City attorney: Kent saved $142,508.90 on 2026 liability policies after tower and retention adjustments

City Attorney Tammy White briefed the Kent City Council Committee of the Whole on Feb. 3 about the city's liability, excess workers’ compensation and cyber insurance renewals that renewed on Jan. 1.

"For 2026, we are saving a $142,508.90 on these liability insurance policies," White said, and added that overall the general liability premiums decreased about 6% from 2025. She explained that the city’s insurance tower has been restructured: the first layer moved from $5 million to $7 million and that first-layer rate is locked for 2026 and 2027. White said the city moved the first-layer insurer to Metis Obsidian and that other layers also moved to new providers.

White described self-insured retention (SIR) changes: for most non-law-enforcement claims the SIR was reduced from $1,625,000 to $1,500,000; law-enforcement workers' comp SIR remains $1,000,000 and other employees’ SIR remains $600,000. She said excess workers' compensation premiums increased 12% (about $22,000) and the city kept SIR levels after consultation with finance staff because that was financially preferable over raising premium savings further.

White cautioned that insurers’ costs are driven by market conditions, jurisdictional legal differences and high jury verdicts in King County. She also said the city will evaluate returning to risk-pool options (e.g., WCIA) and review actuarial reports to inform future SIR decisions.

Council members asked clarifying questions about how layered coverage works and about the likelihood of drawing on higher layers; White said the city seldom reaches second or third layers but maintains them for catastrophic protection.

The presentation was informational; no formal council action on the liability renewal was recorded in the transcript.