The Risk Cooperative provides property and liability insurance coverage for its members.
About
Our Mission
The Cooperative’s mission is to support member districts by providing long-term protection from financial loss through proactive prevention and high quality risk management response, programs and services.
About the Risk Cooperative
The Risk Cooperative was formed September 1986 when school districts in southwest Washington State joined together through an Interlocal Governmental Agreement to self insure, self administer and group purchase excess insurance to cover their losses. Twenty-seven school districts, the Educational Service District 112, the Educational Service District 105, the KWRL Transportation Cooperative and the Washington Schools Information Processing Cooperative belong to the Risk Cooperative.
The Risk Cooperative is an Enterprise Fund established for the purpose of providing claims handling and risk management for property and casualty liabilities to its membership through group funding. The Risk Cooperative provides the following forms of group purchased insurance coverage for its members: property, vehicle and mobile equipment physical damage, equipment breakdown, crime, electronic data processing equipment, and general liability, automobile liability, employment practices liability, errors and omissions liability and statutorily required bonds.
The Risk Cooperative is fully funded by its members. Educational Service District 112 is contracted to provide financial, loss control and claims services for the Cooperative.
The Risk Cooperative is governed by a Board of Directors, which is comprised of one designated represented from each participating member, with delegated authority to a five member Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is responsible for conducting the business affairs of the Cooperative.
Member Benefits
Benefits of Membership
Local control. Regional support. That’s the key to successful cooperatives and school services. By working together, districts are able to leverage financial and operational resources to provide high quality and efficient programs. The ESD 112 Risk Cooperative is one example of this successful concept.
Why Choose Us
- Schools are our only business, the only clients we serve.
- The Risk Cooperative’s Executive Board are Superintendents and Business Managers who are familiar with – and responsive to – local district needs. They are the policy-makers for the Risk Cooperative.
- We offer assistance before a formal claim is presented.
- School-tailored coverage follows an excess manuscript policy written for schools.
- The Assistant Superintendent, Director, Fiscal Officer, Claims Adjuster and Loss Control Specialists are highly experienced and familiar with school challenges and issues.
- The Risk Cooperative is one of just 48 pools across the nation to earn Association of Governmental Risk Pools (AGRiP) recognition for excellence of internal operational procedures.
- The Risk Cooperative works with member districts to reduce loss, focusing on a specific target area each year.
Long – Term Stability
- The Risk Cooperative is financially stable and well-funded.
- Rates are set by the Executive Committee and based on actuarial analysis.
- The Risk Cooperative has no deductible on liability claims and a $1,000 deductible on property claims. Other school insurance cooperatives may require larger deductibles out of district funds.
- Loss control services, as well as claim handling costs and legal services, are included in the yearly contribution costs.
- A member district with excellent loss experience could save up to 30% (of the base rate).
Coverage and Pricing
The cooperative makes no profit from schools.
- Our pricing is transparent and consistent among all members. We have no hidden costs.
- The Risk Cooperative covers some defense costs for Special Education disputes.
What Our Customers Are Saying
“To me this relationship and level of support is critical to our total operation.”
“Most importantly is that I trust the people I work with in the ESD 112 Insurance Cooperative.”
“The Risk Cooperative is proactive in providing training to keep our district in compliance with regulations and has been an advocate for providing safe and secure schools. East Valley appreciates the Risk Cooperative’s legal support and response during unfortunate circumstances.”
Member Services
Member Services
Members of the ESD 112 Risk Cooperative can access attorney and experienced school administrator consultation services at no additional cost to their districts. These services were initiated by the Risk Cooperative’s Executive Committee as part of its strategic planning for the Risk Cooperative.
These services were initiated by the Risk Cooperative’s Executive Committee as part of its strategic planning for the Risk Cooperative.
Attorney Consultation Services
The attorney consultation service provides member districts with up to 60 minutes of advice on a single legal matter via phone consultation with any panel attorney.
Your Attorney Consultants
Stevens Clay, P.S., ext. 4
Office: 509-838-8330
Cell: 509-993-4272
Email: pclay@stevensclay.org
Paul Clay is a founding partner of Stevens Clay, P.S. with over 30 years’ experience representing school districts. His firm has served as trusted counsel to over 100 school districts. He is a frequent trainer with legal and practical experience on a variety of topics, including open meetings, public records, employment law, collective bargaining, contract drafting/reviewing, and student rights/responsibilities.
Patterson Buchanan Fobes and Leitch
Office: 206-462-6704 Direct
Cell: 206-418-9783
Email: dkf@pattersonbuchanan.com
Mr. Fobes primarily advises and defends public entities, including school districts and counties. He is an experienced litigator who has tried a number of cases to verdict. His representation has resulted in defense verdicts, favorable settlements and successful appellate decisions. His cases have involved issues of negligence, education law, employment, discrimination, civil rights claims, law enforcement, and corrections claims. He has practiced in both state and federal courts. As an arbitrator in both King and Snohomish Counties, Mr. Fobes has arbitrated many cases.
Porter Foster Rorick LLP
Office: 206-622-0203, ext. 124
Cell: 253-209-0409
Email: lorraine@pfrwa.com
Lorraine Wilson advises and represents school district clients on a wide spectrum of issues with an emphasis on collective bargaining and human resources concerns. Lorraine also has extensive administrative and policy experience at both the statewide and local level.
Prior to joining Porter Foster Rorick in 2013, Lorraine served as Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources with the Puyallup School District, Director of Labor and Legislative Relations for the Tacoma School District, and Associate Executive Director for the Washington State School Directors’ Association.
Karr Tuttle Campbell
Office: 206-224-8097 Direct
Cell: 206-390-9584
Email: tmiller@karrtuttle.com
Ms. Miller’s practice focuses on labor and employment litigation and advising and school law. Ms. Miller has twenty years of experience advising and representing public school districts and private schools in all aspects of their operations, including but not limited to special education, student discipline, civil rights, public records, open public meetings, labor, and classified and certificated employment.
To Request Services
Contact the Attorney consultant of your choosing directly. Simply identify yourself as a Risk Cooperative member when you call.
School Administrator Consultation Services
Administrator Consultants are retired school administrators available to assist superintendents with sometimes challenging operational and personnel issues. They provide a unique service to school district CEOs, offering options for consideration taken from their own experience. They provide a valuable perspective to current administrators on a variety of issues. This is a peer consulting service for school superintendents.
How Administrator Consultants Can Help Members
- Administrator Consultants can assist member districts with personnel issues, administrative mentoring or to serve as hearing officers for disciplinary hearings.
Your Administrator Consultants
M.S. in Science, Eastern Washington State University
- Continuing Program Administrator and Psychologist Certificates
- Former Associate Superintendent, ESD 112
- Experienced Arbitrator and Mediator
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, WA State University
- Continuing Superintendent, Principal, and Teaching Certificates
- Former Superintendent, Kelso S.D.
- Former Program Chair, WSU-V Superintendent Certification Program
M.A. in Education, Western Washington University
- Continuing Administrator, Principal, and Teaching Certificates
- Former Superintendent, North Kitsap and Coupeville School Districts
To request services, contact:
Marnie Allen
Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources, Legal Services & Insurance Programs
Claims
How to File a Claim
Notice of any claim or occurrence likely to give rise to a claim shall be given to the Risk Cooperative in writing immediately upon notice to the member district. The notice should identify the District, the time, place and circumstances of the occurrence or wrongful act, the nature and extent of any property loss, names and addresses of injured or involved person(s) and all witnesses. In addition, the member district shall immediately forward to the Risk Cooperative every demand, notice, summons or other process received by the member district or any of its representatives.
For more information, contact:
Marnie Allen
Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources, Legal Services & Insurance Programs
Reporting Forms
Foundational Documents
Meetings
Meeting Agendas and Minutes
Contacts
Who to Contact
Submit an Employee Incident Report
Click on a logo below to report an employee injury.
Insurance Questions
If you have a question about the insurance programs or services we offer to districts, please reach out to:
Insurance Department
Phone: 360-750-7504
Email: insurancedepartment@esd112.org
Visit our Website
We have recently launched a new website for members. Stay tuned as invitations to the new website roll out this summer.
Safety & Insurance News
Strengthening School Safety: Highlights from the 2023 Safety Summit
In late August, more than 300 attendees from 14 different school districts throughout Educational Service District (ESD) 112’s region, including Clark College, Washington State School for the Blind, and Washington State School for the Deaf, [...]
The foundation of a safe workplace
One of the root causes of workplace injuries, illnesses, and incidents is the failure to identify or recognize hazards that are present, or that could have been anticipated. A workplace hazard is any practice, behavior [...]
Stay on track with safety
Track and field athletic competition has an inherent risk of injury for the competitors, as well as those involved with the competition, including officials, meet staff and spectators. Events must be conducted and supervised with [...]
Is sudden cardiac arrest a heart attack?
In a recently attended CPR/AED class the instructor asked the question, “What’s the difference between sudden cardiac arrest and a heart attack?” The public often uses these terms interchangeably, but they are two separate medical [...]
ESD 112 equalizes educational opportunities for learning communities through innovative partnerships, responsive leadership, and exceptional programs.