An insurance‑industry analysis found U.S. universities paid hundreds of millions in legal settlements during 2025, with the largest involving Columbia University and NewYork‑Presbyterian in a $750 million settlement tied to decades‑long abuse allegations. Other notable payouts addressed campus shootings, pandemic‑era tuition disputes, and antitrust claims over financial‑aid coordination. The report underscores rising legal, reputational and financial risk for institutions: trustees and general counsels told industry analysts that settlements are reshaping reserve planning, insurance procurement and compliance priorities. Institutions face simultaneous pressures on budgets, enrollment and regulatory scrutiny that make large settlements especially destabilising.