Kansas county insurance pool KCAMP introduces bidding option to Seward County

KCAMP, a county-owned insurance pool, introduced its membership structure and bidding process to the Seward County Commission on the evening of the meeting, and commissioners agreed to add the presentation to the agenda earlier in the session.

The presentation focused on KCAMP's pooling model and services, and outlined next steps for Seward County if it chooses to request a bid. "We are not an insurance company. We're a pool of counties," said David Lam, identified in the meeting as a KCAMP member services representative. He said KCAMP covers property, liability and some cyber exposures, provides risk-management services and training, and partners with a sister organization, KWORK, for workers' compensation coverage.

Why it matters: KCAMP says its pool model can offer broader limits and some added services compared with commercial carriers, and the commission indicated interest in getting the county's renewal data in time for competitive bids.

Lam told commissioners KCAMP now has 81 of Kansas's 105 counties as members and outlined common coverages and loss-sharing layers, including reinsurance through national pools. He described member services such as crisis response, model jail policies and a $2,000-per-member safety reimbursement program for small risk-mitigation purchases (for example, grill guards or tarps).

Commissioners asked about timing and market changes. Lam said KCAMP expects to have estimate guidance by June and that, after recent market volatility, the KCAMP administrator believes now is an appropriate time to solicit new business. He described the information KCAMP needs to bid: a completed questionnaire, property schedules listing buildings and vehicles, total county payroll and revenue figures, and counts of law-enforcement officers.

Lam offered to email a paper copy of the questionnaire and said a current online version is available on KCAMP's website. "When the questionnaire is filled out now, it is online on our website," he said.

The commission had earlier voted to add KCAMP to the agenda. A motion to add item 3A (KCAMP) was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote.

Next steps: Lam left contact information and asked the county to reach out with further questions; he and KCAMP administrator David Luke were listed as contacts in the packet. No procurement decision was made at the meeting.

Ending: Commissioners did not take further action on coverage at the meeting; Lam said KCAMP would provide materials and a formal bid if Seward County submits the required schedules and questionnaire.