Cities Insurance Association of Washington(CIAW)

The Cities Insurance Association of Washington (CIAW) is a public entity risk program that provides comprehensive property and liability coverage in conjunction with the highest quality risk management services.  Founded in 1988 with 32 cities, the CIAW has since expanded to include special purpose districts among its membership.  Over the course of its 20-year history, the program has steadily grown to over 250 members.

A Board of Directors, which is elected by the membership, governs the CIAW and decides the organization's future direction.  The Board, in turn, contracts with a third party administrator, Canfield, to carry out the day-to-day administrative duties, as well as provide claims and risk control services.

Program Features

• Excess Insurance Coverage: The CIAW self-insures those losses that are manageable and predictable. Excess/Re-insurance coverage is purchased to protect the members against catastrophic claims.
  
• Aggregate Stop Loss Coverage: The CIAW purchases aggregate stop loss coverage to protect the program assets against an abnormal frequency of claims in one year. This coverage eliminates the risk of any retroactive assessments if the liability losses exceed the amount budgeted and collected from the membership.
  
• Risk Management: The CIAW offers the broadest and most comprehensive range of risk management/loss control services in the industry. By reducing the number of claims through education of the membership, the overall insurance costs are reduced and remain stable for the membership year in and year out.
  
• Claims / Litigation Management: Through the CIAW's administrator, claims are adjusted and handled "in-house" rather than contracting out this vital service. Aggressive third-party adjusting is balanced by the need to be aware of the individual political needs of the membership. Members are included in the overall plan and are vital to litigation settlement discussions. It is the philosophy of the program to find coverage for membership claims rather than search out exclusions to avoid paying claims.
  
• Broad Coverage / Competitive Cost: The CIAW provides the broadest and most comprehensive coverage available to public entities. However, controlling costs and providing stable rates throughout the unpredictable insurance cycles is paramount to the CIAW. The rates, along with coverages, are the most competitive offered. The ultimate goal of the program is to reduce losses through on-site education and through sound fiscal management, eliminating large insurance cost fluctuations. With the elimination of the threat of retroactive reassessments, the CIAW offers its membership unique insurance stability. 

Third Party Administrator

Canfield has served as the third party administrator since the CIAW's inception in 1988.  Canfield imparts the CIAW with over 25 years of experience and genuine expertise in claims and litigation management, loss control service, and program administration.  Additionally, Canfield helped establish and continues to serve as program administrator for the:

• Washington Rural Counties Insurance Program
• United Schools Insurance Program
• Schools Insurance Association of Washington
• Non Profit Insurance Program