Market Insights

The environmental insurance market remains stable, with a broad range of carriers actively competing in the space. The presence of new entrants continues to exert downward pressure on rates. For primary casualty lines, pricing generally ranges from flat to 10% increases, depending on the nature and size of the insured’s operations and location. Excess (XS) pricing trends similarly, except when XS auto coverage is included, where pricing can vary significantly based on operations, fleet size and composition, as well as venue.

Learn more about what exactly a Phase I ESA is and, more importantly, what it isn’t. And delve into the reasons why new owners may not want to rely on the coverage and use it as legal defense in case of liability.

While some segments are seeing softening, others face the hardest market conditions in decades. In this State of the Market report, Amwins specialists share market intelligence spanning rate, capacity, and coverage trends across lines of business and industries.

One way that companies are doing their part to battle climate change is investing in carbon sequestration. However, this process poses the potential for new exposures. This article explores the rise in popularity of the practice, associated risks, and how retailers can help safeguard their clients from potential claims.​

While some segments are seeing softening, others face the hardest market conditions in decades. In this State of the Market report, Amwins specialists share market intelligence spanning rate, capacity, and coverage trends across lines of business and industries.

While some segments are seeing softening, others face the hardest market conditions in decades. In this State of the Market report, Amwins specialists share market intelligence spanning rate, capacity, and coverage trends across lines of business and industries.

As the renewable energy sector continues to grow, new career opportunities evolve with a wide range of good paying but potentially hazardous jobs. In this article, we look at specific sectors of the industry that are more prone to common risk factors, and prevention efforts your clients can take to better mitigate risks.

While industry experts agree that the energy transition is required for the future health and sustainability of the planet, they also acknowledge that such change is not without risk and there are still a lot of unknowns about how the insurance industry might respond. Retail agents and brokers are wise to stay up to date on the latest developments so they can manage clients’ expectations as the situation evolves.

Nearly every type of business is at risk for some type of environmental exposure and pollution liability. For industries like construction with known hazards and higher risk potential, the variety of insurance policies available can make choosing the appropriate coverage a challenging decision. This article details typical environmental exposures contractors face, the risk level of specific construction activities and how environmental coverages are usually applied.

Climatologists predict that climate change will continue to cause larger and more frequent loss events as storms increase in both frequency and intensity. Now, more than ever, auto dealers must prepare their operations for extreme weather or suffer the unpredictable aftermath.

Proper vegetation management, including the removal of dead and dying trees around utility equipment, is the most effective risk-management technique for combatting fires. Unfortunately, only the largest arborist contractors can afford to purchase the wildfire coverage that allows them to do the job, leaving smaller contractors with few choices. This article explores some creative coverage approaches.

To help your insureds consider whether they need insurance for potential pollution liability, it helps to have a basic understanding of environmental regulations and their impact on general liability pollution exclusions. In this article, we will examine some claims scenarios where the right environmental insurance coverage might have made a substantial difference in out-of-pocket expenses.

​Forever chemicals aren't going anywhere, but the ability to obtain insurance coverage for potential exposures could be gone sooner than later. Recent legislative and regulatory developments underscore the urgency for insureds that produce or use PFAS to seek environmental coverage before carriers move to exclude them.

Businesses of all types rely on the laboratory testing services industry to perform tests on items ranging from consumer goods and food products to construction materials and industrial components. Since testing labs span numerous industries, each with their own regulation standards and risk factors, insureds need a policy that is designed to specifically address their unique needs. This article highlights four areas that should be thoroughly considered when developing a coverage plan for testing labs.

​Do you know what PFAS are? Did you know that they can cause health issues and that you're likely exposed to them every day in household items and drinking water? This article explores the world of PFAS, including government regulations, exposures and coverages for the businesses and municipalities at risk for lawsuits or remediation costs.

The disruption to business and everyday life caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is resulting in an economic impact for insureds. Much of this disruption is likely not covered by insurance. We have consulted with several AmWINS insurance specialists across the Property, Casualty and Professional Lines sectors and offer a COVID-19 update.

Underground storage tank (“UST”) regulations are intended to safeguard public health and safety, as well as reduce the economic impacts of a UST system failure. This article discusses developments set forth in the most recent federal UST regulations, which became effective in October 2015.

When a cement truck turns over and pollutes a stream, how is that insured’s exposure addressed? If a freight hauler is unloading drums of soap and one of those drums turns over and spills into a storm drain, how will the insured be protected? In the environmental marketplace, carriers will offer transportation pollution liability coverage to address these exposures.

Property damage doesn't always mean there was an alteration to structure or contents. In this article, we review a court case in which harmful air quality was ruled as causing “direct physical loss of or damage to” the company’s property.​

Concluding our two-part series on risks specific to "green" construction, this article highlights three of the most well-known “green” construction suits and discuss industry concerns and best practices.

In the first article of our two-part series, we provide a background and introduction to sustainable construction, including essential vocabulary that parties should consider before undertaking a "green" construction project.

Many business owners and operators incorrectly assume that their general liability policy will cover them from pollutants and bacteria, such as legionella. In reality, to properly cover such exposures, an Environmental Impairment Liability policy should be purchased and considered a cost of doing business.

Obtaining coverage for Exterior Insulation Finish Systems, or EIFS, use can be a challenge. That's why understanding the intricacies of these commonly used building applications are so critical.

In part one of our article series, AmWINS and Rockhill Environmental teamed up to show some examples that can lead to a loss. Now, in Part II, we outline some leading questions to help clients determine environmental exposure.

It’s easy to overlook the ways environmental exposures can lead to a loss. That’s why AmWINS and Rockhill Environmental have teamed up to provide a variety of examples that show how claims can arise from these exposures.