The Strength of the Trusts Persists

The League is happy to celebrate another strong, successful renewal season for the Property and Casualty Trust and the Workers’ Compensation Trust. These insurance pools are administered by the League and its staff exclusively for local governments, helping cities and towns across North Carolina protect their employees, assets and financial health.

For decades, the Property and Casualty Trust and the Workers’ Compensation Trust have been tailored to meet the unique risks and operational realities faced by North Carolina’s municipalities. Instead of purchasing traditional commercial insurance, members of these pools join together to share risk, build financial strength and invest in the long-term safety and security of their communities.

Unlike many commercial insurers, the Property and Casualty Trust and the Workers’ Compensation Trust are not driven by profit. They exist solely to serve local government. That means rate stability, responsive claims handling and a range of value-added services that commercial carriers often cannot match.

Drew Havens is a long-time town manager in North Carolia, having worked for the Town of River Bend, Town of Apex, and now the Town of Duck. He is no stranger to securing municipal insurance coverage. Prior frustrations with past carriers made Havens realize that a commercial carrier trying to represent multiple industries cannot understand the nuances of each one of those industries.

“No matter what a commercial carrier says about how they understand the business of local government, no one understands it better than the League, because that’s all they do,” said Havens.

The advantages of participating in the trusts go far beyond insurance policies. The trusts are member governed by a Board of Trustees comprised of municipal officials. Rates are driven by actual loss experiences of those in local government. This creates prudent fiscal management—not by the need to generate shareholder returns, but by helping all members practically. Over time, this results in more predictable and often lower costs.

The League’s experienced claims team understands municipal operations and the unique exposures local governments face. This expertise helps resolve claims efficiently and fairly, minimizing disruption and uncertainty.

When Havens faced questions about the way claims were handled, he knew that he could call someone he trusted at the League to explain it.

“I’ve never had an issue come up because the folks don’t understand the nature of the business,” Havens said. “I know people there. I’ve worked with folks at the League for years. It’s a comfortable relationship.”

The League’s Risk Management Services (RMS) team is comprised of local government operations experts. From public safety risk management to OSHA compliance consultants, the League’s robust and knowledgeable RMS team is dedicated to helping our members reduce risk. Insurance pool members gain access to specialized safety and risk management resources. On-site trainings range from HR best practices to police pursuit driving safety, reviewing cybersecurity risk and other technical guidance. Our RMS team’s proactive involvement helps members prevent accidents and avoid property losses before they occur.

This year’s renewal process demonstrated the strength of the insurance pools and the loyalty of participating members. In a challenging insurance market where many carriers are raising premiums or reducing coverage, the Property and Casualty Trust and the Workers’ Compensation Trust continue to offer stability and security for North Carolina’s cities and towns.

“It’s a huge benefit for us to be able to know the people [at the League] and to know someone is looking out for us in local government,” said Havens.

For more information about the insurance trusts and to explore member benefits, visit here.