Garfield County commissioners voted Monday to withdraw from the County Workers’ Compensation Pool managed by County Technical Services Inc. (CTSI). The county will now provide workers’ compensation coverage through Pinnacol Assurance, working with Glenwood Insurance Agency.

Commissioner Tom Jankovsky said keeping money local, and future opportunities to decrease the county’s premium, drove the switch.

“Some of the money that we spend on workers comp, which is substantial…will stay in the community, because Glenwood Insurance is a local vendor,” Jankovsky said on Tuesday. “By representing Pinnacol, there’s some money that comes back to them.”

There may also be opportunities to decrease the county’s premium through Pinnacol Assurance, including a cost-containment certification that could lower the premium by 5% in 2026, according to Glenwood Insurance Agency. 

CTSI’s Workers’ Compensation Pool, created in 1984, provides an alternative to the commercial insurance industry and is owned and operated by participating counties. Counties across Colorado pooled resources to form the County Health Pool, County Workers’ Compensation Pool, and Colorado Counties Casualty and Property Pool. Garfield County has been a member of the County Workers’ Compensation Pool since it was formed, according to CTSI. 

Commissioners debated the switch for several months and held a work session to discuss workers’ compensation coverage with CTSI, Glenwood Insurance Agency and Pinnacol Assurance on Nov. 14. 

“I think we need a change. I think this is an opportune time for us to go with Glenwood Insurance…give them a chance to help us out, and like was pointed out with our work session, if that didn’t work out, or we’re not happy, we can go back to CTSI,” Commissioner Mike Samson said during a board of county commissioner’s meeting Monday. “I think it’s time for us to perhaps explore new avenues with this.”