James Sheridan
General Manager, Western Australia & Northern Territory, and CEO of LGIS
About LGIS
LGIS was born from necessity, when the commercial insurance market withdrew cover or charged exorbitant premiums. Through the WA Local Government Association (WALGA), WA local governments banded together to protect themselves making sure that they would always have access to appropriate, affordable and sustainable protection.
The WA local government mutual indemnity scheme known as LGISWA, or LGIS, is a WA Local Government Association (WALGA) service managed by JLT Risk Solutions which is a business of Marsh McLennan.
The reasons that LGIS was formed still exist today – confirming that the mutual indemnity scheme remains the best option to protect WA local governments.
As the protection partner of choice for WA local governments, we understand the complexity of the sector like no other – we know that protection is only the beginning. We care about our members and work together to provide protection, claims and risk management services to ensure peace of mind, so that they know that everything they need covered is considered.
Since inception our services have grown to provide members with a range of risk services which meet the needs of modern local governments. We work together to manage risks and drive down claims – protecting the Scheme, containing contribution costs, and ensuring the sustainable protection of the WA local government sector
What is a mutual indemnity scheme?
A mutual indemnity scheme is a specialist financial vehicle for the management and financing of risk. It’s important to note that the Scheme is not insurance –it’s an alternative risk financing strategy.
Mutuals are established by organisations with a common purpose (in the case of LGIS,
WA local governments).
Scheme members pay contributions to create a Fund, or a ‘pot of money’, which is used to manage the primary layer of risk (Pooled Cover). The Scheme buys a variety of ‘insurance’ (indemnity covers) in excess of these Pooled Covers to provide members with the protection they require.
As funds are administered for the benefit of members there is a clear relationship between the successful execution of risk improvement strategies, which lowers risks and losses, and the increased financial strength of the mutual. This leads to greater member benefits – stability in pricing and coverage; risk services to support members, which in turn provides, in the case of LGIS, a $60 M return of dividend to members since 2007.
What does the Scheme protect?
WorkCare - provides a range of protections including workers’ compensation, journey injury, corporate travel protection, and personal accident protection. We take a holistic approach with claims consultants working closely with injury management and injury prevention specialists to get injured people back to work.
Liability: provides members with a range of liability protections including civil liability exposures, commercial crime and cyber liability, casual hirers’ liability, management liability, and pollution legal liability. A civil liability may occur where a member owes a person/entity a duty of care and this duty is breached causing injury or loss.
Property: provides discretionary protection for members’ property assets, stock, plant and machinery, computers and electronic equipment; and consequential loss. Cover has been tailored to protect members from the financial implications of high deductibles, by expansion of cover and removal of standard sub-limits along with increased flexibility in managing claims.
Bushfire Volunteer Personal Accident: allows WA local governments to meet their legislative requirements and protect valued volunteer bushfire fighters in the event that they are injured while carrying out normal brigade activities.
Motor Fleet: provides protection for members’ vehicle and plant assets. Members’ vehicles are repaired by their preferred supplier and all motor claims are handled by dedicated LGIS claims consultants who manage the entire life of the claim.
Risk services
Since inception our services have grown to provide members with a range of risk services which meet the needs of modern local governments. We work together to manage risks and drive down claims – protecting the Scheme, containing contribution costs, and ensuring the sustainable protection of the WA local government sector.
We provide a variety of risk management services, which are included as part of membership.
- Professional risk management
- Liability risk management
- Property and asset risk management
- Cyber risk management
- Motor fleet risk management
- Aquatic risk management
- Work, health and safety
- People risk management
- Injury prevention
- Injury management
- Elected member support service
- Health and wellbeing program
Local claims management
Our WA based claims team specialise in local government. Every member has dedicated claims consultants who handle every claim from beginning to end. They understand the member’s claims history and provide insight on trends and the best approach to handling claims.
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