Cd'A to pay more for insurance

COEUR d’ALENE — The Coeur d’Alene City Council will pay more for insurance this year despite opting out of terrorism coverage, and getting added liability coverage for drone crashes.

The city will pay 5 percent more for its premium to the Idaho Counties Risk Management Program (ICRMP), an insurance provider for Idaho’s local government agencies, bumping the cost to about $382,000. The higher cost is attributed to increased payroll costs and a spike in claims last year for winter damages, Troy Tymesen, city finance director said.

The historic Jewett House near Sanders Beach was among many city-owned structures damaged in a November 2015 windstorm. Additional inclement weather last winter caused a spate of damages to city property although, aside from the Jewett House, most of the claims were small.

“There was damage to buildings and fences on those properties,” Tymesen said.

Built in 1917 by Rutledge Timber Co., the Jewett House was turned over to the city of Coeur d’Alene in 1978 by Potlatch Forest Co. and serves as a senior citizens recreation center under the umbrella of parks and recreation.

As part of a presentation at today’s regular 6 p.m. City Council meeting, staff will recommend the city opt out of additional coverage for terrorism acts, which is one facet of insurance ICRMP offers its clients — 930 political subdivisions within Idaho — that participate in the program.

Its proposed premium for additional terrorism coverage is $181,184, which would be tagged onto the city’s $381,763 liability and property damage coverage, if the council opted to add the coverage, Tymesen said. ICRMP already includes a $50 million terrorism benefit, which would be shared by members in the event of an act of terrorism, he said.

The latest policy also includes coverage for drones, although the city does not own any of the unmanned aircraft.

The insurance provider has one broad-brush policy and in an effort to include the latest technology, such as drones, that some Idaho cities employ, ICRMP has added language to cover the remote control planes.

“They have one policy,” Tymesen said. “I would say don’t charge us for drone coverage, because we don’t have one … but we can’t opt out of the drone policy.”