Insurance companies are increasingly focusing on Built Tech and how the solutions impact project risk. They are investing in startups in the sector and also mounting their own direct partnerships with tech companies and other efforts. One example of this kind of effort was a "Technology Corner" created by insurance leader AON, cataloguing more than forty industry solutions and mapping them to the risks and insurance lines they may address. More recently, AXA XL announced its own Construction Ecosystem Technology Library with 20 new Solution Partners. Still other insurance companies and their venture affiliates have been making direct investments in the sector (see our Venture Dashboard). Insurance in the construction industry is big business. Technology has the potential to disrupt that business in many ways, and in this Briefing we attempt to illustrate how companies may be thinking about industry technology solutions in relation to major lines of industry insurance.
About the List
It is important to note that BuiltWorlds is not an insurance advisor and has not validated whether the companies on this list actually impact the risk areas indicated. There are some interesting efforts under way to provide quantifiable validation for the industry, and we hope to have more on those efforts and the results soon. In the meantime, the purpose of this Briefing is merely to break down some of the major lines of insurance the industry buys and to highlight some of the technologies that could help reduce incidents and drive down costs in those categories.
About the Companies
Again, BuiltWorlds is not recommending these particular companies, suggesting they are "the best," or pretending this list is exhaustive. In some cases, we felt the companies on this list justified mention because they also appeared in AON's Technology Corner or AXA XL's Technology Library, and those ties are noted in each solution description. In other cases, we have also added some companies that are BuiltWorlds Members that seems to fit the categories because they are our members. You will easily be able to spot those because we don't credit AON or AXA XL, and they generally have the best built-out directory pages. We also highlight them in bold and include the logos of BuiltWorlds Members at the bottom of the report linked to their company pages, where logos have been furnished. If we missed your company, hopefully we will find another opportunity to help share what your company is doing in the sector. Meantime, you can visit the BuiltWorlds Company Directory to ensure that your company at least is represented there. There is no cost to being in the directory.
About the Insurance Categories
To help us understand the categories of insurance lines that most apply to contractors, we visited the website of BuiltWorlds Insurance Company member, Hub International. On this Construction landing page, they provide a nice breakdown of eight major lines of insurance at play in the construction industry. Rather than trying to reinvent, we'll just reference their definitions with each category we cover. The one exception is Contractor Default Insurance where we have referenced the definition provided by Willis Towers Watson.
Explore Live at Wednesday's Insurtech Analyst Call
To learn more about how insurance companies are working with the industry and insurance-focused tech companies, we will also be meeting with AXA XL’s VP of Construction Innovation, Rose Hall, this week. Rose will discuss how AXA XL views their partnership with risk management-focused technologies, and how they aim to work with these startups. In addition, David Wald, CEO of Aclaimant, will provide the technologist's view, discussing how Aclaimant is structured to help contractors improve their risk oversight, as well as how Aclaimant works with Insurers. (Click here for more information about joining the event.)
Commercial Auto Liability
Unique coverage for both long and short haul transportation, towing, property damage, and instances such as bodily injury to drivers or physical damage to vehicles (Credit: Hub International)
Last Mile Delivery Solutions for the industry. Presumably, rather than sending people from the job site to pick up needed materials and supplies, GoForDelivers lets you leave those incidental trips, and associated opportunities for accidents, to the pros.
Insurance Company Angle: Part of the AXA XL Solutions Library
Beyond tracking your fleet, this solution offers a radar system to help prevent accidents and a dash cam.
Insurance Company Angle: Part of the AXA XL Solutions Library
This app helps you to know "when and how your users drive." It also offers solutions to help reduce driving distractions, detect when crashes occur, improve fuel efficiencies, and identify opportunities to lower premiums.
Insurance Company Angle: Part of the AXA XL Solutions Library
Builder's Risk
Covers property losses due to fire, water damage, explosions, ordinary wear and tear, and damage resulting from faulty design, planning, workmanship and materials (Credit: Hub International).
Eddy Solutions protects structures from leaks and floods through real time data, providing you the ability to shut off water from the main to the suites and all other areas of the building to immediately mitigate damage.
Insurance Company Angle: Part of the AXA XL Solutions Library
Insurance Company Angle: AON Tech Corner Profile Subject
Billed as the world’s first portable, digital cellular security system with high-performance wireless sensors.
Insurance Company Angle: Part of the AXA XL Solutions Library
Contractor Default Insurance (Or Subcontractor Default Insurance)
For more about Contractor Default or Subcontractor Default Insurance, we turned to Willis Towers Watson's site. According to the site, "the SDI policy is a tool that general contractors, prime contractors and construction managers (contractors) use to insure the risk of loss associated with the failure of their first-tier subcontractors."
BuildingConnected helps firms prequalify subcontractors through its TradeTapp solution.
Insurer Angle: AON Tech Corner Profile Subject
COMPASS provides an AI-enabled solution for bid management and pre-qualification of subcontractors.
Insurer Angle: AON Tech Corner Profile Subject
Environmental/Pollution
Environmental Insurance provides coverage during an environmental incident if the disposal of hazardous waste or handling of hazardous materials results in pollution (Credit: Hub International)
Document Crunch can help contractors spot provisions in contract documents that might lead lead to hazardous materials exposures.
Insurance Company Angle: Part of the AXA XL Solutions Library
MegaSecur provides solutions to manage water. It can help reduce risk associated with leaks and floods which are a major source of property damage during construction.
Insurance Company Angle: AON Tech Corner Profile Subject
General Liability
This insurance helps protect your organization from potential lawsuits that can arise from accidents or allegations of negligence to client property (Credit: Hub International)
Insurance Company Angle - Part of the AXA XL's Solutions Library.
SmartCompliance helps contractors keep track of insurance certificates and other documents to help make sure that the project insurance is in order and up to date.
Insurance Company Angle: SmartCompliance was included in AXA XL's Solutions Library.
Professional Liability
This insurance helps you protect yourself against charges of errors, omission or negligence that could destroy your reputation or business (Credit: Hub International)
Briq is a new generation of management system built with block chain technology. Block chain provides certain advantages in being able to trace activities to specific times and people, and this may help parties defend themselves when attempting to identify an error or omission in design.
Insurance Company Angle: AON Tech Corner Profile Subject
Insurance Company Angle: Part of AXA XL's Solutions Library.
Tool & Equipment Insurance (aka Inland Marine Insurance)
This category gets a little challenging. If tools or equipment on a jobsite are stolen, that may not be covered by general liability or builder's risk but could be protected by specific tool & equipment theft insurance. Again, referring to Hub International's website, an insurance product called inland marine insurance ensures "your contractor’s equipment, tools and materials, hull and cargo are covered (Credit: Hub International)."
Worker's Compensation
Covers employees who sustain injuries and illnesses in the course and scope of employment (Credit: Hub International)
Insurance Company Angle: Included in AXA XL's Solutions Library.
Insurance Company Angle: AON Tech Corner Profile Subject
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