Insurance brokers pitch lower premiums and broader coverage to Mobile County commissioners

Alan Chapman, executive vice president with HUB International, and Alan Lab, president of Thames Battery Insurance, each presented competing insurance proposals to the Mobile County Commission at a conference meeting, arguing their plans would save the county money while expanding coverage.

Chapman told commissioners his firm could combine the county’s scheduled placements into one blanket program, lower the named-storm deductible from 5% to 3% and provide replacement-cost coverage for roofs rather than depreciated actual cash value. He said HUB’s plan includes $5,000,000 of outdoor property coverage for light poles, fences and signage and $2,500,000 for unscheduled locations. Chapman also said the firm built in $1,000,000 for mandatory-evacuation expenses related to transporting and housing jail inmates.

“This is not just a cost savings measure. This is a great improvement over your current program,” Chapman said, adding that a two-year rate lock negotiated with carriers would keep the county’s rate from increasing so long as the county’s loss ratio stays below 50 percent and that the firm’s analysis showed a meaningful net savings after accounting for a reported cancellation penalty on existing policies.

Alan Lab, identified as president of Thames Battery Insurance, urged the commission to consider his firm’s proposal as well, saying market conditions shifted sharply in 2026 and that some coverage options were not available to underwriters when renewals were negotiated in late 2025. “The market has gone off of a cliff,” Lab said, and he said his locally headquartered firm had submitted a proposal through the administration for staff review.

Commissioners asked staff to review the proposals and supporting materials. One commissioner said longstanding relationships with incumbent brokers did not guarantee the county was getting the best value and that shopping coverage was necessary to ensure savings and improved terms.

Why this matters: The presentations addressed both price and coverage limits — including storm deductibles, roof valuation, unscheduled-location limits and emergency-evacuation expenses for inmates — details that affect the county’s financial exposure following significant weather events and other losses. Commissioners said they would examine the submitted proposals and supporting comparisons before deciding whether to change brokers.

The commission did not take a formal vote on procurement during the conference session; staff will provide documents to commissioners for further review ahead of the commission’s next scheduled meeting.