In 1986, Nor Cal ReLiEF was created as a response to skyrocketing premiums and decreasing availability of liability insurance for California schools. The original steering committee, meeting in early 1985, consisted of representatives of northern and southern school districts and statewide representatives for community colleges. Because of the diversity of need and location, the committee split into three groups, eventually forming So Cal ReLiEF (SCR), Nor Cal ReLiEF (NCR), and the Statewide Association of Community Colleges (SWACC).

Still, in 1985, joint power authorities and individual districts were unable to purchase primary liability and property coverage at a reasonable cost. Recognizing California schools' needs and using their experience in joint powers authority organizations and management, Keenan & Associates assisted the committee of select northern California schools in the formation of Nor Cal ReLiEF.

To the original steering committee, the concept of "pooling" was not new. More than 22 years ago, several concerned business officials met in San Francisco to discuss the liability crisis that then existed. The result was the first local joint powers authority for schools.

Nor Cal ReLiEF's property and liability program was designed as an excess coverage program exclusively for the coverage needs of JPAs, county offices and individual districts. By forming a "Super Pool", Nor Cal ReLiEF self-insures member districts from the member's individually selected retained limit (MRL) to a "pooled" JPA self-fund retention, the level of which depends on insurance market conditions. Currently, the self-funded retention's for liability pooled are $1,000,000 per occurrence, and property are $250,000 per occurrence.

Since its inception, Nor Cal ReLiEF has grown to represent over 380 individual districts with combined ADA of 990,000 and property values of over $23 billion.

Nor Cal ReLiEF's members come from virtually every county in Northern California. We continue to attract new members through the breadth and diversity of our risk management services, our constant innovation with respect to school coverage needs, and the enthusiastic participation of our dedicated members.