{"id":3253,"date":"2026-04-07T12:04:43","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T16:04:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridgespecialtygroup.com\/?p=3253"},"modified":"2026-04-07T12:04:50","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T16:04:50","slug":"how-collaboration-and-creativity-keep-our-public-entity-practice-group-ahead-in-a-complex-space","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridgespecialtygroup.com\/eu\/news\/how-collaboration-and-creativity-keep-our-public-entity-practice-group-ahead-in-a-complex-space\/","title":{"rendered":"How collaboration and creativity keep our Public Entity Practice Group ahead in a complex space"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Public entity insurance operates in a world of its own \u2014 one shaped by tort immunity, political scrutiny and complex exposures that demand specialized carriers and tailored solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apex Insurance Agency, a nationally recognized brand and member of global wholesale brokerage, Bridge Specialty Group, serves as the platform for the Public Entity Practice Group and thrives in this environment because of one defining strength: collaboration. It\u2019s the glue that connects technical expertise, creative thinking and strong broker relationships to deliver solutions that work in real-world conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Practice Group Leader, Justin Galati says, \u201cPublic entity is more niche. It\u2019s completely different than general commercial. It\u2019s a different animal.\u201d That perspective gives the group not just market knowledge but also a shared sense of purpose \u2014 to problem-solve together, stay informed ahead of emerging risks and serve as true partners to retail brokers nationwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How wholesale expertise strengthens Public Entity programs<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

According to Justin, the wholesale team\u2019s value comes from knowing the players, the markets and how to craft solutions when standard placements don\u2019t fit. \u201cWe know how to structure things like corridors, aggregate stop-losses or deductible programs that make sense for both the pools and carriers,\u201d he explains. \u201cIt\u2019s about aligning incentives so the program stays actuarially sound\u2014and everyone at the table can move forward with confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because the practice operates nationally, Justin says his team can spot patterns early\u2014whether it\u2019s shifting carrier appetites, new wording trends or emerging litigation pressures. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing what\u2019s happening in California or New York right when it becomes an issue,\u201d he says, \u201cand that broader visibility helps us advise our retail partners on what to expect and how to prepare.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt the end of the day,\u201d Justin adds, \u201cretail brokers are the ones facing clients and bringing local insight. We partner with them to bring specialized expertise, the market access and the creative problem-solving that make those programs stronger and more resilient.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where the current public entity market stands<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

When Justin addressed the current market, he commented specifically that the casualty marketplace has eased slightly since the peak of the post-COVID hard market, but not enough to signal a full return to pre-hard-market conditions. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely softened since the hard market from COVID,\u201d Justin explained. \u201cBut we\u2019re still seeing rate increases anywhere from three to five percent, upwards of high single digits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Geography is the key differentiator. \u201cEvery state is different in public entity due to tort immunities,\u201d Justin noted. In places like California, where there\u2019s \u201creally no tort protection whatsoever\u201d and \u201cthe most nuclear verdicts of any state in the country,\u201d conditions remain nearly as tight as ever. Meanwhile, states like Colorado are becoming more challenging due to shifts in law enforcement liability and abuse-related exposures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And across the board, commercial auto continues to weigh heavily\u2014especially for municipalities managing \u201chot pursuits\u201d and emergency response fleets. With fire, police and other emergency vehicles in the mix, exposure can multiply with every pursuit and every policy clause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Justin put it bluntly, \u201cEverybody knows auto is challenging. It doesn\u2019t matter what industry you\u2019re in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Limited capacity and emerging risks<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Even as pricing stabilizes, capacity limits remain restrictive. Justin explained that capacity in public entity casualty has tightened significantly over the last five to six years since COVID began. \u201cCarriers that were offering $15 million cut to $10 million, then to $5 million,\u201d he said. \u201cPretty much no markets from five to six years ago are offering more than $5 million now, and some are capped at $2.5 million.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall casualty, including GL, SAM, law enforcement and public officials, faces this constraint. \u201cNobody\u2019s offering more than $5 million except one new player that\u2019s created some real disturbance,\u201d Justin noted. \u201cThey can offer $10 million and have been very competitive since opening up about a year and a half ago.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, what happens in high-litigation states such as California and New York often sets a precedent that ripples outward nationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And with limits harder to secure and fewer markets willing to stretch, the pressure shifts from how much<\/em> capacity is available to what<\/em> exposures are driving carrier caution in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From an emerging risk perspective, on the group\u2019s current watchlist are two major pressure points: law enforcement liability and sexual abuse and molestation (SAM). \u201cCarriers are watching these with a magnifying glass,\u201d Justin explained. What\u2019s litigated in one state often becomes tomorrow\u2019s test case in another. \u201cAnd although those specific lines are really more of a carrier position to monitor and keep an eye on, we’ve been able to get crafty to place it when it’s become a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An additional market trend sees carriers pushing SAM coverage from occurrence to claims-made forms. Most policies are still written on an occurrence basis, exposing carriers to \u201creviver claims\u201d from the 1980s or 1990s that suddenly hit books decades later. \u201cAll of that was written on an occurrence basis that has been closed out for 40 years or more, and now all of a sudden you have a loss on that policy,\u201d Justin noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Insureds resist the shift, fearing limited retroactive dates or tail coverage will leave prior years exposed. Carriers counter that they can\u2019t risk closing a policy only to face a $20 million claim 20 years later. \u201cI can relate with insureds and carriers alike, and it\u2019s about finding the middle ground,\u201d Justin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The handwriting is on the wall: monoline standalone abuse markets already require claims-made coverage exclusively. \u201cIf your abuse coverage gets non-renewed due to claims and you go to the standalone market, you\u2019re going claims-made whether you want to or not,\u201d Justin explained. This mirrors past shifts in public officials and employment practices liability, which have largely moved to claims-made forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Collaboration as a competitive edge<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Innovation rarely happens in a vacuum. It\u2019s the practice group\u2019s collaborative approach that turns creative ideas into successful placements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That inventive mindset comes from a culture that invites open discussion and collective troubleshooting. For example, when carriers push retentions higher after loss activity, the group pressure-tests alternative structures that balance carrier comfort with budget feasibility. \u201cIt\u2019s actuarially sound for pools and carriers alike,\u201d Justin explained. These ideas often arise through cross-team dialogue, where different perspectives spark better outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Collaboration also expands the team\u2019s capacity to move quickly. \u201cWhen you get one broker working on something, you\u2019re actually getting the entire practice group behind them,\u201d Justin said. The group holds quarterly broker calls to discuss new markets, limit adjustments and emerging issues. \u201cWhen something big is transpiring,\u201d Justin shared, \u201csomeone shoots out an email and copies a handful of us to get eyes on it right away. It\u2019s our collaboration \u2014 our combined knowledge.\u201d This isn\u2019t just internal teamwork; it\u2019s an integrated network that stretches across retail and carrier relationships, giving the practice group powerful insight into what\u2019s changing \u2014 and where new opportunities might lie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That team-based approach leads to measurable results. In one recent example, the practice group partnered with a retail agent who had inherited a large excess liability purchasing group. Capacity issues were stalling growth, as markets involved in the underlying pool layers blocked new entrants from the excess tower. Justin and his team restructured the program to \u201cbypass certain layers,\u201d adding carriers with no primary stake and building \u201ca whole separate tower.\u201d The outcome: more capacity, happier members, and a stronger program foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teamwork in action translates into tangible value<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

For retail brokers, that collaborative foundation translates into tangible value. \u201cWe look at this as a partnership,\u201d Justin said. \u201cOur team becomes their marketing and back-end legwork team.\u201d That partnership ensures clients get not only access to the right markets but also a team of specialists focused on structure, wording and carrier strategy \u2014 all informed by national reach and real-time intelligence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scale adds weight, too. \u201cWe\u2019re the largest source of production for at least five of the largest markets in public entity,\u201d Justin noted. When leverage or creativity is needed, that reputation helps move the conversation. But underneath it all is a people-first mindset and a commitment to help brokers move from a roadblock to a path forward, even when the first answer from the market is no.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Building on experience. Expanding on success.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead, Justin Galati sees the Public Entity Practice Group\u2019s future as an expansion of what it already does well\u2014not a reinvention. He sees the team doing the same core work and showing up as the public entity experts in the space, while becoming better known and easier to engage from the big brokers\u2019 perspective. Justin expects the path forward to be shaped by the same forces already compressing the market\u2014tight capacity, tougher underwriting and evolving litigation and liability trends. But Justin\u2019s focus is less on simply navigating what\u2019s next and more on continuing to help brokers and pools win in it: pairing national market intelligence with a collaborative bench of specialists who can move quickly, negotiate confidently and structure programs that hold up under scrutiny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the space grows more complex, that combination of end-to-end support, creative structuring and a partner-first approach grounded in real teamwork, will be what keeps difficult placements moving and long-term relationships strong. For the group, the future isn\u2019t just growth; it\u2019s earning the right to be the first call when the placement is challenging and the stakes are high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public Entity Practice Group offerings<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Coverages<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n