Montgomery County commissioners on Aug. 11 approved issuing a request for qualifications seeking an insurance broker to handle the county's property-and-casualty (P&C) and workers' compensation insurance services.

County staff said KCAMP, the county's pooled insurer, projects a roughly 15% increase in the county's P&C premium for 2026, from $498,122 to about $572,840 — an increase of about $74,718. Staff said the county currently pays about $229,682 for workers' compensation and had received an additional bill of roughly $32,000, which together would push total annual insurance costs toward three quarters of a million dollars for 2026 if current policies and estimates hold.

Jonathan, a county staff member who presented the RFQ packet, said the county's intent is to hire a broker who can “go to bat for us” by testing the market, managing claims and advising on coverage and aggregates. He told commissioners the RFQ set an Aug. 29 submission deadline and anticipated reviewing qualified respondents at the commission's first September meeting, with interviews the following week if needed.

Jonathan said pooled coverage can keep rates lower but exposes members to cost increases when other pool members file large claims; an independent placement with a dedicated broker could produce a more tailored program and potentially lower net cost. He also flagged cyber insurance limits: KCAMP recently raised the county's cyber liability limit (he said from $1 million to $10 million), and he warned that expanded limits could drive additional premium increases beyond the 15% estimate.

County staff recommended the RFQ to allow enough time before year-end for data transfer and coverage review if the board selects a new broker. Commissioners asked procedural questions about timeline and who might respond; no specific brokers were named during the meeting.

The board moved and approved issuing the RFQ; staff said Montgomery County reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to continue with KCAMP if market proposals are unsuitable.

Why it matters: The county's P&C and workers' compensation premiums are large line items in the county budget. A sustained increase of the magnitude projected by KCAMP would add tens of thousands of dollars to next year's budget and could require adjustments to other county services or reserves.

What’s next: Staff will publish the RFQ immediately, accept proposals through Aug. 29, and bring qualified proposals for commissioner review in early September. If a broker is selected, staff said there will be a significant information-transfer process before any new contract would become effective.