This session reveals the most common and costly mistakes public entities make when relying on contracts and certificates of insurance (COIs) for liability protection - missteps that often result in denied claims and unexpected financial exposure. Many agencies assume they’re protected, only to discover gaps caused by vague contract language, outdated insurance requirements, or deceptive policy exclusions. Drawing on over 40 years of hands-on experience in risk management and expert witness testimony, Bob Marshburn delivers practical, legally-grounded strategies to close those gaps. Attendees will learn how to strengthen risk transfer through better contract language, identify red flags in insurance documents, and verify compliance beyond surface-level COIs. The session ultimately equips professionals to reduce risk, avoid litigation, and ensure insurance policies respond when it matters most.

Bob Marshburn is the Founder and CEO of Certified Risk Managers LLC and is a nationally recognized educator, consultant, and expert witness in the fields of Risk Management and Insurance. With a career spanning decades, Bob has been retained by a wide range of clients including public agencies, Joint Power Authorities, associations, attorneys, brokers, builders, trade groups, and educational institutions.

He holds multiple professional designations in risk management and insurance and has authored and developed several of the industry's credentialing programs. Bob currently serves as a senior consultant with Insurance Community University and is the contributing editor for the Contract Insurance Manual for California Public Agencies.

He is also the founder of the Risk Transfer Automated Insurance Verification™ system, available at www.AutomatedInsuranceVerification.com.