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Ohio County To Save Money on Property Insurance

Wheeling Intelligencer· July 9, 2026

Ohio County commissioners in West Virginia have voted to transition their property, casualty, and liability insurance coverage from a private carrier to the West Virginia Communities Risk Pool. The move is expected to reduce the county's annual insurance costs by approximately $83,000, bringing the premium down from $412,000 to $329,000. This shift highlights a growing trend of local governments utilizing risk-sharing pools to mitigate rising commercial insurance costs while securing broader coverage and lower deductibles.

Ohio County is joining a collaborative effort alongside other West Virginia counties, municipalities, and emergency service providers to leverage collective bargaining and risk sharing. By moving to the West Virginia Communities Risk Pool, the county will pay $329,000 for its property, casualty, and liability insurance in the coming year, a significant decrease from the $412,000 quoted by its previous private carrier. County Administrator Randy Russell noted that the transition not only offers financial savings but also provides the county with lower deductibles and enhanced coverage terms.

The decision followed an investigation by Solicitor Don Tennant, who addressed previous concerns regarding the potential for risk above the premium that had deterred the county from joining the pool years ago. Tennant explained that the pool's structure has evolved significantly since its inception, expanding from a small group of counties to include hundreds of municipalities and authorities. This growth effectively spreads risk across a much larger base of entities, stabilizing the financial foundation of the collective.

To further protect member entities, the West Virginia Communities Risk Pool utilizes umbrella coverage to reinsure the entire pool against catastrophic losses. Tennant assured commissioners that the pool has never required a special assessment from its members, mitigating fears of unexpected out-of-pocket allocations. This structural security, combined with the substantial premium reduction, led the commission to approve the move during their recent meeting in Wheeling.

Read the full story at Wheeling Intelligencer

Summary generated by RabbitReport AI from public reporting. The full article and original reporting belong to Wheeling Intelligencer.

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