Daniels County accepts 13% agent commission, authorizes insurance claim for sheriff's vehicle

The Daniels County Board of Commissioners voted Aug. 19 to accept a 13% commission for the county's insurance agent and to move forward with an insurance claim for a sheriff's vehicle damaged in an Aug. 7 incident.

At the meeting the board reviewed a communication from Mako PCT and a claim estimate for a Daniels County Sheriff's Office 2022 Ford Explorer. Perry Wolf (the agent discussed in the Mako correspondence) described an initial estimate of $11,577 in damage and said the carrier would pay claim proceeds less the $2,500 deductible while pursuing subrogation against the other party's insurer when the highway-patrol report is available. "When we get the information, then it can be submitted direct to whoever the Nelson's insurance is," Perry said in the discussion.

The board first moved and seconded a motion "to accept Barry at 13% commission for our agent," then separately moved to "move forward with the insurance claim on the vehicle, the sheriff's vehicle." Chair called for voice votes on both motions and recorded only ayes and "no opposition."

Commissioners discussed practical next steps: obtaining the patrol report, submitting the claim to Mako, collecting the deductible amount as needed, and returning any subrogation recoveries to the county when the carrier recovers funds. Perry told commissioners Mako would pursue subrogation "including the deductible and any towing charges that the member may have incurred."

The actions taken at the meeting authorize staff to submit the claim to the carrier and to pursue administrative follow-up; no additional funding appropriations were recorded during the vote.

What happens next: staff will submit required claim paperwork to Mako when the patrol report is available and report back to the board on any recoveries or further developments.