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Sharon officials say insurer canceled coverage; town weighs replacement options and coordination on school claims
Summary
Town Administrator Fred Turkington told the tri-board meeting that Sharon’s property/casualty insurer notified the Town it would cancel coverage; staff narrowed replacement options to two carriers and warned that higher premiums and claims could raise the roughly $1.9 million insurance bill and affect the FY27 budget.
Donald Brichta, chair of the Finance Committee, opened the June 15 tri-board meeting and the group immediately turned to insurance risks for the FY27 budget.
Town Administrator Fred Turkington said the Town’s current property/casualty and liability insurance carrier informed Sharon it would be cancelling coverage; staff have been working with the Town’s broker and have narrowed potential replacements to two carriers while obtaining pricing. He said recent property claims and multiple vehicle accidents have contributed to premium increases and that the Town had included an estimated 15% increase in the FY26 budget. Total insurance expense is approximately $1.9 million and could grow depending on final pricing and claims experience.
Turkington recognized Assistant Town Administrator Lauren Barnes for handling much of the application work with potential carriers. The boards discussed the Town’s plan to pursue risk-management services as part of the process to reduce future exposure and improve claims experience.
Members emphasized that insurance is a major budget item and stressed the need to monitor final premium quotes closely before making other budget commitments. The School Committee and Select Board also discussed how legal claims involving the School Department are administered under the Town policy; it was explained that the Town’s insurance policy is held through the Select Board, and members urged clearer coordination among the Select Board, School Committee, Finance Committee, and respective counsel so one body does not develop a legal strategy before others are informed.
The boards agreed there would be no structural change proposed to the policy administration at this meeting, but they asked staff to report back with final carrier pricing, risk-management proposals, and a recommended protocol for inter-board communication when claims arise.
