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Beacon Hill Associates, Inc. is a wholesale insurance broker and program administrator, specializing in the placement of environmental insurance and other specialty insurance coverages for agents nationwide.
Beacon Hill Blog
Archive for the ‘Environmental Insurance’ Category
Monday, March 29th, 2010
Oil & gas risks are always in a state of dynamic change, adapting to the needs of their clients and the insurance requirements placed upon them. At Beacon Hill Associates, our markets have the ability to write a variety of coverages for these clients, including General Liability, Auto, Excess, Products Pollution Liability, and Broad Form Pollution (for both Contractors or Site), as well as Transportation Pollution Liability.
Target business classes include:
- Pipeline Contractors and Operators
- Refinery Contractors
- Oil & Gas Servicing Contractors
- Vacuum Truck Services
- Blending and Mixing facilities
- Refineries (natural gas, crude, refined products)
- Salt Water Disposal
- Haulers of any placard use
- Manufacturers of any product whose failure would cause a pollution loss.
- Distributors of any product whose failure would cause a pollution loss.
Premiums start at just $2,500. Call 1-800-596-2156 for more information.
  
Tags: Energy, Environmental Insurance
Posted in Environmental Insurance | No Comments »
Monday, March 1st, 2010
Insurance agents may be more inclined to sell Pollution insurance in 2010 now that the 2008 EPA Lead Rule will become effective on April 22, 2010. Contractors performing work on buildings constructed before 1978 will be required to abide by the EPA Lead-Based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule. The regulation creates more responsibility/awareness from the contractor in dealing with potentially hazardous areas. As a result, the contractor may incur more exposure to lead-based paint claims, which is excluded under most General Liability policies.
The RRP Rule is a federal EPA program that affects contractors, property managers, and others who disturb qualifying interior and exterior painted surfaces. Remodeling, maintenance, painting/surface preparation, window replacement, electrical, plumbing, and carpentry activities are subject to the program rules. Exceptions include emergency repair work, minor repair work that disturbs less than 6 square feet of paint per room, and housing declared lead free by a certified lead inspector. Types of properties affected by the program include pre-1978 schools, daycare centers, residential homes, and apartment buildings.*
Currently painters, electricians, GCs, carpenters, property managers, and maintenance contractors are being required to provide pre-renovation educational lead pamphlets to tenants, receive delivery confirmation, and post signs about the workplace.
Effective April 22, 2010, renovators must attend an eight-hour training course by an EPA approved training provider and the firms they work for must also be accredited. Training classes address dust and debris containment, restricting open flame burning, exhaust control for power tools and clean up procedures, record keeping, and other precautionary measures. The accreditation must be renewed every five years. Other state and local requirements may also apply and be more stringent.
Insurance Issues
The EPA is broadening renovators’ responsibilities beyond the scope of a general contractor and General Liability policy. While contractors always have a Pollution exposure, the new EPA requirements increase the risk for Pollution liability claims. The new rule requires renovators to perform lead testing, encapsulation, and cleaning activities. It also requires the contractor to educate property owners/residents about the dangers of lead and the work to be performed. (more…)
Tags: Contractors, Contractors Pollution Liability, CPL, Environmental Insurance, EPA Regulations
Posted in Articles, Environmental Insurance, Environmental Insurance Advice | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010
At Beacon Hill Associates, we work with agents around the country to place environmental insurance for their clients. Many of these accounts are like puzzles, and require us to fit different coverages together to create a complete insurance program. While we focus primarily on helping our agents write environmental coverages to protect their clients’ businesses, we also help them build their accounts by offering supporting lines, adding value to these accounts and making them difficult for competitors to take away.
Top 3 Advantages of Offering a Multi-line Program:
- Streamline your client’s insurance account by offering all coverages with the same carrier. This saves time and the insured will often receive a multi-line discount on premium.
- Simplify all communication with the carrier. By working with one carrier to handle all lines of an account, there is typically one contact who handles all questions and claims.
- Eliminate the possibility of multiple carriers having differing views on a claim or discrepancies on handling the insurance coverages.
The most common types of supporting lines we can secure are: Pollution, Auto, Excess, Professional, General Liability, and Workers Compensation. Some of Our Multi-line Success Stories Include:
- Multifaceted energy/environmental services company operating salt water disposal wells, trucking, emergency response engineering, and related services. Placed the General Liability, Auto, Workers Compensation, Motor Truck Cargo, E&O, Premises Pollution, and Umbrella for in excess of $850,000.
- Chemical manufacturer seeking General Liability, Site Pollution, and Excess Liability. Wrote a combination General Liability with Third Party Bodily Injury/Property Damage and $1M Excess for $14,000.
- $26M environmental contractor/consultant. Packaged General Liability/Pollution/Professional, Excess, and Auto with one carrier for just under $325,000.
- $5M tank contractor seeking General Liability/Pollution Associated Professional Coverage and $4M Excess for a total of $90,000.
- Small hazmat/crime scene clean-up contractor seeking General Liability and Pollution coverage. Wrote with a two Excess policies (over Auto and Employers Liability) for about $8,500.
- Large Mid Atlantic tank removal/emergency clean-up contractor, wrote General Liability/Pollution, Auto with broadened pollution/ MCS90 endorsement, Workers Compensation, and $1M Excess policy for $148,000.
- Hazardous Materials Trucking Company. Placed General Liability, Auto, and Excess for $421,000.
- Chemical blending and production company wrote General Liability, Premises Pollution, Auto, and Excess for a combined premium of $186,000.
Contact us today for more information, applications, or to discuss where we can help you find opportunities!
Tags: Environmental Insurance Advice, Multi-line, Supporting Lines
Posted in Environmental Insurance | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
As a wholesale broker in this competitive insurance market, we understand that you are probably always on the lookout for innovative new products and coverages that will make your insureds’ lives easier. One of the most common questions we hear from our agents is “how can I bring my contractor clients quality coverage at prices they can afford?” Never fear! Beacon Hill is happy to announce that we now have a Workers Comp product specifically geared toward Fire & Water Restoration and Asbestos Abatement Contractors. Coverage is offered by carriers rated ‘A’ or better and starts at just $750.
Now is the time to examine your book to see if you can move any of your Workers Comp accounts from assigned risk (or other state programs) into a program that will offer exceptional coverage at a very competitive rate. In addition, by securing this line, you can increase your control over these accounts and potentially bring in more revenue for your agency. Take advantage of this opportunity to reach out to your clients and make sure they have the best insurance program possible.
We must receive the following information in order to process your submission:
- ACORD 125 section
- ACORD Workers Comp section
- Current experience mod worksheet
- Three years of loss runs
- Description of the account and information on the company’s services.
PartnerOne Workers Compensation is available in the following states: AL, AR, CT, GA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, OK, PA, SC, TN, and VA.
Call Beacon Hill Associates, Inc. today at 1-800-596-2156 for more information or to discuss a specific account. We look forward to working with you!
Tags: Contractors, Environmental Insurance, Workers Comp
Posted in Environmental Insurance | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009
Most agents are aware of the pollution exposures for their contractor clients and many are becoming familiar with Premises Pollution policies for commercial and industrial facilities. However, Products Pollution for manufacturing risks still appears to be a bit of a mystery.
Products Pollution coverage provides liability coverage for Bodily Injury and Property Damage to third parties arising out of a manufactured product. Pollutant Clean Up may be provided separately or included within the definition of Property Damage. Coverage can be provided by either a stand alone policy or by an endorsement to a CGL form and can be offered with either a Claims Made or Occurrence Trigger, depending upon the market and type of product being insured.
Who Should Buy Products Pollution Coverage?
Basically the market is divided into two camps, one termed “soft products” and the other termed “hard products.” Soft products would encompass blending and manufacturing for industries such as chemical, detergent, petroleum, and fertilizer. Hard products would include manufacturers of drums and barrels, tanks and vessels, pipe, pollution control, and filtration devices. In addition to manufacturers, importers and distributors of either hard or soft products should also consider purchasing this coverage.
Some Examples of Products Pollution Coverage Written by Beacon Hill:
- A firm that rents out large industrial pumps. They do not manufacture the pumps, but they do repair and refurbish the pumps. Products Pollution coverage was provided by endorsement to their GL policy.
- A manufacturer of flexible hoses and couplings used in retail gas stations.
- An importer/distributor of water filters used to clean ponds and small lakes.
- A custom blender of specialized lubricants for the petroleum industry.
Is Products Pollution Coverage Easy to Buy?
While not every environmental carrier is willing to offer Products Pollution coverage, there are a number of carriers who will write it. Obtaining a quote is relatively straight forward with a short questionnaire to be completed and supplemented by the applicable ACORD applications.
Is Products Pollution Coverage Expensive?
This is always the last question from an agent—the short answer is no. This type of coverage is relatively inexpensive, with many minimum premiums offered by some carriers dipping below $10,000. Premiums are rated on revenues and the type of products sold.
Tags: Contractors, Exposures, Products Pollution
Posted in Environmental Insurance | No Comments »
Monday, November 23rd, 2009
It is a misconception that the only people who have pollution exposures are those involved with hazardous substances. Unfortunately, this is not the case. In truth, anybody who works with, or can be held responsible for, the release of a substance into the environment that meets the definition of a “pollutant” in the ISO exclusion has a pollution exposure.
Trade Contractors are in a uniquely challenging position. While their responsibilities are often narrowly defined in the scope of services, they are usually one part of a multi-part process. This means that any claims that arise from a site may be brought against any or all of the contractors who performed operations at the location. And if the claim alleges something that is excluded by the contractor’s CGL policy, defense may not be provided.
Specific job site exposures that different types of trades have:
- Disturbing or exacerbating existing pollutants: Many contractors move earth, excavate, demolish, or otherwise alter existing features of a property. If any of those contain hazardous substances (petroleum contaminated soil, asbestos containing building materials, etc.), the contractor can be held responsible even though he was never advised that he would be.
- Contamination caused by materials the contractor brings to the site, such as paints, cleaning solvents, fuels, lubricants, etc.
- Contamination caused by operations, such as cutting through a gas line, installing flashing around window incorrectly, installing piping improperly, failing to solder joints, roofing leaks, erosion at site causing offsite contamination, etc.
- Contamination for which the contractor is held responsible, such as operations of a subcontractor to the trade contractor and actions of a party delivering materials to the site for the contractor.
- In addition to job site exposures, Trade Contractors also have exposures at the premises they own. This property, where they store their equipment and supplies, is often the single largest equity investment they have. Pollution at that location could reduce its value tremendously, effectively wiping out the equity built up by the owners.
- The final exposure area to note is Over the Road Pollution. This is the exposure that vehicles have going from owned premises to job sites. The upset and overturn of a vehicle can cause significant contamination, even if only from small amounts of fuels or solvents they use in their everyday work.
There are coverages available to address all of these exposures:
Contractors Pollution Liability
Designed to protect the Insured for claims stemming from pollution conditions at, on, or emanating from a job site arising where they are performing their operations.
Premises Pollution Liability
Coverage designed to protect against losses arising from the scheduled premises, which in this case would be the contractor’s owned properties.
Over the Road Pollution (Transportation Pollution Liability) is of course, coverage for pollution events during transit.
All of these coverages are available for most trade contractors, and they are all affordable. Many can be purchased together in packages, or separately depending on the needs of the particular Insured. For the trade contractor faced with many exposures that are effectively out of their control, consideration of this type of coverage is very important. In the current softening market, enhancing your clients’ coverage can be done for little additional premium and will help secure your relationship going into the future.
Tags: Contractors Pollution Liability, Environmental Insurance, Site Pollution, Transportation Pollution Liability
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Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
Do you insure contractors who have multiple jobsites and utilize mobile equipment? How is that equipment fueled? Does the insured haul each piece of equipment back to their own location to fuel or does the fuel go to the equipment? If the fuel is being brought to the equipment by the insured or by a third party acting on behalf of the insured, then the questions is: Does their Auto policy include broadened pollution coverage for property damage arising from a fuel spill when it is being transported as cargo? If the answer to that question is “No” then your insured has a pollution exposure and needs protection. When there are several hundreds of gallons of diesel fuel spilling out onto the highway and surrounding property, who do you think will be held responsible?
Transportation Pollution Liability (TPL) provides coverage for this gap in coverage. It is available both in conjunction with a Contractors Pollution Liability (CPL) policy and on a stand alone basis. This coverage applies to losses specifically caused by pollution conditions arising from transported cargo when the vehicle is being used in the performance of the insured’s operations.
If you would like to learn more about TPL coverage, feel free to contact us at 1-800-596-2156 or marketing@b-h-a.com.
Tags: Environmental Insurance, Transportation, Transportation Pollution Liability
Posted in Environmental Insurance | No Comments »
Thursday, October 1st, 2009
The EPA recently released a list of over 40 “high hazard potential” sites around the country that contain coal combustion residuals, commonly referred to as coal ash. This substance is a product of burning coal and is often stored in containment ponds or dams near electrical utilities. As coal ash leaches into the soil and spills into areas surrounding these facilities, there can be serious ramifications on human health and the environment. These storage ponds hold fly ash, bottom ash, coal slag, and flue gas residues that contain toxic metals such as mercury, arsenic, selenium, cadmium, and lead—all potentially toxic to people and wildlife.
Due to several recent coal ash spills, the EPA and other federal regulatory agencies are cracking down on the assessment, maintenance, and clean up of coal ash storage ponds in the U.S. These agencies will review the information provided by the facilities to identify issues that need priority attention, and will also visit many of these facilities to see if the management units are structurally sound. The top five states that are home to these “high hazard potential” sites include: North Carolina, Arizona, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia.
Although the risks associated with hazardous coal ash sites can be devastating to the communities surrounding them, this is an opportunity for our government to take a more active role in making sure electrical (and other energy) utility sites are operating responsibly. This is also an opportunity for you to assist your clients—those who operate energy utilities as well as contractors who may be hired to clean them up—and make sure they have adequate environmental insurance. Take this opportunity to help your clients protect themselves from a potentially disastrous financial loss and secure the future of their businesses and workforces.
Contact Beacon Hill Associates, Inc. today for more information and applications.
Tags: Environmental Insurance, Pollutant, Site Pollution
Posted in Articles, Environmental Insurance | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 9th, 2009
Question: Why advise an insurance carrier of any incident or circumstance that may give rise to a claim, rather than wait until an actual claim is made?
Answer: It is important for an insured to remember that all potential incidents or circumstances that may develop into a claim should be reported to the insurer. Not only does diligent claim reporting protect the insured’s interests, it can also provide an opportunity to head off possible future litigation. Additionally, because most policies contain an exclusion for incidents or circumstances that were known by the insured, a claim made at a later date has the potential to be denied under this exclusion.
Many Claims Made policy forms require the insured to notify the carrier of any incidents, and several specifically address this issue with what is commonly known as “Circumstance Reporting” provisions. These provisions vary from carrier to carrier but generally require the insured to advise the carrier if anything has occurred. Any claim subsequently made against the insured because of the incident or circumstance would then be treated as a claim first made and reported to the insurer at the time the incident was originally reported. How carriers treat these reported circumstances varies: some lock in the incident date forever while others set a time limit for the reported incident to manifest into a full claim. Carriers may undertake an investigation of the incident immediately, if in their opinion there is a likelihood that the incident will become a full claim.
When placing Claims Made coverage for your insureds, it is important that circumstance reporting is adequately reviewed and addressed. At Beacon Hill Associates, we continue to review the forms we work with so that we can provide you with the coverage and enhancements you client needs to be adequately covered.
Tags: Claims, Environmental Insurance
Posted in Environmental Insurance, Environmental Insurance Advice | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 1st, 2009
You may have heard that several industries anticipate a monetary payout from the impending economic stimulus legislations to be used for upgrades, improvements, and overall growth. One of the groups that will benefit from these funds funneling into the market is environmental facilities—landfills, recycling centers, wastewater treatment facilities, transfer stations, and alternative energy production plants.
As we all know, pollution coverage is generally excluded from a standard General Liability policy. Obvious exposures that affect environmental facilities include, but are not limited to: chemical leaks from onsite containers/tanks, toxic fumes emitted into the air, and untreated wastewater discharged into the public drinking water supply. However, pollutants are not always hazardous! A pollutant includes dust that can be kicked up by vehicles entering/leaving a landfill or wastewater run-off into a nearby stream. Even foul odors from transfer stations can require action, should a 3rd party make a claim.
A combined General Liability/Site Pollution Liability policy provides the best protection for environmental facilities, and is potentially the most cost effective solution as well. The pollution exclusion via the General Liability form is adequately addressed by the addition of Site Pollution Liability coverage; therefore, these facilities and their neighbors (like you and I) can all breathe a bit easier.
Available enhancements to packaged coverage for environmental facilities:
- - Packages can add Contractors Pollution Liability/ Professional Liability (Applies if insured is performing any contracting/consulting work offsite for clients; CGL coverage part excludes pollution and professional liability, creating a gap in coverage.)
- - Transportation Pollution Liability for any over the road exposure
- - Blanket Additional Insured and Waiver of Subrogation
- - Separate Follow form Excess policy available.
- - Separate Business Auto policy for insured’s fleet available for both hazardous and non-hazardous hauling exposures.
Help your environmental facility clients allocate some of their stimulus money to purchase coverage that will protect them in the long run. The bottom line is that facility owners simply can’t afford to forego environmental insurance when a potential claim may make their financial outlook even more fragile.
Tags: Environmental Facilities, Pollutant, Site Pollution
Posted in Environmental Insurance | No Comments »
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