Clear Creek County warned vehicle incidents and one large flood claim drove 2025 spike in insurance losses

CTSI, the county’s casualty and property pool partner, told Clear Creek County commissioners on June 16 that the county’s 2025 uptick in insurance claims is concentrated in vehicle incidents and one large weather-related loss. Tyler Atkins of CTSI summarized a five‑year review (2021–2025) showing about 80 claims with just over $11 million in severity and confirmed that roughly 90% of that figure stemmed from a single major claim related to a storm and flooded basement.

“2023 and 2024 were very excellent years,” Atkins said, adding that the 2025 spike is largely explainable by the weather event. He also noted vehicle and off‑road equipment incidents accounted for almost two‑thirds of claim frequency across the five‑year window.

The presentation outlined actionable risk‑reduction steps. CTSI recommended the county expand driver‑safety coaching — specifically its “coaching the experienced driver” class — to reduce backing incidents and other common accident types. The presenter also described a new hands‑on state requirement for ambulance drivers that includes both classroom and practical cone‑course exercises; the SIBO course and a skills evaluation may need periodic re‑completion to meet state standards.

Commissioners pressed staff on how much the county’s premium contributions increased after earlier large settlements, including a historically large law‑enforcement settlement referred to in the presentation. Commissioners asked CTSI for a written, multi‑year deep dive showing how major historical claims affected Clear Creek’s contribution formulas and premiums; CTSI agreed to follow up with staff.

On operational controls, the board discussed instituting regular motor‑vehicle‑record checks, targeted oversight for employees with many license points, and telematics or dash‑cam programs to enable supervisor coaching. "Telematics would send a report to that driver's supervisor," Atkins said, describing how harsh‑braking and speeding events can identify drivers at higher future risk.

Next steps requested by the board included a written analysis of the five‑year cost drivers and a staff‑level review before future CTSI presentations so county officials can vet data and recommended mitigations in advance. Atkins said CTSI would provide follow‑up materials to Colton Rolloff and the finance team.