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Ruston council ratifies switch to City Insurance Authority of Washington, cites ~$80,000 in annual savings
Summary
The City Council approved Resolution 818 to join the City Insurance Authority of Washington (CIAW) and ratified the Mayor's Dec. 30, 2025 signature; councilmembers said the change should save about $80,000 in 2026 premiums while tailoring coverage to city needs.
The Ruston City Council approved Resolution 818 on Jan. 6, 2026, authorizing the city to join the City Insurance Authority of Washington (CIAW) and ratifying the Mayor's Dec. 30, 2025 execution of an interlocal agreement to ensure coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Councilmember Hedrick moved to approve the resolution, noting the move is expected to save the city "more than $80,000 in premium costs." The motion was seconded by Councilmember Syler and passed unanimously, 5-0.
City staff and the Mayor told the council the city terminated insurance with AWC-RMSA because of "significant cost increases" and requirements to carry coverage the city did not want. The staff background in the packet cites the statutory authority for CIAW (Chapter 39.34 RCW, Chapter 48.62 RCW, and RCW 24.03) and explains CIAW is a joint-purchasing insurance entity formed to provide tailored coverage for Washington cities. The Mayor said Brown & Brown bound coverage with CIAW so protection would be in place by Jan. 1, 2026.
The council's approval ratifies the Mayor's earlier signature and makes the city a CIAW member for 2026. The council did not amend the interlocal agreement during the meeting; the Ruston City Attorney reviewed the proposed agreement, bylaws, and coverages beforehand, according to the staff report. Next steps noted in the meeting record include implementing the new coverage and monitoring any operational differences from the prior AWC-RMSA arrangements.
