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DeKalb County renews broad insurance package with Travelers after detailed coverage review
Summary
After a market review, county officials approved renewing property, liability and specialty lines through Insurance Trustees with Travelers as the lead carrier; staff flagged key coverages, deductibles and a new five‑year background‑check recommendation for county employees.
DeKalb County commissioners voted April 28 to renew the county's property, liability and specialty insurance package through their broker, Insurance Trustees, recommending Travelers as the primary carrier and Indian Harbor and other carriers for select lines.
Insurance trustees representatives told the board that Travelers provided the most favorable combination of deductibles and coverage limits amid a hardening market. The package includes a blanket property statement of values of about $83.6 million with a $10,000 property deductible; business‑income/extra‑expense coverage with a $5 million limit; $5 million in earthquake coverage and flood coverage sized to mapped exposures. The recommended arrangement also used Indian Harbor for police‑professional coverage and other monoline placements where Travelers did not quote.
The broker said the county's overall renewal netted roughly a 6% net rate increase year‑over‑year after exposure adjustments, well under reported municipal averages for 2025. Underwriters offered higher deductibles and wind/hail per‑location deductibles in some markets; staff recommended keeping a lower $10,000 property deductible to limit claim exposure.
The presentation included several practical implications for county operations: the carrier emphasized continuing and consistent maintenance of the county's statement of values and vehicle schedule, and recommended a five‑year interval for standardized criminal background checks for county employees (some departments—sheriff, community corrections—already do annual checks).
Commissioners asked about specific limits and operational consequences. The broker explained that the county's $5 million business‑income/extra‑expense limit is a 12‑month limit and flagged that housing inmates off site or rebuilding older facilities could produce substantial extra expenses; commissioners said they may revisit limits if exposures change. The board also discussed flood mapping for specific county facilities and agreed to have staff confirm scheduled equipment and values for highway properties.
The commission moved to accept the renewal with Insurance Trustees as presented; the motion carried on a voice vote. Staff said they will follow up with the broker on outstanding schedule items and certificate processes for rented equipment.
The broker left the meeting after the vote. The commissioners did not change coverages at the meeting; they asked staff to continue annual reviews of limits and exposures.
