Seward County delays insurance renewal decision after competing pool and broker presentations

Seward County commissioners on Thursday heard competing bids for the county’s 2026 property, casualty and workers’ compensation insurance and voted to delay a decision until their Dec. 15 meeting to allow staff and vendors to answer follow-up questions. Ken Canning, CEO/administrator for KCAMP, outlined his pool’s offer and emphasized member protections and financial safeguards. “We hold a very robust amount of surplus which is currently at $24,000,000,” Canning said, adding KCAMP’s per-occurrence limit for non-Kansas-Tort-Claim-Act claims is $3,000,000.

Iron Insurance Partners, a local agency represented by Katie Taylor and CEO Sean Myers, presented a commercial-market renewal and highlighted recent softening in property pricing and a lower wind/hail buy-down saving of roughly $43,000. Taylor noted the workers’ compensation renewal reflected market and experience factors: “Your expiring premium is $368,451; your renewal is $398,922,” she said. Myers framed his agency’s bid in terms of local continuity, telling commissioners Iron Insurance had invested in the Liberal office and asked the county to weigh community impact alongside price.

KWORK, the Kansas Workers’ Risk Cooperative, presented targeted workers’ compensation services, including safety consulting and payroll-audit procedures designed to limit mid-year premium surprises. KWORK’s representatives emphasized frequent member safety visits and training as cost-control measures.

Commissioners focused questions on coverage differences the proposals showed: wind and hail deductible structures (KCAMP cited a flat $25,000 deductible versus other proposals showing 1% deductibles with minimums near $100,000), sublimits for underinsured motorist coverage, and whether airport or medical-professional liability coverage was included. Staff and vendors also discussed a practical issue raised by commissioners: an inventory/schedule that lists 75 county vehicles as liability-only (no physical-damage coverage) and older heavy equipment whose insured values may not reflect current usage or replacement options.

After extended discussion and requests for departmental allocation details and updated schedules, Commissioner Stanton moved to table the insurance packet (property and workers’ comp) to the Dec. 15 commission meeting to give staff time to reconcile payroll/audit differences, review vehicle and inland-marine schedules, and gather answers from each bidder. The motion passed by voice/show of hands.

Next steps: staff will gather clarified schedules, confirm deductible and sublimit language in each proposal, and forward written responses from KCAMP, Iron Insurance Partners and KWORK so commissioners can compare apples-to-apples pricing and coverage before the Dec. 15 vote.