(a)A local public entity may protect itself against any property damage or against any liability or loss which may be imposed upon it or one of its employees for a tortious act under Federal or State common or statutory law, or imposed upon it under the Workers' Compensation Act, the Workers' Occupational Diseases Act, or the Unemployment Insurance Act by means including, but not limited to, insurance, individual or joint self-insurance, including all operating and administrative costs and expenses directly associated therewith, claims services and risk management directly attributable to loss prevention and loss reduction, legal services directly attributable to the insurance, self-insurance, or joint self-insurance program, educational, inspectional, and supervisory services directly re
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(a) A local public entity may protect itself against any property damage or against any liability or loss which may be imposed upon it or one of its employees for a tortious act under Federal or State common or statutory law, or imposed upon it under the Workers' Compensation Act, the Workers' Occupational Diseases Act, or the Unemployment Insurance Act by means including, but not limited to, insurance, individual or joint self-insurance, including all operating and administrative costs and expenses directly associated therewith, claims services and risk management directly attributable to loss prevention and loss reduction, legal services directly attributable to the insurance, self-insurance, or joint self-insurance program, educational, inspectional, and supervisory services directly relating to loss prevention and loss reduction, or participation in a reciprocal insurer as provided in Sections 72, 76 and 81 of the Illinois Insurance Code. Insurance shall be carried with a company authorized by the Department of Insurance to write such insurance coverage in Illinois. (a-5) A local public entity may individually or jointly self-insure provided it complies with any other statutory requirements specifically related to individual or joint self-insurance by local public entities. Whenever the terms "self-insure" or "self-insurance" are utilized within this Act, such term shall apply to both individual and joint self-insurance. The expenditure of funds of a local public entity to protect itself or its employees against liability is proper for any local public entity. A local public entity that has individually self-insured may establish reserves for expected losses for any liability or loss for which the local public entity is authorized to purchase insurance under this Act. The decision of the local public entity to establish a reserve and the amount of the reserve shall be based on reasonable actuarial or insurance underwriting evidence. Property taxes shall not be levied or extended if the effect is to increase the reserve beyond 125% of the actuary's or insurance underwriter's estimated ultimate losses at the 95% confidence level. Certification of the amount of the reserve shall be made by the independent auditor, actuary, or insurance underwriter and included in an annual report. The annual report shall also list all expenditures from the reserve or from property taxes levied or extended for tort immunity purposes. Total claims payments and total reserves must be listed in aggregate amounts. All other expenditures must be identified individually. A local public entity that maintains a self-insurance reserve or that levies and extends a property tax for tort immunity purposes must include in its audit or annual report any expenditures made from the property tax levy or self-insurance reserve within the scope of the audit or annual report. (b) A local public entity may contract for or purchase any of the guaranteed fund certificates or shares of guaranteed capital as provided for in Section 56 of the Illinois Insurance Code. The expenditure of funds of the local public entity for said contract or purchase is proper for any local public entity. (c) Any insurance company that provides insurance coverage to a local public entity shall utilize any immunities or may assert any defenses to which the insured local public entity or its employees are entitled. Public entities which are individually or jointly self-insured shall be entitled to assert all of the immunities provided by this Act or by common law or statute on behalf of themselves or their employees unless the local public entities shall elect by action of their corporate authorities or specifically contract to waive in whole or in part such immunities. (d) Within 30 days after January 1, 1991, and within 30 days after each January 1 thereafter, local public entities that are individually or jointly self-insured to protect against liability under the Workers' Compensation Act and the Workers' Occupational Diseases Act shall file with the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission a report indicating an election to self-insure.