Brown County commissioners voted to approve the county's KCAMP (property/casualty) contribution for 2026 after discussing coverage changes that reduced the premium but raised deductibles.

Staff told the board the renewal came in lower than earlier estimates: the contribution was calculated at $194,673 versus a $210,000 line in the budget. Commissioners and staff explained the premium reduction reflected changes to deductible levels and aggregate limits (examples cited in the discussion included raising faithful-performance limits and increasing aggregate from $3,000,000 to $6,000,000). Speaker 1 said the county had budgeted $210,000 but the renewal "came in at $1.94" per unit (rather than $2.10 as budgeted). Another commissioner cautioned that raising deductibles increases the county's exposure if the county experiences a loss.

After discussion about timing for future insurance reviews, a motion was made and seconded to approve the KCAMP contribution for 2026; the board voted in favor.

Why it matters: The change lowers near-term county insurance costs but increases the county's potential out-of-pocket exposure for claims. Commissioners directed staff to pursue further insurance-review work early next year to identify additional savings or risk mitigation steps.

What the board directed next: Staff will schedule an insurance review in the next fiscal cycle, analyze long-term risk mitigation strategies, and report back to the commission.