HOUSTON COUNTY RECEIVES REUND MONEY FROM INSURANCE

It appears that Houston County has been saving some much needed money on insurance over the last year. As a result, some of that money is being returned to the Wiregrass along with a pat on the back. County Commissioners recently received a safety award with some cash to boot from the A.C.C.A. Liability Insurance Board in Mobile. Each year the Alabama A.C.C.A. Liability Insurance Board awards one thousand dollars in refund money to counties that have successfully clamped down on high insurance claims. Roy Roberts, Houston County Administrator, received this as good news. He says it basically means that the county has concentrated on liability, the causes of liability claims, and that they have gone through training programs like the Sheriff`s Department having skid stirring program, a program that trains deputies how to drive county vehicles in high speed pursuits and wet weather. Roberts says this reduces the number of accidents, and saves lives and money for the county. Mr. Roberts says that this is very important as preiums are very expensive for liability insurance. The rates are determined and based on claims, so this year the county had a reduction in premiums which saved them thousands of dollars. In fact, it saved the county 12 thousand dollars to be exact, from an insurance premium reduction of 3% of almost 400 thousand dollars. An award like this means a lot to Houston County, especially with so many state cutbacks. In addition to the insurance liability reductions, Houston County also received reductions in workmen`s compensation insurance as well.