In College, Insurance Can Be the Best Policy

The odds are fewer than one in 100. But even with the odds stacked heavily in his favor, Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm is in no mood to gamble.

Brohm, like so many returning college seniors, is expected to take out a disability insurance policy. Should Brohm be injured in his senior season at Louisville, he will be covered for millions should his pro aspirations be cut short.

Policies cost tens of thousands of dollars, and fewer than one in 100 ever file a claim.

Several companies write such policies, and even the NCAA is involved. The governing body, which entered the field in 1990, now offers up to $3 million of coverage for football players. To be eligible for the NCAA program, a player must be projected to be drafted in the first three rounds.

Brohm is considered such a sure prospect that he may be eligible for the rare policy that would pay an intermediate amount if an injury caused his draft status to drop but did not keep him from playing professionally. The cost? At typical rates, a $10 million policy could cost $200,000.