A municipality doesn’t operate like most other businesses. There are multiple properties to consider, including administrative offices, school buildings, public works equipment depots, and more. The risks associated with each differ based on what kind of work is being done inside, who is visiting, and what types of furniture, machinery, and materials it might contain.
As another example, consider all the different people who are employees of the town. From clerical staff and maintenance workers, to law enforcement and first responders, there are many liability insurance and workers’ compensation needs. Employment practice liability insurance (EPLI), as well as abuse and molestation policies, are also must-haves for municipalities.
Having a municipal police force has many areas of liability, especially in today’s legal environment. Police can be held liable or sued for wrongful detention, police brutality, and other accusations. Unfortunately, these claims normally carry a high dollar value.
Law enforcement liability provides coverage for the municipality and its police officers for allegations that may arise from an officer’s actions. This coverage can also include a line of duty accidental death coverage and a moonlighting endorsement.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Water on the floor, slippery entry in the winter, broken glass/hazardous debris, etc. These can all be accidents waiting to happen on municipal property. Claims may arise due to bodily injury, property damage, personal injury, and more.
General liability insurance is an absolute necessity. It provides broad coverage when the municipality is deemed responsible and liable, and will also pay to defend any covered lawsuit or action regardless of its merit.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Your township building is susceptible to many perils throughout the year such as wind, rain, collapse, fire, and smoke. When significant damages to the building occur, how will you replace the building and its contents to continue servicing the township?
Property insurance can help protect the property your township owns or leases, including things like equipment, supplies, furniture, and fixtures. Whether you own your building or lease your workspace, property insurance can be purchased separately or can be combined with other necessary coverage to protect your business’ physical assets.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Any municipality that has elected public officials or governing boards (park boards, historic boards, etc.) has exposure for the financial and other decisions the boards make, which affect the entire population of that municipality.
A municipality can be held liable for wrongful acts and decisions made by elected public officials and governing boards and will need to defend against such allegations. Having a liability policy that can protect against these risks is essential. This can also include employment practices liability as well.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
There are hundreds of reports each year of children being sexually abused by adults. This exposure is excluded from the standard general liability policy form.
Obtain the proper abuse and molestation coverage to protect the municipality from the possibility of significant financial loss in the event of an allegation. In addition, have written documentation within the municipality to address how to prevent sexual abuse from happening, how to report it to authorities, and what to do in an event of an allegation.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Depending on your location and surroundings, your borough could be in an earthquake and flood-prone area. The common property policy excludes coverage for these types of claims, leaving a municipality with significant structural or water damage and no coverage.
Adding earthquake and/or flood policies can cover property claims when those disasters occur. Depending on the zone you occupy, limits can go up to $10M and will include a deductible per occurrence.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
If a municipality runs the community sewer and wastewater plant, it can be exposed to many risks such as failure to supply, water contamination, notification expenses, and others.
A sewer authority coverage liability form can cover the professional activities that go along with managing a wastewater treatment facility. Some forms include errors and omissions, failure to supply utilities, and other necessary coverages such as equipment breakdown for the facility.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
If one of your employees receives an injury or becomes ill due to a work-related occurrence, you are required by law to have the proper coverage in place.
Workers' compensation and employers liability insurance protect your employees should a job-related injury or sickness occur during the course of employment. Since benefits vary by state law, make sure your insurance agent is aware of all physical locations your business operates in, as well as all physical locations where you hire your employees.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
In the small town of Maplewood, the residents depended on their local government to ensure the smooth running of their day-to-day lives. However, one day, an unfortunate incident threatened to bring the town to a standstill.
During a heavy storm, a tree fell onto the roof of the municipal building, causing significant damage. The damage was so severe that it left the building unsafe for use. This meant the town officials had to find an alternative location to continue their operations.
However, as they started to search for a new location, they realized that the cost of renting or buying a new building needed to be lowered for their budget. This is where the importance of municipality insurance became evident.
Thankfully, the town officials had purchased a comprehensive municipality insurance policy that covered damage to their property, including the municipal building. So, with their insurance provider’s help, they got the funds they needed to repair the damage and contact the building back up and running.
With the proper insurance coverage, the town officials could meet their obligations to the residents of Maplewood, causing significant disruption to the daily lives of the community. However, thanks to their foresight in purchasing municipality insurance, they were able to recover from the storm quickly and continue providing essential services to their citizens.
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