Fla. Added to RiskMeter Mapping Program

Florida, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Washington have been added to the online hazard mapping report available from CDS Business Mapping LLC. RiskMeter Online is used as an important rating factor for insurers including slope, aspect and elevation, simply by entering a street address.

Slope is an important rating factor for insurers. Many insurers charge a higher premium for properties built on steep slopes, due to the fact that rebuilding costs are generally higher. In addition, insurance companies are also concerned with slope when in close proximity to brush hazards, because fire tends to run uphill. Aspect indicates which direction the slope faces. Prevailing winds tend to push brush fires in the direction which it is headed. Elevation is used by many companies when evaluating coastal and flood hazards.

A unique feature of the RiskMeter’s slope, aspect and elevation report is its ability to give the user slope and elevation statistics. The report returns the minimum, maximum and average slope and elevation for the area around a property. This alerts the user if the property falls very close to a steep slope.

“The key to success in the insurance industry is having pertinent information right at your fingertips,” Dan Munson, vice president of sales and marketing explains. “With this new report we can provide our users with another tool to help them accurately price a policy based on risk.”

The RiskMeter is used by underwriters and agents to automate property risk reports. The RiskMeter uses Internet mapping technology, enabling underwriters to determine the proximity to natural hazards for any property in the Unites States. The RiskMeter is fast and accurate and can save underwriters considerable time and money. It looks up distance to coast, wind pool eligibility, rating territories (company specific), proximity to brush, earthquake information, flood zones and others.