Who We Are
- Carl Junction City Hall
MIRMA is not an insurance company or agency, rather a self-insurance pool, owned entirely by participating members. It functions solely for their benefit.
MIRMA is an incorporated association which establishes a protected group self-insurance program for its members. It provides the most comprehensive uniform property and casualty coverage under one plan available today.
MIRMA was created in the wake of the instability that existed in the municipal insurance market in the 1970′s as an actuarially sound alternative to commercial insurance. Operations began on July 1st 1981. Such a program demands an increased awareness of, and responsibility for, loss prevention, and for the prompt correction of improper, hazardous, and unsafe conditions or procedures. Only in this manner can the maximum cost savings be realized.
MIRMA Members assessments collected will be retained by MIRMA to pay losses, purchase excess insurance, pay insurance service fees, and to cover the administrative expenses incurred.
MIRMA is governed by a Board of Directors composed of 10 members which are elected by the general membership of the association. Even though the association is not an insurance company or agency, it is still regulated by the Division of Insurance and the Division of Workers’ Compensation.
MIRMA in addition to providing a comprehensive package of coverage and limits, MIRMA is designed to be a cost saving device. This is done primarily through long range cost containment features. When MIRMA was initially formed with its 8 charter members, cost savings amounted to $131,500. After nearly 30 years of operation the total cost savings has been estimated to exceed $25,000,000, when compared to commercial insurance premiums.
In the mid 1970′s through the mid 1980′s, governmental entities throughout the United States were faced with skyrocketing insurance costs and in many cases a total lack of availability of insurance at any cost. In addition these governmental entities found that the commercial insurance companies that were willing to provide insurance, even at astronomical cost, did not provide the risk management services necessary to assist them in improving their insurability.
In response to this crisis governmental entities began to form coalitions and consortiums for the purpose of creating alternatives to satisfy their insurance and risk management service needs. These early pioneers quickly learned that by pooling their resources they could establish programs that would satisfy their insurance needs as well as guarantee delivery of risk management services, without dependence on commercial insurance. It was these early programs that became known as GOVERNMENTAL RISK POOLS.
Today, governmental risk pools have grown in number to some 500 nationally, generating an estimated $6 billion in annual premium. The accomplishments of governmental risk pools in terms of advantages, benefits and services clearly sets them apart from other sources of coverage and services available in the commercial insurance industry and establishes them as catalysts in governmental risk management.
Although the crisis conditions that existed in the 1970′s and 1980′s substantially diminished during the 1990′s and 2000′s, it must be kept in mind that governmental risk pooling is a long-term management strategy. It is not a “quick fix” for governmental insurance pricing problems. The full benefits of participation in a governmental risk pool are not fully realized for several years.
These benefits result from a members equity interest in the pool’s surplus as well as the impact of good training, education and implementation of changes based on sound risk management principles. The simple purchase of insurance is a pre-management strategy, void of risk management principles, dependent upon conditions existing in the insurance market. Therefore, a governmental risk pools future success will be largely dependant upon the commitment of its members to support it on a long term basis.
With the exception of Airport Liability, MIRMA pays the majority of member claims from a central loss fund.
In addition to MIRMA’S self-insured retention limits, excess insurance is purchased annually from excess insurance reinsurance carriers.
MIRMA purchases a fully insured group policy to provide Airport Liability coverage for its participating members.
MIRMA distributes the cost of the program to its members in the form of annual assessments. The assessments are based on a rate per $100 of annual payroll reported by the member. This rate will be sufficient to cover the total of the following costs:
Any surplus loss related funds and interest revenue that are not needed to pay claims, or establish claim reserves are distributed to the members on a pro-rate- basis as credit against future years assessments. This is important because many claim reserves must be maintained and invested for several years before all claims are settled or the statutes of limitation expire.
