JERSEY CITY, N.J., — ISO, a Verisk (Nasdaq:VRSK) business, has launched a new homeowners endorsement to address damage to underground utility lines, a risk that isn’t always handled by municipalities or covered in standard homeowners insurance policies.
The new endorsement for the ISO Homeowners Program can be used to provide coverage related to underground pipes, wires, and some buried equipment from a range of causes, including explosions, tree root growth, and wear and tear.
“Claims arising from buried utilities often come as a surprise because deterioration is hidden until a loss of service occurs,” said Doug Caccese, president of ISO Personal Lines. “Excavating the line, fixing or replacing it, and repairing related damage can cost thousands of dollars. Our new endorsement is the kind of value-added enhancement that many consumers are looking for in today’s competitive homeowners market and that our insurer customers can now offer.”
In addition to direct costs covered by the endorsement, policyholders also can be covered for some additional living expenses while their property is uninhabitable, as well as for loss of rental income.
To complement the endorsement, ISO is also introducing associated rules and loss costs, leveraging its deep knowledge and experience in the development of coverage and actuarially sound pricing designed to conform with applicable regulatory requirements. ISO began the state-by-state filing process for this new endorsement in June 2020.
To learn more about ISO’s new homeowners endorsement for underground utility lines, visit https://www.verisk.com/insurance/capabilities/underwriting/personal-property/forms-loss-costs-and-statistical-reporting/.
About ISO
ISO, a Verisk (Nasdaq:VRSK) business, is a leading provider of advanced tools and analytics for the property/casualty insurance industry. Drawing on unique data assets and deep domain expertise, ISO products and services help insurers underwrite and price risks with greater precision and efficiency and manage claims more effectively across the spectrum of commercial and personal lines of insurance. For nearly 50 years, ISO has been a leader in developing innovative solutions and working with multiple stakeholders in the property/casualty insurance marketplace, including insurers, reinsurers, third-party administrators, agents and brokers, insurance regulators, and risk managers. For more information, please visit www.verisk.com/iso.