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Cowlitz County reviews insurer'premium shock, weighs leaving risk pool
Summary
Commissioners were told the county'wide liability portion of the Washington counties risk pool is slated to rise roughly 35'38% for 2026; staff are exploring alternatives, a Dec. 31 notice deadline looms, and commissioners voiced concern about the financial burden and governance of the pool.
Cowlitz County commissioners were briefed on Nov. 3 about a steep increase in the liability portion of the county risk pool and on staff efforts to evaluate alternatives.
Shelley Pierce, the county's risk and safety manager, told the board the pool expects to issue invoices in early January and that preliminary information indicates a county'level increase could be large. Marissa Hutchison, risk and safety analyst, said the pool'wide increase “does look like it's going to be between 35'38% increase for '26,” and staff have begun cost comparisons and talks with alternative providers.
Commissioners pressed for the county'specific billing because the pool allocates costs by experience and other factors; Kathy Funk Baxter, presenting finance figures, said she had budgeted for a smaller increase earlier in the year but needs the exact invoice to confirm county impact. Commissioners and staff estimated the county'level increase could translate into roughly $1.1 million more in premiums if a 38% rise applies across key liability lines, though the exact county share was not confirmed in the meeting.
The board discussed procedural options. Shelley said the county can give notice to the pool by Dec. 31 if it intends to leave and would have a six'month window afterward to retract that notice, giving staff time for due diligence. Hutchison and Pierce reported meetings with brokers and alternative groups, including exploring a third'party administrator arrangement via Alliant and a smaller Washington'county group, to determine whether comparable coverage could be obtained at lower cost.
The premium increase and related governance choices drew sharp criticism from one commissioner. “My loyalty is not to the risk pool to keep it solvent. My loyalty is to the citizens of our county,” the commissioner said, objecting to both the increase and what she described as the pool's board pay proposals. Commissioners also noted that the pool'wide increase reflects decisions taken at a recent conference vote by member counties.
Staff framed next steps as information gathering rather than a formal direction to leave the pool. Hutchison and Pierce said they will continue cost comparisons, meet with alternative providers and report back; the board has the Dec. 31 procedural deadline to use if it chooses to initiate a withdrawal.
What happens next: staff said they will seek the exact invoice from the risk pool when available and return with a county'specific cost estimate and recommendations; no formal vote on leaving the pool occurred at the Nov. 3 meeting.
