West Oso ISD hires McGriff to shop property and casualty coverage

Trustees on the West Oso ISD Board voted unanimously to engage McGriff to manage a cooperative-purchasing solicitation for the district's property and casualty insurance.

McGriff representatives told the board their preliminary review found West Oso's rates and deductibles higher than comparable districts and said the firm expects to deliver not-to-exceed numbers in mid-January and final proposals in February, with an insurance effective date of March 1. "What we identified was that West Oso's rates and terms are substantially higher than the districts that we work with," said Wes Folsom of McGriff during the presentation.

Administration said the district asked McGriff to benchmark current programs and pursue competition among carriers in hopes of lowering premiums and improving coverage terms. The presenters said underwriters often sharpen their offers late in the process, so an initial 45-day "not-to-exceed" release will be followed by negotiation to push carriers for better terms.

Trustees asked about timing and the vendor selection process. Several trustees said they welcomed the additional market competition after years of limited options. Trustee Oscar Arredondo asked whether the new engagement would change the effective date; McGriff confirmed the March 1 effective date and outlined the January/February timeline.

The board approved the administration's recommendation to engage McGriff by voice vote (motion passed 6-0). The district will return to the board with the mid-January not-to-exceed numbers and final February pricing.