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MCIT tells Wright County: reinsurance and cyber claims are rising and variable; pool offers training and data tools
Summary
Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust staff briefed Wright County commissioners on rising reinsurance costs, variability in cyber claims and member services including training, data reporting and a new risk-management quarterly group.
Garrett Claybel, executive director of the Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust, told Wright County commissioners Tuesday that MCIT remains a county-run public risk pool but is facing sharply higher reinsurance and liability costs and large year-to-year variability in cyber claims.
"We are a public risk pool," Claybel said, noting MCIT covers 81 counties and several hundred local government entities and returns excess resources to members rather than paying shareholders. Claybel said property reinsurance premiums have risen substantially in recent years and pointed to construction-cost inflation, weather events and international market pressures as drivers.
On cyber risk, Claybel said MCIT—s cyber claims vary dramatically year to year. He described one 2023 event that affected multiple members and contributed to a $1.7 million cyber claims total that year but added the pool—s experience ranges from minor administrative incidents to more serious events. On the pool—s response, he highlighted MCIT—s growing internal expertise, a panel of national contractors, and training resources the trust provides for members.
Claybel also outlined MCIT—s rate-setting approach and dividend history: the board evaluates actuarial sufficiency before returning dividends and has been cautious in the property-casualty area as volatility increased. He said the board returned $3.5 million in workers—compensation dividends in 2024 and plans a $1.5 million return in 2025 but has not returned property-casualty dividends in recent years due to market variability.
Staff and board members asked about emerging risks, including PTSD-related claims in law enforcement and the pool—s preparedness for potential increases in those claims. Claybel said the organization is monitoring data and recently engaged with the Minnesota Sheriffs Association; "we're still early in the process" on assessing long-term exposure but are collecting data and tracking trends.
He closed by pointing county staff to MCIT loss-control consultants (named in the presentation), a relaunch of the MCIT website, and a claims-reporting portal that posts workers—compensation reports and other data to support safety committees.
The presentation concluded with commissioners thanking MCIT staff for service and noting plans to participate in a new risk-management quarterly group for county risk managers.
