefit of membership. Everyone participating — athletes and non-athletes — must hold an individual AAU membership. Club Membership insures practices; an event license insures competitions, clinics, and other sanctioned events.

Coverage Summary

Coverage Type Limit / Benefit Who Is Covered Applies When
Excess Medical $100,000 Properly registered AAU members injured during an approved event Licensed / approved event; excess over other coverage (primary if no other coverage)
Accidental Death & Dismemberment $20,000 Registered athlete and non-athlete members Licensed event; accidental cause
Youth / Non-Athlete Deductible $300 Youth athletes & non-athletes Per claim, before coverage applies
Adult Athlete Deductible $300 Adult registered athletes Per claim, before coverage applies
Dental Included All registered members Injury during licensed event
General Liability Program Wide Clubs, event organizers, volunteers (registered) Club membership active; event licensed by AAU

What Counts as a Licensed Event

A licensed event is any event that has been applied for and received an event license from the AAU of the U.S. Inc. This includes:
  • Regular-season midnight basketball league nights
  • Tournaments and championship games
  • Clinics, training sessions, and skill camps
  • Life skills workshops held in conjunction with AMB events
Club Membership covers practices. Event License covers competitions and clinics.

AAU Insurance Document Library

Insurance Overview
Comprehensive overview of the AAU insurance program — who is covered, what events qualify, membership requirements, and how the program benefits AMB chapters.
InsuranceOverview.docx · 32 KB
Insurance Brochure Summary
Quick-reference PDF summary of AAU insurance coverage limits, deductibles, who is insured, covered events, and key program requirements. Share with chapter staff.
InsuranceBrochure_summary.pdf · 639 KB
Certificate Overview
How to request verification of insurance and insurance certificates — for venues, sponsors, and partner organizations requiring proof of coverage. FREE for members.
CertificateOverview.docx · 33 KB
Exclusions List
Notable exclusions from General Liability and Sports Accident (Excess) coverage. Review before events to understand coverage gaps and what requires additional policies.
ExclusionList.pdf · 405 KB
Extended Coverage Program
How AMB chapter members can extend coverage while participating in events hosted by other sports entities (non-AAU). Requirements for teams and individual competitors.
ExtendedCoverage.docx · 32 KB
Athlete Protection & Abuse Prevention Policy
REQUIRED READING for all coaches, staff & volunteers. AAU's full policy on athlete protection, safe sport, background screening, and abuse prevention. Updated October 12, 2023.
AthleteProtectionPolicy.pdf · 792 KB · Oct 2023

AAU National Headquarters

Access your chapter's AAU membership portal, apply for event licenses, request insurance certificates, and manage member registrations at the official AAU website.

Certificates Are FREE for AAU Members

Verification of insurance coverage is a benefit of AAU membership. Your chapter can request verification or a certificate for facilities, venues, sponsors, and other entities that require proof of insurance.

Two Types of Coverage Documentation

Verification of Insurance (Generic Certificate) — FREE
Confirms that your chapter holds AAU insurance. Includes:
  • Specific limits of liability
  • Policy effective dates
  • Club/chapter membership confirmation
Use this for most venue and sponsor requirements.
Additional Insured Certificate — Fee Required
Adds a venue, facility, or organization as an additional insured on your policy. Required by most gyms, schools, and city-owned facilities. Initiated by your chapter through AAU. A processing fee applies.

How to Request a Certificate — Step by Step

1

Confirm Active AAU Club Membership

Your chapter must have an active AAU Club Membership. Verify status at aausports.org. All participants must also hold individual AAU Athlete or Non-Athlete memberships.

2

Identify What the Venue / Entity Requires

Ask the venue, sponsor, or partner exactly what they need — a simple verification, a certificate with their name, or additional insured status. This determines which document to request.

3

Submit Request Through AAU Member Portal

Log in to your AAU account at aausports.org. Navigate to Insurance → Certificate Request. Provide the requesting entity's name, address, and contact information.

4

Receive and Deliver Certificate

AAU will issue the certificate electronically. Forward to the venue or sponsor directly. Keep a copy on file with your chapter's compliance records.

5

Renew Annually

Certificates reflect your active policy period. Renew your AAU Club Membership each year before it lapses — a lapse means no coverage and no ability to issue new certificates.

Certificate Overview Document

Download the full AAU Certificate Overview document for detailed instructions, requirements, and the difference between verification types.

Download Certificate Overview (.docx)

Know Your Coverage Gaps

Understanding what is not covered is just as important as knowing what is covered. Review these exclusions before each season and consult National HQ or an independent insurance broker if your chapter's activities might trigger any of these exclusions.

General Liability — Major Exclusions

Intentional acts or criminal allegations are excluded from general liability coverage. This includes any participant, staff, coach, or volunteer who intentionally causes harm or is charged with criminal conduct. Chapters must enforce a strict code of conduct and remove individuals involved in criminal activity immediately.
Sales of liquor and alcoholic beverages are explicitly excluded. No alcohol may be sold at AMB events. Chapters that permit alcohol sales at events void their liability coverage for any related incidents.
Professional medical malpractice claims are excluded. If your chapter employs or contracts licensed medical professionals (physicians, nurses, therapists), their professional liability requires a separate malpractice policy.
Any sport not currently licensed by the AAU is excluded from coverage. All AMB activities must be conducted under a properly licensed sport category. Confirm your activity's sport code with AAU before each season.
Damage to property of others while in the care, custody, and control of an insured is excluded. This includes personal property of players, coaches, officials, and other participants. Do not accept responsibility for safeguarding participant personal items.
Standard environmental and hazardous materials exclusions apply:
  • Pollution Exclusion
  • Asbestos Exclusion
  • Lead Exclusion
  • Fungi or Bacteria Exclusion
  • Nuclear Energy Liability Exclusion
If your chapter operates in an older facility, ensure the building owner's liability policy covers these risks.
Employment Related Practices Exclusion applies — discrimination, wrongful termination, harassment claims, and similar employment matters are not covered. Chapters with paid staff should consult an independent broker about Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI).

Sports Accident (Excess Coverage) — Major Exclusions

Suicide or any attempt at suicide, or intentionally self-inflicted injury or any attempt at intentionally self-inflicted injury, is excluded. This underscores the importance of AMB's mental health component — connect participants in crisis to the Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741) and local mental health resources immediately.
Sickness, disease, or infection — including COVID-19 and similar communicable diseases — is excluded from sports accident excess coverage. Injury during play is covered; illness originating outside of the event is not.

Full Exclusions Document

Download the complete AAU Exclusion List for the full text of all exclusions and conditions.

View PDF Download Exclusion List

What Is Extended Coverage (AB)?

The Extended Coverage Membership program extends insurance protection for AAU members while they participate in events hosted by other sports entities — not the AAU. This is critical for AMB chapters whose participants also compete in community leagues, tournaments, or partner events outside of AAU-sanctioned activities.

Eligibility Requirements

Team Competitions

For team competitions, the entire competing team AND the coach (non-athlete) must be AAU extended coverage members. One gap in membership voids coverage for the whole team.

Individual Competitions

Each competing individual must be an AAU extended coverage member AND must be supervised by an AAU extended coverage registered coach (non-athlete). Both individual and coach must hold the AB designation.

Benefits of Extended Coverage (AB)

Sports Accident Insurance
Excess medical coverage for injuries during non-AAU events, with the same limits as standard AAU coverage.
General Liability Insurance
Liability protection extends to cover qualifying non-AAU events when all AB criteria are met.
Certificates of Insurance
Chapter can request insurance certificates for non-AAU event venues and facilities when AB coverage is in effect.

Extended Coverage Program Document

Download the full Extended Coverage document for enrollment instructions, eligibility details, and conditions.

Download Extended Coverage (.docx) Enroll at AAU

Background Checks Are MANDATORY

Per the AAU Athlete Protection and Abuse Prevention Policy (Updated October 12, 2023) and the Protecting Youth Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Act of 2017, all adult non-athlete members — coaches, event organizers, volunteers, and staff — must pass an approved background screening before working with minor participants. There are no exceptions.

Legal Framework

Protecting Youth Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Act of 2017
Federal law requiring amateur sports organizations to adopt policies and procedures to prevent and report child sexual abuse. The AAU Athlete Protection Policy implements this federal mandate. All AMB chapters are bound by this Act as participants in AAU-sanctioned programs. Chapter Directors are mandatory reporters under this Act — any known or suspected abuse must be reported to law enforcement AND the national organization immediately.

Who Requires a Background Check

Coaches
Required before first practice or event
All coaches working with minor participants must complete AAU background screening. This includes head coaches, assistant coaches, and any adult in a coaching or instructional role.
Event Organizers
Includes tournament directors
Anyone organizing or directing AMB events where minors are present — including league nights, tournaments, and community events — must hold a current background clearance.
Volunteers
All adult volunteers with minor access
Adult volunteers who have any direct, unsupervised contact with minor participants must complete background screening. One-time event volunteers with supervised contact should also be screened as best practice.
Staff Members
Paid and unpaid chapter staff
All chapter staff — whether paid employees or unpaid administrators — who work with or have access to minor participants must be cleared. This includes administrative staff present at events.

How to Run Background Checks Through AAU

1

Register the Individual as a Non-Athlete AAU Member

Every adult who works with youth must first hold an individual AAU Non-Athlete membership. Register at aausports.org/membership. The background screening is initiated during or after registration.

2

Complete AAU Background Screening

AAU uses an approved third-party screening provider. The applicant must consent to and complete the screening process. Results are tied to their AAU membership record. Coaches and volunteers may not begin working with youth until clearance is confirmed.

3

Chapter Director Verifies Clearance

Log in to your AAU Club account and verify that the individual's membership record shows an active, cleared background check. Maintain a chapter log of all cleared personnel with clearance dates for your compliance records.

4

Renew Annually

Background checks are not lifetime clearances. They must be renewed with each AAU membership year. Set calendar reminders for all coaches, staff, and regular volunteers to renew before the new season begins.

5

Respond to Adverse Results Immediately

If a background check returns an adverse result, that individual must be removed from all youth contact roles immediately and may not work with participants. Contact National HQ at admin@midnight-basketball.org for guidance.

Athlete Protection & Abuse Prevention Policy

Download and distribute the full AAU Athlete Protection Policy to all coaches, staff, and volunteers. Reading and acknowledgment of this policy is required for every adult member working with youth.


Membership Limitations & Disqualifying Conditions

Automatic Disqualification

Per AAU policy, certain criminal history findings result in automatic disqualification from AAU membership and therefore from working with AMB youth participants. This includes — but is not limited to — convictions for any sex offense involving a minor, crimes of violence, and other specified offenses. Chapter Directors are responsible for enforcing these membership limitations. Any individual whose background check reveals a disqualifying offense must not be permitted to participate in any role involving minor participants, regardless of their relationship to the chapter or length of service.

Need Help? Contact National HQ

Questions about background screening, adverse results, or athlete protection policy compliance? Contact AMB National directly.

Email National HQ AAU Support