Rockingham County risk manager details premium increases, new law-enforcement liability costs

Chris Elliott, Rockingham County risk manager, presented a summary of the countys insurance renewals and changes at the July 21 meeting, saying the countys total insurance cost for the coming year is about $1.20 million before broker fees. Elliott said commercial property premiums rose with inflation and that inland-marine values fell after asset sales and depreciation. He told the board the countys law-enforcement liability coverage was the biggest cost driver: Travelers declined to continue covering law-enforcement liability for the sheriff's office, so the county obtained coverage that Elliott described as a roughly $210,000 premium with a $200,000 deductible per occurrence for sheriff's-office claims; the county also pays separate excess premiums to cover sheriff's employees. Elliott characterized the result as effectively making the county self-insured for claims up to the high deductible level. Elliott highlighted that cyber insurance limits remain at $2 million and praised county IT measures, saying improved cyber controls helped reduce that premium. He also said some lines (inland marine, employment practices, cyber) had lower premiums than in prior years, while umbrella and auto liability costs rose because of higher claims and higher vehicle-values. Elliott said the total premium figure he presented, including broker fees and workers' compensation excess, amounted to $1,238,110.95. Commissioners asked what could be done to reduce premiums; Elliott said insurers want to see 12 months of improvement in jail and sheriff's-office exposures before premiums can be expected to fall, and that daily reporting procedures requested by the insurer were in place for the sheriff's office. No formal vote was taken; the item was presented as informational and to prompt continued risk-management work.