Jefferson County approves insurance renewal as several lines see double‑digit increases

Jefferson County commissioners on March 19 approved the county's property, liability and excess insurance renewals after a presentation from insurance representative Mike Shaw.

Shaw told the board the package shows increases across several lines driven by marketwide contraction and the county's changing exposures. "Every carrier out there has a communicable disease exclusion now," Shaw said, describing current underwriting limits and exclusions. He identified higher law enforcement exposure and an increased employee count as reasons the county's law‑liability and management liability premiums rose.

The presentation included line examples and options: Shaw described a deductible buy‑down that would reduce the county's 1% property deductible to a $25,000 minimum and gave the buy‑down premium as $70,884.86 in the packet. He also said the county carries excess layers above the primary Travelers coverage to make a broader limit available.

Commissioners motioned and approved the renewal and related excess coverages by voice vote. Meeting material listed a total premium figure for the package in the packet; the staff motion referenced that packet total when asking for signatures.

Why it matters: the insurance renewal affects the county's operating budget and risk exposure limits; commissioners discussed options such as partial self‑funding but were warned that higher retentions can eliminate savings after a single large claim.

The board approved the motion and staff were directed to finalize signature pages and process the renewals.