Town Saves $33K on Insurance

Danvers town government received $33,097 back on its property and casualty insurance costs for fiscal 2013 thanks to incentives offered by its insurance carrier.

The town took part in loss prevention and risk management activities that are part of incentive programs offered by its insurance provider, the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association (MIIA).

Those programs, which Danvers Town Manager Wayne Marquis told Danvers Patch the town tries to participate in every year, earned the credits towards it annual premium payments.

The town pays $514,676 annual for insurance, including $204,795 from the Electric Light Department and $97,003 from the water department. It represents a 6.5 percent savings.

The program is coordinated by Assistant Town Manager Dianne Norris.

The credits are issued because the town participates in MIIA-sponsored activities over the course of the year. The trainings and courses are a MIAA membership benefit and do not cost the town any money.

“The town of Danvers takes risk management seriously, and our partnership with MIIA has helped us achieve our goal of lower risks and reduced cost,” Marquis said in a written announcement from MIIA.

In the past fiscal year MIIA awarded $2.6 million worth of credit collectively to its membership through the Rewards program. The 10-year total has been $17.3 million.

Specifically in Danvers, managers and employees participated in several seminars on management and leadership, including interviewing techniques and making reasonable accommodations for employees, according to the MIAA.

Town employees also attended programs about increasing safety and reducing the risk of injuries, such as roadwork zone safety. At the , officers participated in driver training that included practicing driving skills regularly required while operating emergency vehicles.

Also part of the program is the town’s facilities self-inspections and sewer overflow prevention and storm water drain and basin maintenance programs.

The town also participated in federally-mandated training in response to the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) for schools. It provides training to the person designated to oversee an asbestos evaluation and management plan. Also helping was the town’s road defect monitoring and tree assessment logs.

“As a non-profit, member-driven organization, MIIA works with its members as partners to develop innovative programs to help relieve some of the financial burden they’re facing,” said MIIA Executive Vice President Stanley Corcoran in its announcement.