“The success of any public-sector community is clearly tied toits ability to protect and preserve its human and physicalassets.”

This philosophy, posted on the web site of Public Risk InsuranceAgency (PRIA), the public-entity division for Brown & BrownInsurance, provides marching orders for serving Florida's myriadpublic-sector insurance clients. PRIA is headquartered in Lake Maryand has an office in Tallahassee.

Florida Underwriter spoke with PRIA's Executive Vice PresidentAnthony “Tony” Grippa following this year's repeat hit by theforces of nature that brought damage and budget challenges toclients across the state.

Q. Has your phone been ringing off the hook with governmentalclients frantic to know what these recent disastrous weather eventswill mean for them in the near future?

A. Most clients realize that their rates will be affected. Theywant to know that their agent is exhausting all resources andutilizing all forms of risk management to keep costs as low aspossible. Accurate budget projection is very important. We spendsignificant time with our clients in developing budget figures andin obtaining insurance products that meet those budget numbers.

Q. In an era of local government receiving less funding from thefederal level, “protection of assets” must be ever more crucial totheir viability. How are you able to help?

A. One of the most important things we do for our clients ismanaging and disclosing their exposure to loss. Some exposures arebest handled by self insurance, while others can be efficientlytransferred to an insurance product.

We recently reduced the workers' compensation insurancedeductible for the city of Gainesville and reduced the premium by$300,000. We provide Citrus County with replacement-cost coveragefor their fire trucks instead of actual cash value.

Q. You provide public entities with environmental coverage –tell us some examples in Florida where that has served clientsespecially well.

A. The public entity pollution liability program has providedcustom coverage for local governments at an affordable premium.Many of our insureds have suffered environmental liability lossesranging from chlorine gas leaks to fuel spills. We have a custompolicy in place for the St. Johns River Water Management Districtthat provides pollution liability coverage resulting from“controlled burns” of natural lands.

Q. Given our state's historic reputation for being “buggy,” talkabout municipalities' need for mosquito control coverage.

A. Government entities provide a unique service in attempting tocontrol our natural environmental conditions. For this service,they need unique insurance coverage and risk- managementassistance. Providing the right insurance product (with no sprayingexclusions) at the most competitive premium is paramount.