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KCAMP warns of rising reinsurance costs; Ellis County keeps $50,000 storm deductible
Summary
A KCAMP representative told the Ellis County Commission that convective storm losses and reinsurance market changes are driving rate and deductible pressure; commissioners opted to keep the county's $50,000 per-occurrence property deductible for 2025.
A representative from KCAMP (the Kansas Association of Counties pool) briefed the Ellis County Commission on Dec. 17 about rising reinsurance costs and coverage changes the pool is implementing. David Luke, KCAMP regional representative, said convective storms — wind and hail events — have increased losses and pushed reinsurers to demand higher deductibles and other coverage changes.
Luke told the commission the pool has absorbed some market pressure to avoid per-location percentage deductibles that commercial reinsurers had been asking for, and that KCAMP is favoring targeted measures to encourage preventative maintenance rather than blanket reductions in coverage. He said one specific change will be to depreciate roof recoveries (pay actual cash value rather than replacement cost) when roofs are at or beyond 80% of expected life unless counties can document replacement dates and maintenance.
Commissioners reviewed KCAMP’s initial estimates for Ellis County’s 2025 contribution. Luke said the county’s expiring contribution at a $50,000 deductible would increase to roughly $414,215 after adding newly reported property values (including two new fire trucks); that represents about a 20% increase on the property portion of coverage. He presented options for raising deductibles to $100,000 or $150,000 to reduce the contribution, but staff and commissioners noted those savings would be modest relative to the potential exposure if another large convective storm occurs.
After discussion, commissioners decided to keep Ellis County’s property deductible at $50,000 for 2025. Commissioner comments cited recent asset additions (new building valuations and fire apparatus) and the risk of a single storm quickly erasing any short-term savings from increasing the deductible.
Why it matters
KCAMP provides multiple coverages (property, general liability, law-enforcement liability, cyber and surety bonds) tailored to county operations; rising reinsurance costs and increasing frequency of convective storms are changing how pooled and commercial insurers price and structure coverage. The county’s decision to keep the $50,000 per-occurrence deductible preserves a lower out-of-pocket exposure for the next policy year but contributes to a higher premium.
Key takeaways
- KCAMP reported an average pool member increase of about 12% in 2025; Ellis County’s increase was higher because of added property values (notably two fire apparatus). - KCAMP will begin applying depreciation (actual cash value) to roof claims where roofs are at or above 80% of expected life unless documentation shows replacement dates; the pool is offering discounted roof-inspection services to members. - The commission declined to raise the county property deductible (remains $50,000 per occurrence) after staff and members noted the limited short-term savings and the county’s recent growth in insured assets.
What to watch next
County staff will continue to provide KCAMP with inventory and roof‑age data on the county’s property schedule. If more assets are added to the county schedule or if a significant storm occurs, the county’s contribution may change; commissioners and staff discussed budgeting and reserve implications in the 2026 budget cycle.
