Just in time, Rockingham County finds liability insurance for its jail-- at a staggering increase in cost

Rockingham County taxpayers may soon foot the bill for a staggering increase in insurance premiums and deductible costs on liability coverage for the troubled county jail, where 11 inmates have died over the past three years and several staff have been cited for criminal misconduct, according to commissioners.

After weeks of searching, the county's Safety and Risk Department Director Chris Elliott secured a new carrier last week, just before coverage by Travelers Insurance was canceled on Monday, commissioners said in a news release.

The Kinsale and Indian Harbor Insurance premium alone is nearly $200,000 higher than Travelers, commissioners said, and the deductible, a staggering 20-fold increase.

Before Travelers canceled the old policy, five inmates had died by suicide at the jail, one had overdosed on fentanyl and the insurance company alleged the sheriff's office had not reported personnel incidents to Travelers in a timely manner.

The new premium will cost $351,906 annually, an increase of $190,852.

With that hike comes the deductible jump from $10,000 to $200,000 per incident, the release said.

Because the county's 2024-2025 budget has already been approved, county officials were forced to find the money to pay for the insurance from other places, commissioners said in the release.

It turns out there's enough money in the jail's Inmate Canteen Fund — $357,000 — to cover this year's premium, the release said.

Inmates and their relatives put money into the canteen fund to pay for movies, video games, snacks and texting access for county jail inmates.

County Manager Lance Metzler explained that much of inmates' spending goes toward rental of computer tablets, which fattens the fund considerably, he said.

"The inmates can text, watch movies, read mail, play games, review both educational and religious materials,'' through the fund, Metzler said.

But there's not enough in the canteen coffer to cover deductibles, commissioners and Metzler said.

"The big issue is the deductible going from $10,000 per claim to $200,000 per claim. These funds would have to come from our Unrestricted Fund Balance," Metzler said.

He said the stress on the budget next year means the county "may need an increase in taxes, but I'm not sure as we will have to evaluate revenue streams and expenditures as we go through the (2025-2026) budget process.''

"Unfortunately, funds for any deductibles that may be needed will further reduce funds available for services benefiting taxpayers,'' commissioners added in their release.

And the increase is expected to be a "multi-year issue with the overall financial burden on the citizens being an unknown at this time,'' the board said in the release.

During a special commissioners' meeting to discuss the insurance costs on June 28, Sheriff Sam Page asked commissioners to fund medical staff for the jail 24/7 to help reduce deaths there.

Commissioners approved the request, though it was not immediately clear when medical staff will be in place or exactly what the move will cost the county.

(336) 349-4331, ext.