7.1. SR 10-20-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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What's the effect of waiving the statutory limits if we have excess coverage? If the city has $1 million of excess coverage and chooses to waive the statutory tort limits, the claimants (whether it's one claimant or several) could then potentially recover up to $2.2 million in damages in a single occurrence. If the city carries higher excess coverage limits, the potential maximum recovery per occurrence is correspondingly higher. Carrying excess coverage under the waiver option is a way to address an issue that some cities find troubling: the case where many people are injured in a single occurrence caused by city negligence. Suppose, for example, that a city vehicle negligently runs into a school bus full of kids, causing multiple serious injuries. $1,200,000 divided 50 ways may not go far toward compensating for those injuries. Excess coverage under the waiver option makes more funds available to compensate the victims in that kind of situation. The cost of the excess liability coverage is about 25% greater if the city waives the statutory tort limits. The cost difference is proportionally greater than the cost difference at the primary level because for a city that carries excess coverage, waiving the statutory tort limits increases both the per- claimant exposure and the per-occurrence exposure. If we waive the statutory tort liability limits, does it increase the risk that the city will end up with liability that LMCIT doesn't cover? No. The waiver form specifically says that the city is waiving the statutory tort liability limits only to the extent of the city's coverage. Of course, that's not to say that there is no risk that the city's liability could exceed its coverage limits. We listed earlier a number of ways that could happen to any city. But the waiver doesn't increase that risk. Can we waive the statutory tort limits for the primary coverage but not for the excess coverage? No. If the city decides to waive the statutory tort limits, that waiver applies to the full extent of the coverage limits the city has. The city cannot partially waive the statutory limits. I'm confused. Is there a simple way to summarize the options? It's not necessarily simple, but the table on the following page is a shorthand summary of what the effect would be of the various coverage structure options in different circumstances. I'm still confused. Who can I talk to? Give us a call at the League office. Pete Tritz, Ann Gergen, Doug Gronli, or any of LMCIT's property/casualty underwriters will be glad to talk with you. Pete Tritz 2/08