Public Entity Insurance
Protecting Public Entities and School Districts
USI understands the unique challenges of designing, implementing and managing an effective risk management strategy for public officials who are tasked with protecting public assets against ever growing liability and property exposures. All of these responsibilities are compounded by an increasingly complex regulatory environment and shrinking budgets. USI has worked with hundreds of municipalities that face these challenges every day.
USI’s Public Entity Practice serves state and local municipalities, utilities, public school districts, transit authorities, fire/police/emergency responders and parishes. We advise public entity clients on existing and emerging exposures addressed through customized Workers’ Compensation, General Liability, Public Officials Liability, Environmental Liability, Automobile Liability, Law Enforcement Liability, School Board Liability, Umbrella/Excess Liability, Cyber Liability,* Crime, Surety/Bonds and Builder’s Risk Insurance.*
*Proprietary and exclusive USI programs.
USI’s Public Entity Practice also offers specialty services, including:
- Management & Professional Services
- Volunteer Liability Exposure Consultation, including PTO/PTA’s/Booster Clubs
- Budget Preparation and Premium Allocation Services
- Safety 911
(Expert staffed call center services for answering safety questions) - Experience Mod Review and Analysis
- Loss Forecasting and Risk Control Services
- Claims Management Services
- Contract Review and Insurance Policy Compliance
- Catastrophic Modeling
To analyze our clients' business issues and challenges, our Public Entity team leverages USI ONE®, a fundamentally different approach to risk management. USI ONE integrates proprietary business analytics with a network of local and national technical experts in a team based consultative planning process to evaluate the client’s risk profile and identify targeted solutions. Clients then receive tailored recommendations for improving their total cost of risk.
Experience the USI ONE Advantage® and learn how our Public Entity Practice can help manage the risks of public sector organizations, providing greater protection and cost control. Email [email protected] to learn more or contact your local USI office today.
CASE STUDY:
A town in New York, with an active and proficient Town Attorney office, was concerned over the Town’s lack of control with their own legal defense on various lawsuits brought against them. Their insurance carrier was immediately assigning most suits being brought against the Town directly to high priced, outside law firms despite the Town’s strong internal legal capabilities. With a $75,000 self-insured retention, the Town was being forced to pay that amount to the outside firms for their defense while still paying their own Town employed Attorneys. In addition on many cases, the defense offered by the outside firm was not acceptable to senior Town officials. USI worked with the client to develop a manuscript endorsement, acceptable to the Insurance carrier, that would allow the Town Attorney’s office to retain control of the case defense. In addition, under the endorsement, time spent by the Town Attorney and Staff would be applied by the Carrier against the Town’s SIR at an agreed rate per hour. With the new carrier manuscript endorsement in place, the Town had more control over their defense strategy and claim outcome. With this control in place, the Town felt comfortable increasing the policy self-insured retention from $75,000 to $150,000 resulting in a $250,000 annual premium savings and an additional $100,000 annual savings in outside attorney costs.
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Speak to a representative at your local USI office today!