For the past twenty years the interest in roofs by the insurance industry has increased exponentially. From simple questions about type and age the topic has evolved to high tech AI assisted ariel imagery being used to develop numerical scores. The images are used to identify roof covering material, estimate roof age, detect wet areas, and evaluate the condition of the roofing materials. We have previously written an article on insurance roof inspections. The Roof Score Techn

Most businesses need crime insurance, yet it is often overlooked and not discussed in detail. While an open-perils property policy may cover theft, it often excludes or sharply limits coverage for money and securities. Under a named-perils property policy, theft is typically excluded altogether. Employee theft is excluded under all property policies, so businesses with employees who handle money should carry crime insurance. Crime insurance must be carefully structured, with

The insurance industry has long been concerned with the impact of catastrophes (CAT) on their financial stability. The reinsurance market exists to smooth our results when a catastrophe strikes to maintain carrier solvency and market stability. Twenty-five years ago, the CAT concerns were hurricane and earthquakes. These exposures were geographically centered and were managed by monitoring the values accumulated in given areas. Managing and reporting your exposure accurately

For most insurance companies, the frequency of water damage claims is the leading claim type. The costs of these events can be staggering. The level of disruption caused by the damage is often an additional source of claim dollars and lost time and revenue. The Exposure The exposure to a water damage claim is present in any building. From bathroom fixtures, kitchen appliances, laundry equipment, heating and cooling systems and host bibs in your home, any failure of these can

Smoke Damage after a Fire – A potential total Loss? The insurance business is based on the law of large numbers and the use of historic data to guide its decision making. The past history of fire losses have treated smoke damage as a secondary issue. It meant smoke damage after a fire was a cleanup issue and if needed seal with a coating to make it go away. The primary issues were appearance and odor. This approach was based on a hundred years of experience with fires that w

Indentifying and Knowing When we ask a client who their insurance company is they often answer with the name of their agent. We are flattered that you identify with Driehaus Insurance, but beyond our company is the insurer who provides the policy terms and conditions that will ultimately determine your claim settlement. You should know exactly who this is. Here are some of the terms that are important in identifying and knowing your insurance company. Admitted versus Non-Admi

We Have a Great Opportunity. With the holidays quickly closing in I have a hard deadline to meet. My client needed his insurance program put together and bound by Thanksgiving. After that he was too busy to discuss insurance. Named Insured was Santa Claus. I still need to determine the type of entity we need to insure. Is this an LLC, C Corp, or a partnership? If other entities are involved, we need all the details for the correct named insureds. Property coverage is for a w

Your insurance company may request that Verisk, formerly ISO, come out to your property and conduct a survey to establish the base loss costs for your property. While many carriers say they do not use the Verisk loss costs, they do use the data collected during this process. Inaccurate data can lead to incorrect construction classifications and no sprinkler credits given. This information will persist until another insurance company orders and pays for a new survey. Your prop

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Deductibles have evolved into a tool for exposure and risk management for policyholders and insurance companies.

A manufacturing risk with high piled rack storage had a fire pump to support their sprinkler system. The fire pump was tested and the...

This is part of your sprinkler system that is of great importance to insurance representatives and fire and building code enforcement...

Social media and the news feeds are full of stories with insurance companies cancelling policies. This headline makes for a strong click...

The ongoing wildfires in southern California have highlighted this hazard and the tragic results brought international attention. The...

The roof of your home protects your possessions from wind, rain, snow, ice, hail, and fire. Roofing constitutes about 7% of the total...

Key elements of an effective dry pipe sprinkler system maintenance program

The insurance industry has a long history of being reluctant to pay for claims related to water damage. Claims of water damage can be...

Fire sprinkler systems need your attention to prevent a freeze event that can either impair protection or cause water damage. As winter...

Chimneys and vent pipes are an important part of the safety system for your home or business. These devices remove the products of...

Sprinkler systems and standpipe systems often have a fire pump as part of the water supply for the systems. If you have a fire pump as...