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CTSI five‑year loss analysis: county claims trending down but arrest‑related incidents drive high severity
Summary
A CTSI loss‑control specialist told the Board of County Commissioners the county’s five‑year claims picture shows improving workers'‑comp trends but several high‑cost arrest‑related liability claims have driven average claim severity; CTSI recommended driver and EMS trainings and other preventive steps.
CTSI senior loss control specialist Dana Foley presented Grand County’s five‑year loss analysis at the April 1 Board of County Commissioners meeting, telling commissioners overall claim frequency is improving while several large liability losses have driven up average severity.
Foley said Grand County received an equity distribution from CTSI for 2024 totaling $153,806 (split across the CWCP and CAP pools and the contributions fund). She described the county’s loss ratios as in the second lowest tier in both pools and said the county could reach a lower tier if 2025 remains favorable.
On the cap (liability) side, the county had 11 claims in 2024 totaling about $191,319. Auto crashes comprised the bulk of that sum; CTSI noted backing collisions historically were a common source of claims and reported a reduction in backing‑related incidents from 17% of auto claims in 2023 to about 7% in 2024 in Grand County. Foley recommended renewed defensive driving training for county drivers every two to three years.
The loss analysis identified two arrest‑related claims in the five‑year period that together accounted for $529,789 and substantially increased the county’s average cost per claim. Foley said those incidents prompted CTSI to recommend stronger interagency planning for multi‑jurisdictional responses and additional peer‑to‑peer de‑escalation training for law‑enforcement staff.
On workers’ compensation, Grand County had 14 claims in 2024 totaling approximately $14,829 in medical and indemnity payments; slips, trips and falls and body‑mechanics (lifting) incidents were the most frequent causes. Foley noted ambulance service workers had higher frequency of claims tied to patient handling and suggested refreshed body‑mechanics and lifting training and consideration of an ambulance driving course required by a forthcoming 2026 statute.
Foley also called attention to fire losses linked to lithium‑ion batteries (example: a courthouse laptop fire) and recommended county shops and facilities review battery charging practices and consider lithium‑ion‑rated fire extinguishers. She told commissioners CTSI can provide training at no charge and encouraged continuing preventive programs and midyear reviews to allow course corrections.
Why it matters: The county’s insurance and budget outlook is sensitive to large liability and catastrophic claims. CTSI’s analysis indicates the county is trending in the right direction on frequency, but a small number of high‑cost claims materially affects premiums and contribution tiers.
What’s next: Foley said CTSI will provide departmental breakouts (including a sheriff‑specific report) and recommended scheduling defensive‑driving and ambulance‑driver training, reviewing battery‑charging practices in county shops, and considering a midyear loss‑data review to adjust training plans.
