Property & Casualty Market Report for Childcare Services

The Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) is soliciting proposals for a comprehensive study on the feasibility of establishing joint underwriting associations for property and liability insurance coverage in childcare-related services. This Request for Proposals (RFP) S2502 seeks a contractor to analyze insurance availability and affordability for various childcare entities, including childcare centers, group foster homes, family childcare homes, child and youth serving organizations, and child placement services. The selected contractor must have actuaries who are members of the American Academy of Actuaries and the Society of Actuaries, with at least three years of experience in similar work. Key deliverables include collecting and analyzing insurance data from the past five years, developing policy recommendations, and submitting a final report by November 21, 2025. The contract period runs from June 1, 2025, to April 1, 2026, with potential for two 6-month extensions at the OIC's discretion. Proposals are due by 11:59 pm on May 29, 2025, and the contractor will be expected to attend legislative hearings during the 2025-26 legislative session.

The RFP encourages participation from minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, and small businesses, with voluntary participation goals of 10%, 6%, 5%, and 5% respectively. While these goals do not impact proposal responsiveness, they demonstrate the OIC's commitment to diverse vendor participation. The project covers multiple jurisdictions across Washington state, including but not limited to Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Chelan, and Yakima Counties, along with numerous cities and census-designated places. The OIC has allocated $350,000 for this project, with payment structured on a deliverables basis. The study aims to address critical insurance market challenges that threaten the operational sustainability of childcare services in Washington state. The comprehensive analysis will provide insights into potential solutions for improving insurance coverage and affordability for essential childcare providers, potentially informing future policy decisions and market interventions.