Barry County committee recommends renewal of county insurance pool coverage; presenter cites modest premium increase and member distribution

Barry County commissioners at their July 15 Committee of the Whole meeting voted to recommend renewal of the county’s liability, vehicle-physical-damage, property and crime insurance through the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority (MMRMA) for the period July 1, 2025, through July 1, 2026.

Craig Manser of IBEX Insurance, presenting the renewal on behalf of MMRMA, told commissioners the county’s premium rose about 3.8% this year. Manser said the county’s premium increased “from $492,442 to $510,009.63,” an increase he described as “actually pretty good” compared with regional experience.

Manser also described MMRMA’s member distribution process. He told the board the pool returns excess net assets to members after reserving for claims, reinsurance and known liabilities; he described Barry County’s distribution this year as roughly $210,000. Manser said MMRMA earmarks part of its funds for grants and training programs — the Risk Avoidance Program (RAP) and Certification and Accreditation Program (CAP) — and noted the pool recently increased available grant funding to $2.5 million per year.

Commissioners asked for details about underlying values and vehicle counts used in the appraisal. Manser said CBIZ performs appraisals on a rolling five-year basis and applies a geographic factor for value changes; he reported the county’s buildings and contents were listed at $141,669,670 and that the county had 102 vehicles on the schedule. Commissioners asked about vehicle valuation over time and how the pool rates commercial and private-passenger vehicles; Manser explained MMRMA rates on a blanket basis across vehicle classes and that the county’s private passenger vehicles produced an annual premium component of about $13,400.

The motion presented to the committee — moved by Commissioner Hatfield and supported by Commissioner Getty — recommended board approval of the renewal and authorization for the county’s member representative to sign the agreement. The motion language on the agenda specified an amount of $510,963 for the 12-month renewal; the committee voted in favor and the motion carried.

Manser reminded commissioners that MMRMA members elect the pool’s board of directors and that distributions reflect membership length, loss history and premium size. He said Barry County has been a member since 1985 and has a favorable loss record, which contributed to the distribution the presenter described to the board.

The committee’s recommendation goes to the full Barry County Board of Commissioners for final approval.