Dublin To Re-Evaluate Workers Compensation Funding Structure

DUBLIN, CA — The Dublin City Council will reconsider its longtime insurance arrangement for workers compensation claims at its Tuesday meeting.

For the past 20 years, Dublin has been part of the San Mateo County Cities Insurance Group, a joint-powers authority that pooled workers’ compensation coverage among member cities, according to a city staff report. That structure will dissolve at the end of the year following the departure of Foster City, one of the group’s largest cities. As a result, Dublin and other members must find new coverage before Jan. 1, 2026.

After considering several options, city staff are recommending a self-funded model. Under the proposed structure, the city would directly fund its claims through a newly-established trust account administered by a third party, and would purchase excess insurance for catastrophic cases. Staff say that this will give the city greater control over claims management and reduce overall costs by only paying for what it uses.

Data shows that the city has had very few claims over the past two decades, and most years see less than $14,000 in total losses. Given the low claim volume, staff believe the self-funded model would best serve the city.

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The meeting will take place Tuesday at 7 p.m. See here for the full agenda.