Auto insurance coverage and staff’ comp claims from Pitkin County staff have skyrocketed in recent times, prompting mitigation measures to attempt to carry the claims and bills down, an official stated Friday.
Specifically, the auto claims — which have elevated tenfold in seven years — are such a priority that the county has shaped an accident assessment committee to look at the problem and will assign staff to driver’s ed lessons subsequent yr, stated Cathy Lutzkanin, Pitkin County’s danger supervisor.
“We see quite a lot of our individuals backing into issues,” Lutzkanin advised county commissioners final week throughout price range hearings, additionally noting that different staff had rear-ended drivers. “It’s issues we’re completely at fault for.”
Pitkin County filed three auto insurance coverage claims in 2015, which value $5,687 to settle. This yr, 30 auto claims have been filed up to now, costing the county $82,945, based on statistics offered by Lutzkanin to commissioners. The excessive mark prior to now seven years was 2019 when 31 claims have been filed, costing $125,213.
In protection of county staff, Lutzkanin stated staff are driving longer distances and that extra county automobiles are on the street as we speak than in 2015. As well as, the county’s danger administration practices modified in recent times in order that even minor fender-benders are reported that will not have been famous earlier than, she stated.
Nonetheless, none of that absolutely explains the huge improve in simply six years.
“It’s not sufficient to account for the variability,” Lutzkanin stated.
Commissioner Patti Clapper steered defensive driving lessons final week, and Lutzkanin wholeheartedly endorsed the thought.
“It’s a part of my plan for 2022,” Lutzkanin stated. “For my part, we have to do it for anybody who drives a county car or anybody who makes use of their personal car for county enterprise. It’s an enormous danger for us as we drive increasingly more.”
Employee’s comp claims are a little bit of a distinct story, she stated, as a result of the severity of the damage dictates the value of the declare. Nonetheless, 2021 noticed each the very best variety of employee’s comp claims prior to now seven years in addition to, by far, the very best value of claims, based on Lutzkanin’s statistics.
In 2015, 17 staff reported on-the-job accidents, costing the county just below $62,000. This yr, 29 claims have been filed, which have value greater than $555,000 to settle, based on the statistics.
A part of the problem this yr lies with Mountain Rescue Aspen, which is roofed below the county’s employee’s comp insurance coverage. 5 of the 29 claims this yr have come from MRA members, together with one very severe damage, she stated.
“I don’t assume they’ve had one this extreme shortly,” Lutzkanin stated. “It’s uncommon. They’re sometimes a really secure group.”
A feminine MRA volunteer was significantly injured in early August in a steep part of Capitol Peak throughout the tried restoration of a physique when climbers above her triggered rockfall. She suffered a severely damaged leg, a number of pelvis breaks and a fractured vertebrae, an official stated on the time, and confronted months of bodily remedy.
The MRA claims had a “actually unfavourable impact on the general county charges we pay for employee’s comp insurance coverage,” Lutzkanin advised commissioners. In order of final week, MRA has a separate, no-deductible insurance coverage coverage to cowl the group’s members that value $25,000 for the upcoming yr, she stated.
Inmates on the Pitkin County Jail additionally precipitated severe accidents to staff this yr, contributing to the excessive value.
The county expects to pay 20% to 25% extra in insurance coverage premiums subsequent yr for staff’ comp, legal responsibility and different insurance coverage requirements, Lutzkanin stated.
