Committee recommends one-year liability renewal, adviser urges $300,000 self-insured retention

Doug Rogers of Risk Pros Inc. told the Bossier Parish School Board insurance committee that the district should accept a $300,000 self-insured retention (SIR) as part of a one-year renewal of its liability insurance package, arguing the change would deliver nearly $200,000 in premium savings.

Rogers outlined the coverages included in the package—auto liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist options, bodily injury and property damage, general liability (including employee benefits liability), incidental medical malpractice, law enforcement liability, errors and omissions (including employment practices), and abuse liability—and explained the tradeoff between premium costs and retained exposure. He said that, based on the district’s claim history over the last five years, the district has averaged fewer than one severe claim a year and that the premium reduction would “harvest” savings sufficient to cover two such claims over time.

Committee members asked for clarification about the exposure the district would assume. Rogers replied that the recommended option increases the SIR by $100,000 and that the premium savings would offset that additional exposure unless three or more qualifying severe claims occurred in five years. A member asked whether the savings are guaranteed; Rogers said the premium figures in the proposal are fixed for the policy period and explained how claim payments can occur over multiple budget years.

After discussion a motion to recommend approval was seconded and the committee voted to forward the renewal recommendation to the full board; the chair reported one opposition but did not name the dissenter.

The committee’s recommendation is not a final board decision. The full board will consider the renewal and the SIR selection in a future meeting.