Cody Smith of the Alliance Insurance Group Monday morning presented a $11,978.36 dividend return check as a result of the county’s participation in the Kansas County Safety Dividend Group with EMC Insurance Companies, making the six-year dividend total over $136,000. 

The county’s check was a little lower than last year. However, Smith said that was not because of anything that happened in Barton County.

EMC covers 26 Kansas counties. And, with storms and wildfires over the past year, losses elsewhere have been higher.

More than $252,000 was divvied up among the pool participants this year,  he said. Barton County received a shade over 4 percent of that.

Smith said this is a tribute to the county’s stepped up efforts to check the fitness levels of new employees and other safety measures. 

“We do enjoy bringing this to you,” he said. “We appreciate what you do to keep losses down.”

“We’re glad to see we’re getting a little something back,” commission Chairman Don Davis said.

EMC Insurance provides property and casualty insurance coverage, and upon request, will provide loss control services such as safety inspections and defensive driving classes for employees. Kansas counties insured with EMC are also a part of the Kansas County Safety Dividend Group.   

The policy dividend is based upon the group experience as a whole, not each individual county’s experience.