Board approves new insurance package with Obsidian; district faces $35,902.50 annual premium increase

The Rockcastle County Board of Education voted to approve an insurance renewal package recommended by Hutchens Insurance Group that moves several policies to a new carrier, Obsidian, and raises the district's overall premium by $35,902.50 for the coming year.

Miss Jenny, the district's finance presenter, told the board the proposed package covers general property, automobile, crime, law enforcement liability and umbrella lines with a combined premium of $428,641, an increase of $22,739 from the prior year. Workers' compensation (with Kemper listed as the carrier for that line) was proposed at $50,586, an increase of $12,754; cyber insurance was proposed at $14,336, up $408. Miss Jenny said the total package increase is $35,902.50.

Board members pressed staff for context about the increase. One member noted Hutchens had also notified the district that staying with the prior carrier, Liberty Mutual, would have resulted in a roughly 25% rate increase. Miss Jenny said carriers' rate changes are driven by prior‑year claims and broader regional losses from severe weather and other catastrophes. She told members that Hutchens solicited multiple carriers on the district's behalf and that some coverages included previously optional buy‑down protections (for hail, wind and water) in the new package, with slightly different deductibles in places.

The board discussed the workers' compensation mod rate changes that contributed to the higher workers' comp premium and asked about deductible comparability; Miss Jenny said deductibles are slightly higher in some areas but that property values and other protections increased. A board member asked why cyber coverage had such a modest dollar increase; Miss Jenny said the carrier's quote kept that line largely stable relative to other increases.

A motion to approve the Hutchens/Obsidian package carried on a voice vote after discussion. The meeting transcript records a motion and a second but does not record individual board members' roll‑call votes.

Next steps: staff will finalize contracting with Hutchens and Obsidian and report any material changes back to the board. The board did not identify any immediate change to budgeted operations; Miss Jenny said the district's budget is currently projected to absorb the increase.