Insurance request on Clovis city agenda

CLOVIS — The final Clovis city commission meeting of 2019 could be its shortest.

The 5:15 p.m. Monday meeting at the North Annex of the Clovis-Carver Public Library has one item on the agenda — a request to bind property and liability with Travelers Insurance for the upcoming year.

The premium with Travelers is $1.231 million, and the total cost is $1.317 million with insurance broker fees and gross receipts taxes. The price represents a 16% increase over the 2019 premium.

The city currently has insurance through One Beacon, but would have faced a 35% premium increase due to various weather-related claims over the year. City Manager Justin Howalt said the lion’s share of claims were for roof damage to the Youth Recreation Building, the Clovis Police Department and the Clovis Municipal Airport from a mid-March day that included sustained winds of 50 mph with gusts near 80 mph.

Based on those claims, city officials budgeted a premium increase they anticipated would be between 20% and 25%.

Six companies were contacted and Travelers, One Beacon and Genesis offered policies.

Genesis required a $250,000 self-insured retention. A self-insured retention is like a deductible, except it must be paid upfront and it does not count against coverage limits.