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Session 710, Minutes <br />August 20, 1962 <br /> <br />Page 11 <br /> <br />two lowest bidders for the Workmen's Compensation coverage were the <br />Employers Mutual Liability Insurance Company of Wisconsin and the <br />Bituminous Casualty Company (Employers Mutual is a mutual company and <br />the Bituminous Casualty is a stock company) and the City Manager reviewed <br />the figures. The various companies required four to six weeks to prepare <br />their bids and that is why the matter comes up in August instead of in <br />July as the administrative forces would have preferred. <br /> <br />He said that the Insurance Committee and other members of the Council <br />have received a report from the consulting firm, the Insurance Audit and <br />Inspection Company of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the recommendation of <br />the consulting firm that award for the Workmen's Compensation coverage be <br />made to E~ployers Mutual Liability Insurance Company of Wisconsin which <br />would app:oximate $25,197 for a three year term, and that award be made <br />to the American Insurance Company of Newark, N.J. for the Comprehensive <br />General Liability Insurance which would approximate $9,249.48 for a three <br />year term. <br /> <br />Questions propounded by members of the Council were answered by the City <br />Manager. Councilman Tendlet inquired whether the Employers Mutual has <br />subm/tted a satisfactory account of their engineering services and the <br />other items requested on the questionnaire that went out with every bid <br />form. The City Manager said that the form which was sent to each bidder, <br />aside from the name of the agency and the address,asked for the financial <br />and policyholder rating as published by Alfred M. Best - in the case of <br />Employers Mutual it is AAAAA-A plus - then the number of salaried engin- <br />eers in the St. Louis area - and they have stated they have three engin- <br />eers locally - they state they provide continuing inspection services - <br />they provide personal visits by a regular engineer and special hazards <br />engineers - maintain a local claims department in Clayton and will assist <br />in the settlement of all claims. <br /> <br />At this Juncture, Councilman Baris asked, '~ho will they assist?" City <br />Manager Henry said the questionnaire reads, "Does your office assist in <br />the settlement of all claims?" And the City Manager added he hopes they <br />will assist the City. <br /> <br />Councilman Baris said this brings up a point that there seems to be some- <br />thing missing in the recomnendations -- on the American Insurance Company <br />the Indianapolis consulting firm says they "are in an enviable financial <br />position and have an excellent reputation for engineering service and loss <br />settlement practices." Councilman Baris said they do not say the same <br />thing as far as the loss settlement practices for the Employers Mutual, <br />and that to him, especially in Worhnen's Co~pensation matters is an ex- <br />tremely important factor because it insures that the employees would get <br />their settlemants as quickly as possible at a time when they are deprived <br />of the ability to work. He said he wonders whether the omission was Just <br />inadvertant on the part of the longodistance outfit or whether it has some <br />meaning by its omission, Councilman Baris said he thinks the important <br />thing is to determine whether the employees are going to be adequately <br />and quickly compensated or whether they are going to have to forego any <br />income for some time until they can get their claims allowed, <br /> <br />City Manager Henry said the City is approximately in the middle in this <br />type of situation - the City is interested in seeing that the employee <br />gets what is due him promptly and correctly - on the other hand, the <br />City has to protect itself or has to consider excessive claims (which have <br />been knmm to arise in Workmen's Compensation) and has to protect its in- <br /> <br /> <br />