Educational & Institutional Insurance Administrators, Inc. (EIIA) was formed over 40 years ago during the 1960's when a number of Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs) affiliated with The United Methodist colleges were unable to obtain property coverage from the commercial insurance market. The United Methodist Church (UMC) assisted the colleges by combining their resources and purchasing insurance as a group. This generated adequate premium volume for an insurance company to offer coverage. EIIA was formally incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation in 1976 under The United Methodist Church with the specific purpose of providing group purchasing and administration of insurance programs for The (UMC) Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

The group purchasing of the coverage for these colleges was so successful, that the concept spread to other colleges affiliated with The United Methodist Church. As the program grew, coverages were expanded and now encompass all of the Property & Casualty, Student Accident and Health, and Employee Benefits insurance needs of colleges, universities, seminaries and college preparatory schools.

EIIA's office is centrally located in Chicago , Illinois from which the staff of 23 insurance and risk management professionals serve over 138 higher education institutions located in 40 states including the District of Columbia . The programs offered to eligible church denomination consortia of institutions and the financial structure of the programs are operated through four not-for-profit corporations, three health trusts, three grantor trusts and one wholly owned insurance company. The Property & Casualty Program operates under the four 501(c)(3) corporations, the Employee Benefits Program operates under the three health trusts and two grantor trusts, and the Student Insurance Program operates under a grantor trust. College Insurance Company supports the operation of all of the programs. It is through these governance bodies that EIIA continues to provide insurance and risk management assistance to under-served institutions as well as strong and self-supporting institutions of higher education and learning.