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Henry County approves higher deductibles and roughly $241,249 in added annual premiums after insurer nonrenewal
Summary
Commissioners voted to accept a recommended replacement insurance package after carrier Trident declined to renew liability coverage tied to a pursuit claim; staff reported a base premium increase of $223,749 and, with an added $17,500 optional vehicle-coverage layer, the motion carried to accept $241,249 in increased cost and higher deductibles.
County staff told the Board of Commissioners that the county’s insurer, Trident, would not renew general liability/umbrella coverage; the carrier cited a pursuit-related claim (reserved at $1.5 million) and concerns about risk management. Susan (county staff) read figures showing a base premium increase of $223,749 and outlined raised deductibles across multiple coverages, including general liability moving from $0 to $100,000 and automobile liability deductible increasing to $250,000.
Commissioners discussed an optional additional physical-damage/autophysical layer to cover catastrophic loss for county vehicles and equipment at a cost of $17,500 for a $2 million layer. One commissioner said the added layer, while costly, protected county property such as fleet vehicles housed at the highway garage.
A motion was made and seconded to accept the recommended coverage, including the additional $2 million autophysical layer for $17,500, which the chair recorded as "Motion carries 30." Staff also noted a short 21‑day deadline to transition policies and an interim cash requirement (amount quoted during discussion as approximately $176,846) to change the policy over.
Why it matters: The county will face a material increase in insurance expense and larger out-of-pocket deductibles across multiple liability lines. Commissioners discussed budget timing and noted some liability exposure will be drawn from the sheriff’s budget, while other costs will fall to the commissioners’ budget. Staff signaled the added premium and deductible changes will be factors at budget review.
What’s next: Staff and the county’s broker will implement the new coverage and reconcile which budget lines must absorb the increased premium and deductible responsibilities. Commissioners instructed staff to confirm policy effective dates and reporting requirements to the board.
