School board approves renewal of workers' compensation policy after claims increase

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board on Aug. 5 voted to renew the district's workers' compensation insurance with LWCC after staff recommended adoption of the renewal. The board took the vote during its insurance and risk management discussion; the motion carried after a second. The district's staff reported an increase in claims this year and said the rise followed a return to normal staffing levels after the COVID period when claims fell. "We had over 2,000,000 in claims," a staff presenter said, and recommended renewal with LWCC because the carrier's dividend program offsets premium increases. Staff said the district expects a dividend that will reduce net cost, and projected that dividends could rise substantially over a five-year horizon. Board members pressed staff on drivers of the increase and whether the district has in-house review and prevention programs. Staff said most recent claims were slip-and-fall and similar incidents, not vehicle accidents, and that the district has a risk manager, Maggie Adams, who reviews claims before they go to the carrier. Staff said LWCC performs loss-control walkthroughs and handles claims once submitted. The motion to adopt the renewal was made, seconded and approved; the board did not record a roll-call tally in the transcript. No changes to coverage were recorded in the meeting minutes. Board members also discussed the district's e-mod (experience modification) and the benefit of LWCC's dividend program when comparing bids. A staff member told the board that, after including dividends, LWCC's net premium was preferable to alternatives the district solicited.