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County staff propose switching workers’ comp broker to Aquasure, integrate claims with iSolved HR platform
Summary
Montezuma County staff presented a plan to move workers’ compensation brokerage to Aquasure and integrate claims handling with the iSolved HR software to centralize records and obtain vendor-provided services; commissioners raised concerns about insurer negotiation practices and potential hidden costs.
County human-resources and risk staff briefed the Board of County Commissioners on a proposal to change the county’s workers’ compensation broker to Aquasure and to integrate claims and HR workflows into the iSolved software platform.
Presenters said the change is intended to create a single, centralized software and service workflow for onboarding, claims reporting and other HR-related insurance needs. Staff explained that premiums for the current insurance year are fixed regardless of broker and that any premium differences would become relevant only at renewal and upon rebid. The board was told Aquasure offers a broader pool of vetted attorneys, additional back-office services to assist with policy drafting and compliance, and software tools that, staff said, are provided at no additional charge under the proposed arrangement.
Commissioners questioned the value of moving brokers for workers’ compensation alone and expressed concern that third-party attorneys and insurers frequently negotiate settlements to reduce company liability rather than litigate. One commissioner stated bluntly, “Nothing is free,” and raised the possibility that services described as complimentary could be reflected indirectly in costs. Staff replied that the county already pays for some outside HR legal services (employers council) and suggested switching some services to a pay-as-you-need model to avoid paying for seldom-used prepaid services.
Finance and HR staff said the most immediate operational benefit would be reduced manual paperwork, faster onboarding and offboarding, and a centralized notification system for department heads to manage claims. Staff recommended discussing the broker change at the next commission meeting after answering outstanding questions about scope and any transition costs.
No formal broker change or contract award was recorded at the workshop.
