Midwest Public Risk outlines coverage and financial safeguards to Osage Beach officials
October 30, 2025 | Osage Beach, Camden County, Missouri
This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »
Midwest Public Risk (MPR) representatives presented an overview of the pools structure, programs and finances to Osage Beach officials, emphasizing member governance, pooled stop-loss protection for high-cost health claims and a layered reinsurance program for property and liability exposure.
The briefing, delivered by MPR staff including Gloria and Jason, explained that the mutual pool consists of roughly 160 member taxing entities split between two incorporated pools (about 118 in Missouri and 48 in Kansas) and an overarching organization that manages employee benefits across both states. MPR staff said the governance structure gives each member a designated representative who votes at the annual meeting and who may appeal decisions to the appropriate state board.
Why it matters: Osage Beach is a member of the pool and relies on MPR for several types of coverage and services. MPRs model pools risk and investment income for members and, according to presenters, preserves members sovereign-immunity protections in ways that differ from buying traditional commercial insurance.
Most important details presented
- Programs and limits: MPR manages three primary programs for members in Missouri: employee benefits, property and liability, and workers compensation. Key program retentions disclosed in the briefing include a $500,000 pooled stop-loss threshold for the employee benefits program, a $750,000 self-insured retention (SIR) for workers compensation, and a $750,000 SIR for property. The liability program has a $500,000 SIR; the pool then shares layers with other pools and reinsurers up to a $500 million market placement arranged through Lloyds and other reinsurers.
- Appraisals and valuations: MPR uses an external appraiser (CenterRisk) to establish replacement-cost values for buildings and a formulary approach for contents and specialty equipment. Staff said appraisals occur approximately every five years and that quarterly construction-index data are used for interim adjustments; they noted that construction costs rose substantially after 2020 and remain a factor in renewal planning. MPR also cited a 125% margin clause that provides an extra 25% of scheduled limits in case of underestimation.
- Claims, reserves and finances: Presenters said contributions across the combined funds rose by about $6.7 million between the two most recent plan years, and highlighted that reserves and investment income are governed by the board. MPR staff said the pool experienced a small number of very large employee medical claims in recent years (each exceeding the stop-loss threshold) and that property occurrences can hit many members at once (for example wind or hail that affects multiple jurisdictions), but the pool structure treats such multi-member events as a single event for reinsurance purposes.
- Member services and loss control: MPR described risk-management services available to members including nurse triage and return-to-work programs for workers comp, legal hotlines (law enforcement and HR), policy-management tools, training modules, and benefit-advisory committees that recommend plan changes. For pharmacy management MPR described participation in the Employers Health pharmacy coalition and separate pharmacy claim audits.
Questions from Osage Beach officials
City officials pressed MPR on several practical issues: whether participation in a televised reality series could increase the citys exposure, the extent to which sovereign immunity is preserved by staying in the pool, cyber insurance limits, and how the pool underwrites or accepts new members.
- Sovereign immunity: MPR staff said that, as a self-insured public pool, members retain sovereign immunity protections that can be different from buying commercial insurance (which can result in waiver of sovereign immunity in some contracts). Staff cautioned that specific contract language (for example, in vendor agreements or certificates of coverage) matters and advised review of indemnity clauses when third parties are involved.
- Reality TV and coverage: MPR staff said they were not aware of any reinsurer exclusions tied to the citys participation in a televised production and that the production had been reviewed internally (including legal review) before filming, but they agreed to follow up with underwriting and provide a definitive response. Osage Beach officials requested written confirmation of whether the production affects coverage or premium calculations.
- Cyber coverage: MPR described a brokered ancillary cyber placement that many members buy through the pools broker (AJG/Gallagher). Staff said a common baseline placement is $2 million and that higher limits are available but require more extensive underwriting information.
- Membership and underwriting: Staff emphasized they prioritize adding "good risks" rather than growing membership indiscriminately. Underwriting review of potential new members and reinsurers appetite can limit acceptance; staff gave examples of prospective members that were not accepted because reinsurers would not support pricing for their exposures.
What the city should expect next
MPR staff offered follow-up on three items raised during the meeting: to confirm whether the reality-series participation affects coverage with the reinsurers, to provide any available underwriting rationale or documentation on cyber placements, and to share the citys current appraisal and schedule status for property and contents. Staff reiterated that many routine schedule updates (equipment additions, vehicle purchases) are handled quarterly and can be reported to MPRs schedule team as they occur.
Limitations and things not stated
The presenters provided program-level retentions, examples of claims experience and general financial trends, but they did not supply a city-specific premium projection or a formal legal opinion in the meeting. Any changes to limits, deductibles or membership status would require underwriting review and board approval as described by MPR staff.
Ending
MPR made clear it provides ongoing training, legal guidance and claims-administration support to members and that Osage Beach staff may contact MPR representatives for follow-up information. City officials said they would request written confirmation on the outstanding questions (production coverage and any reinsurer limitations) and expected MPR to supply that detail as a follow-up.
The briefing, delivered by MPR staff including Gloria and Jason, explained that the mutual pool consists of roughly 160 member taxing entities split between two incorporated pools (about 118 in Missouri and 48 in Kansas) and an overarching organization that manages employee benefits across both states. MPR staff said the governance structure gives each member a designated representative who votes at the annual meeting and who may appeal decisions to the appropriate state board.
Why it matters: Osage Beach is a member of the pool and relies on MPR for several types of coverage and services. MPRs model pools risk and investment income for members and, according to presenters, preserves members sovereign-immunity protections in ways that differ from buying traditional commercial insurance.
Most important details presented
- Programs and limits: MPR manages three primary programs for members in Missouri: employee benefits, property and liability, and workers compensation. Key program retentions disclosed in the briefing include a $500,000 pooled stop-loss threshold for the employee benefits program, a $750,000 self-insured retention (SIR) for workers compensation, and a $750,000 SIR for property. The liability program has a $500,000 SIR; the pool then shares layers with other pools and reinsurers up to a $500 million market placement arranged through Lloyds and other reinsurers.
- Appraisals and valuations: MPR uses an external appraiser (CenterRisk) to establish replacement-cost values for buildings and a formulary approach for contents and specialty equipment. Staff said appraisals occur approximately every five years and that quarterly construction-index data are used for interim adjustments; they noted that construction costs rose substantially after 2020 and remain a factor in renewal planning. MPR also cited a 125% margin clause that provides an extra 25% of scheduled limits in case of underestimation.
- Claims, reserves and finances: Presenters said contributions across the combined funds rose by about $6.7 million between the two most recent plan years, and highlighted that reserves and investment income are governed by the board. MPR staff said the pool experienced a small number of very large employee medical claims in recent years (each exceeding the stop-loss threshold) and that property occurrences can hit many members at once (for example wind or hail that affects multiple jurisdictions), but the pool structure treats such multi-member events as a single event for reinsurance purposes.
- Member services and loss control: MPR described risk-management services available to members including nurse triage and return-to-work programs for workers comp, legal hotlines (law enforcement and HR), policy-management tools, training modules, and benefit-advisory committees that recommend plan changes. For pharmacy management MPR described participation in the Employers Health pharmacy coalition and separate pharmacy claim audits.
Questions from Osage Beach officials
City officials pressed MPR on several practical issues: whether participation in a televised reality series could increase the citys exposure, the extent to which sovereign immunity is preserved by staying in the pool, cyber insurance limits, and how the pool underwrites or accepts new members.
- Sovereign immunity: MPR staff said that, as a self-insured public pool, members retain sovereign immunity protections that can be different from buying commercial insurance (which can result in waiver of sovereign immunity in some contracts). Staff cautioned that specific contract language (for example, in vendor agreements or certificates of coverage) matters and advised review of indemnity clauses when third parties are involved.
- Reality TV and coverage: MPR staff said they were not aware of any reinsurer exclusions tied to the citys participation in a televised production and that the production had been reviewed internally (including legal review) before filming, but they agreed to follow up with underwriting and provide a definitive response. Osage Beach officials requested written confirmation of whether the production affects coverage or premium calculations.
- Cyber coverage: MPR described a brokered ancillary cyber placement that many members buy through the pools broker (AJG/Gallagher). Staff said a common baseline placement is $2 million and that higher limits are available but require more extensive underwriting information.
- Membership and underwriting: Staff emphasized they prioritize adding "good risks" rather than growing membership indiscriminately. Underwriting review of potential new members and reinsurers appetite can limit acceptance; staff gave examples of prospective members that were not accepted because reinsurers would not support pricing for their exposures.
What the city should expect next
MPR staff offered follow-up on three items raised during the meeting: to confirm whether the reality-series participation affects coverage with the reinsurers, to provide any available underwriting rationale or documentation on cyber placements, and to share the citys current appraisal and schedule status for property and contents. Staff reiterated that many routine schedule updates (equipment additions, vehicle purchases) are handled quarterly and can be reported to MPRs schedule team as they occur.
Limitations and things not stated
The presenters provided program-level retentions, examples of claims experience and general financial trends, but they did not supply a city-specific premium projection or a formal legal opinion in the meeting. Any changes to limits, deductibles or membership status would require underwriting review and board approval as described by MPR staff.
Ending
MPR made clear it provides ongoing training, legal guidance and claims-administration support to members and that Osage Beach staff may contact MPR representatives for follow-up information. City officials said they would request written confirmation on the outstanding questions (production coverage and any reinsurer limitations) and expected MPR to supply that detail as a follow-up.
View full meeting
This article is based on a recent meeting—watch the full video and explore the complete transcript for deeper insights into the discussion.
View full meetingSponsors
Proudly supported by sponsors who keep Missouri articles free in 2025
