KRS 67.186: Fiscal court may provide for liability and indemnity insurance for benefit of

patients of county operated hospitals -- Conditions.

(1) The fiscal court of any county in which there is a county operated hospital may

provide for liability and indemnity i nsurance for the benefit of the hospital against

the negligence of the employees of such hospital.

(2) The insurance policies so purchased by the fiscal court shall be purchased only from

insurance companies authorized to transact business in this state, a nd any such

policy shall bind the insurer to pay, subject to the terms and conditions of the

policy, any final judgment, not in excess of the policy limits, rendered against the

insured hospital or hospital employees for the death or injury of any patient, or

damage to the property of any patient, resulting from the negligence of the hospital,

its agents or employees.

(3) This section shall not be construed as waiving the immunity of the county or county

operated hospital from suit only to the extent of the policy limits, and no judgment

may be enforced or collected against the county, fiscal court, the members thereof,

or such hospital, but shall only measure the liability of the insurance carrier. No

attempt shall be made in the trial of any suit to sugges t the existence of any

insurance which covers in whole or in part any judgment or award which has been

rendered in favor of the claimant, but if the verdict rendered by the jury exceeds the

limits of applicable insurance, the court shall reduce the amount of said judgment to

a sum equal to the applicable limit stated in the policy.