TRUMBULL COUNTY Officials hire new insurance company

Trumbull County paid a consultant $5,000 to study the insurance bids and then make a recommendation.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Trumbull County commissioners have hired a new insurance company for general liability, law enforcement and fleet coverage over the objections of one commissioner and a consultant.
Commissioners Joseph Angelo and James Tsagaris voted Thursday to hire Arthur J. Gallagher & amp; Co. of Cleveland to handle the liability insurance for the county for one year. The premium is $343,702.
Gallagher replaces County Risk Sharing Authority. The county has had CORSA through Rossi Insurance Agency, Warren, for three years, officials said.
CORSA's premium would have been $361,830, commissioners said.
Opposed: Commissioner Michael J. O'Brien voted against hiring Gallagher, agreeing with the county-hired consultant's recommendation that CORSA offered a better deal.
The county paid Phelan Risk Management Services Co. of Cleveland $5,000 to study the bids and make a recommendation.
"Insurance is complicated and the consultant was paid to look over everything to make sure we got the best deal," O'Brien said.
O'Brien said that, among other things, CORSA offered a lower deductible -- $25,000, half that of Gallagher's.
"I would have gone with CORSA if they offered us a one-year deal, but I don't want to be locked in to a three-year contract," Angelo said. Tsagaris agreed with Angelo, who said the county can get better rates if it advertises for bids once a year.
"We advertised for a three-year bid," O'Brien said. "Also, for the last three years we have received excellent service by a company that is located two blocks away."