Risk Management

The Risk Management Department is responsible for design and administration of the city’s property and casualty insurance and self-insurance program, the property and casualty loss prevention program, the employee safety and health program the employee wellness program, and the insured and self-insured employee benefit program.

The department’s goal is to avoid, reduce, control, and finance loss that may arise from activities of the city.

Risk Management handles:

• Employee health, dental, and life insurance benefits
• Employee long-term disability and retirement benefits
• Wellness Program
• Employee injuries and Workers’ Compensation benefits
• Safety and health of employees
• Auto and General Liability claims filed against the City of Bryan
• Subrogation of damages to city property
• Review of city contracts for proper insurance
• Protection of city property

Liability Claims

Risk Management is the initial point of contact for all liability claims against the City of Bryan as well as all claims against individuals who have damaged city property. Claims are processed only after a claim form has been completed in full and submitted, along with any supporting documents such as estimates of replacement cost.

Liability forms may be faxed, mailed, or e-mailed from the Risk Management office, or picked up in person at our office.

Who will be handling my claim?

Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool (TMLIRP) is the City’s insurer. All liability claims are forwarded to TMLIRP by the City of Bryan’s Risk Management Department. Once your claim has been received, TMLIRP will assign a claims specialist to handle your claim. The TMLIRP Claims Specialist will contact you in a few business days.

The City of Bryan damaged my property, or I fell on city property. What do I do?

You must complete a claim form and return it to the City’s Risk Management Department. You should hear from a TMLIRP Claims Specialist within a few business days.

I filled out a claim form a month ago, I have not heard from anyone. What do I do?

Once a claim form is received by Risk Management, the department will open a claim with the city’s insurer. If you do not hear from the TMLIRP Claims Specialist, please contact the City’s Risk Management Department at 979-209-5052.

If I pay for repairs, will the City of Bryan reimburse me?

No. Do not make repairs or incur other costs under the assumption that city will reimburse you when a claim is filed. Furthermore, you should not have repairs made or services performed and billed to the city. The city may settle a claim with you but it may not pay the costs of all the services that you ordered. It is the city’s goal to address each claim as fairly and promptly as possible.

How long does the investigation process take?

Depending on the complexity and the nature of your claim, it may take several days or weeks for the TMLIRP Claims Specialist to conduct the investigation. An investigation may include a visit to the site for inspection and photographs, contact with the city department or workers involved in the area or incident, and follow up with you for additional information or documentation. Please allow a reasonable period of time to investigate and respond to your claim.

What happens after the investigation is complete?

If your claim is valid and the city is legally obligated to pay, you will receive a letter advising you that your claim has been accepted. At this time, the TMLIRP Claims Specialist will advise you of the amount of the settlement and provide you with a Release of Claim Form. You must have your signature notarized and return the original release to the assigned TMLIRP Claims Specialist. TMLIRP will send your settlement check.

What if my claim is denied?

If your claim is denied, you will receive a denial letter with an explanation of the reason(s) your claim was denied. There are situations where the city may not be responsible or obligated to pay your claim. For example, there may be another party responsible for the claim or a contractor may be doing work for the city and the contractor may be obligated to pay the claim.

What happens once I accept a settlement offer?

The assigned TMLIRP Claims Specialist will send you a claim acceptance letter with a Release of Claims Form that you must sign before a Notary Public and return the original to the adjuster. It may take several days after the receipt of your properly executed Release for the assigned adjuster to process your settlement check. Once you sign the Release and receive the settlement check, your claim is concluded and is final.

Does the city use independent contractors to perform work and can they be responsible for damage they cause during the contracted work?

Yes, the city often uses independent contractors and they may be responsible for damage they caused while performing work on behalf of the city. If an independent contractor is responsible for your damage, the assigned TMLIRP Claims Specialist will provide you the name of the independent contractor.