OUT OF THE ORDINARY INSURANCE

POLLUTION LIABILITY INSURANCE COST & PRICING GUIDE

ONE OF THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS IN THE ENTIRE ENVIRONMENTAL INSURANCE SPACE IS SIMPLE: HOW MUCH DOES POLLUTION LIABILITY INSURANCE COST? THE HONEST ANSWER IS: IT DEPENDS. THIS PAGE EXISTS TO TEACH YOU WHAT IT DEPENDS ON — SO YOU CAN APPROACH THE CONVERSATION WITH THE RIGHT EXPECTATIONS AND THE RIGHT INFORMATION.

COST FACTOR ANALYZER BUYER TYPE MATCHER SUBMISSION QUALITY TOOL UNDERWRITER LENS FAQS
WHY THERE IS NO SIMPLE ANSWER
PROPERTY OWNER
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FUEL HAULER
CLEAN ACCOUNT
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CONTAMINATED SITE
STRONG SUBMISSION
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THIN SUBMISSION
PRICING VARIES BECAUSE EXPOSURES VARY. THE FIRST STEP IS UNDERSTANDING YOUR EXPOSURE — THEN ASKING FOR A PRICE.
BOOK AN APPOINTMENT CONTACT US TODAY CALL / TEXT (412) 212-2800
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MANY BUYERS SEARCH FOR PRICE BEFORE THEY UNDERSTAND THEIR EXPOSURE STRUCTURE. THAT IS UNDERSTANDABLE — BUT PRICE ONLY MAKES SENSE AFTER THE EXPOSURE IS CORRECTLY UNDERSTOOD. THIS PAGE WILL HELP YOU THINK ABOUT POLLUTION LIABILITY PRICING THE RIGHT WAY: EXPOSURE FIRST, PRICE SECOND.
WHAT DRIVES COST

TYPE OF INSURED, TYPE OF EXPOSURE, PROJECT OR SITE CHARACTERISTICS, LIMITS REQUESTED, RETENTIONS OR DEDUCTIBLES, CLAIMS HISTORY, QUALITY OF UNDERWRITING INFORMATION, CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS, SIZE OF OPERATIONS, GEOGRAPHY, KNOWN OR UNKNOWN CONTAMINATION, REVENUE OR PAYROLL, AND HAZARDOUS MATERIAL PROFILE.

WHY PRICING VARIES SO MUCH

A LOW-SEVERITY FIXED-SITE EXPOSURE IS NOT PRICED THE SAME AS A HIGH-RISK REMEDIATION CONTRACTOR. A SMALL PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY NEED IS NOT PRICED THE SAME AS A FUEL HAULER OR PETROLEUM SITE. PRICING VARIES BECAUSE EXPOSURES VARY — AND BECAUSE UNDERWRITERS PRICE WHAT THEY ACTUALLY SEE IN A SUBMISSION.

THE SUBMISSION REALITY

UNDERWRITERS PRICE UNCERTAINTY. IF THE INFORMATION IN A SUBMISSION IS THIN, SLOPPY, OR INCOMPLETE, THE ACCOUNT MAY GET PRICED WORSE — OR DECLINED ALTOGETHER. STRONGER SUBMISSIONS GENERALLY CREATE BETTER CONVERSATIONS AND BETTER OUTCOMES.

COST FACTOR ANALYZER

WHICH FACTORS APPLY TO YOUR ACCOUNT?

SELECT EVERY FACTOR THAT APPLIES TO YOUR OPERATION OR SITUATION. THE TOOL SHOWS YOU WHICH CATEGORIES OF YOUR RISK PROFILE ARE LIKELY TO HAVE THE MOST IMPACT ON POLLUTION LIABILITY PRICING.

SELECT ALL FACTORS THAT APPLY TO YOUR ACCOUNT
EXPOSURE PROFILE
RISK MODIFIERS
SUBMISSION QUALITY
EXPOSURE SEVERITY
0%
RISK MODIFIERS
0%
SUBMISSION QUALITY
0%
PRICING PRESSURE ASSESSMENT
SELECT FACTORS ABOVE TO SEE HOW YOUR ACCOUNT PROFILE WOULD LIKELY BE VIEWED BY UNDERWRITERS.
BUYER TYPE MATCHER

WHICH TYPE OF BUYER ARE YOU?

POLLUTION LIABILITY PRICING LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON WHAT TYPE OF INSURED YOU ARE. SELECT THE BUYER TYPE THAT BEST DESCRIBES YOUR OPERATION TO SEE THE SPECIFIC PRICING CONSIDERATIONS THAT APPLY TO YOUR CATEGORY.

CONTRACTORS POLLUTION LIABILITY (CPL)

CONTRACTORS & CPL BUYERS

FOR CONTRACTORS, POLLUTION LIABILITY PRICING IS TYPICALLY DRIVEN BY REVENUE OR PAYROLL, THE TYPE OF WORK PERFORMED, THE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL PROFILE, THE SCOPE OF SUBCONTRACTING, AND LOSS HISTORY. REMEDIATION AND ABATEMENT CONTRACTORS FACE HIGHER PRICING THAN GENERAL CONTRACTORS WITH LIMITED POLLUTION EXPOSURE.

KEY PRICING DRIVERS FOR THIS BUYER TYPE
REVENUE / PAYROLLPRIMARY RATING BASE FOR MOST CPL PROGRAMS
WORK TYPEREMEDIATION AND ABATEMENT RATED DIFFERENTLY THAN GENERAL CONTRACTOR
SUBCONTRACTINGWHO ELSE IS DOING WORK AND WHAT IS THEIR EXPOSURE?
LOSS HISTORYCLAIMS SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
TYPICAL PRICING SPECTRUM
LOWER END SMALL GENERAL CONTRACTOR, LIMITED POLLUTION EXPOSURE, CLEAN HISTORY, GOOD SUBMISSION
MID RANGE MID-SIZE CONTRACTOR WITH MODERATE POLLUTION WORK, REASONABLE LIMITS, DECENT HISTORY
HIGHER END REMEDIATION, ABATEMENT, HAZMAT — HIGH-SEVERITY WORK, SIGNIFICANT LIMITS, COMPLEX HISTORY
SEE DETAILED CPL COST GUIDE FOR CONTRACTORS →
SITE POLLUTION LIABILITY (PLL)

PROPERTY OWNERS & SITE BUYERS

FOR PROPERTY OWNERS AND SITE-BASED POLICIES, PRICING IS DRIVEN BY SITE CHARACTERISTICS, KNOWN CONTAMINATION, PROPERTY USE, HISTORICAL CONDITIONS, AND THE LIMITS AND DEDUCTIBLES SELECTED. A CLEAN PROPERTY WITH NO KNOWN CONDITIONS IS PRICED VERY DIFFERENTLY FROM A SITE WITH KNOWN ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS.

KEY PRICING DRIVERS FOR THIS BUYER TYPE
SITE HISTORYPRIOR INDUSTRIAL USE, TANKS, SPILL EVENTS — ALL AFFECT PRICING
KNOWN CONDITIONSCONFIRMED CONTAMINATION IS PRICED MUCH HIGHER — OR MAY BE EXCLUDED
PROPERTY USEINDUSTRIAL, RETAIL, RESIDENTIAL — ALL HAVE DIFFERENT RISK PROFILES
DEDUCTIBLEHIGHER DEDUCTIBLES CAN MEANINGFULLY REDUCE PREMIUM
TYPICAL PRICING SPECTRUM
LOWER END CLEAN COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, NO KNOWN CONDITIONS, STANDARD LIMITS, GOOD HISTORY
MID RANGE PROPERTY WITH SOME HISTORY OR PRIOR INDUSTRIAL USE, MODERATE KNOWN CONDITIONS
HIGHER END CONFIRMED CONTAMINATION, INDUSTRIAL SITE, HIGH LIMITS, COMPLEX REGULATORY HISTORY
SEE SITE POLLUTION LIABILITY (PLL) INSURANCE →
TRANSPORTATION POLLUTION LIABILITY

HAULERS & TRANSPORT BUYERS

FOR HAULERS AND TRANSPORT OPERATIONS, PRICING IS DRIVEN BY THE MATERIAL BEING TRANSPORTED, THE ROUTES AND JURISDICTIONS INVOLVED, FLEET SIZE, REVENUE, AND CLAIMS HISTORY. FUEL AND HAZMAT HAULERS ARE IN ONE OF THE HIGHEST PRICING TIERS IN TRANSPORTATION POLLUTION LIABILITY — BECAUSE THE SEVERITY POTENTIAL IS EXTREMELY HIGH.

KEY PRICING DRIVERS FOR THIS BUYER TYPE
MATERIAL TYPEWHAT IS BEING HAULED IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST FACTOR
FLEET SIZENUMBER OF VEHICLES AND GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT
REVENUEGROSS ANNUAL REVENUE IS A COMMON RATING BASE
ROUTE SENSITIVITYWATERWAYS, URBAN AREAS, AND SENSITIVE GEOGRAPHY AFFECT PRICING
TYPICAL PRICING SPECTRUM
LOWER END GENERAL HAULER WITH LOW POLLUTION SENSITIVITY, SMALL FLEET, CLEAN HISTORY
MID RANGE PETROLEUM TRANSPORT, MID-SIZE FLEET, REASONABLE LIMITS, GOOD SUBMISSION
HIGHER END HAZMAT, LARGE FLEET, HIGH SEVERITY MATERIAL, COMPLEX CLAIMS HISTORY
SEE ENVIRONMENTAL INSURANCE FOR FUEL HAULERS & HAZMAT →
PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY / E&O

CONSULTANTS & ENGINEERS

FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS AND ENGINEERS, PRICING IS PRIMARILY DRIVEN BY REVENUE, THE TYPE AND COMPLEXITY OF WORK PERFORMED, THE PROFILE OF CLIENTS SERVED, AND CLAIMS HISTORY. A SMALL PHASE I CONSULTANT IS NOT PRICED THE SAME AS A FIRM DOING COMPLEX REMEDIATION DESIGN OR HIGH-STAKES TRANSACTION SUPPORT WORK.

KEY PRICING DRIVERS FOR THIS BUYER TYPE
REVENUEPRIMARY RATING BASE FOR PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY PROGRAMS
WORK TYPECOMPLEX REMEDIATION DESIGN OR TRANSACTION SUPPORT = HIGHER RISK
CLIENT PROFILEREGULATED INDUSTRIES AND HIGH-STAKES CLIENTS AFFECT PRICING
CLAIMS HISTORYPROFESSIONAL LIABILITY CLAIMS ARE CAREFULLY UNDERWRITTEN
TYPICAL PRICING SPECTRUM
LOWER END SMALL FIRM, PHASE I OR BASIC ASSESSMENT WORK, CLEAN HISTORY, STANDARD LIMITS
MID RANGE MID-SIZE FIRM, MIXED WORK TYPES INCLUDING SOME REMEDIATION OR DESIGN SUPPORT
HIGHER END LARGE FIRM, COMPLEX REMEDIATION DESIGN, REGULATORY RELIANCE WORK, PRIOR CLAIMS
SEE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY →
TRANSACTION / DEAL-SPECIFIC

TRANSACTION & DEAL BUYERS

FOR TRANSACTION-SPECIFIC ENVIRONMENTAL INSURANCE, PRICING IS DRIVEN BY THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF KNOWN CONDITIONS, THE RESULTS OF DUE DILIGENCE, THE PROPERTY TYPE, THE LIMITS REQUIRED, AND THE POLICY STRUCTURE CHOSEN. TRANSACTION POLICIES ARE OFTEN STRUCTURED FOR A SPECIFIC DEAL — SO THE PRICE REFLECTS WHAT THAT SPECIFIC DEAL LOOKS LIKE.

KEY PRICING DRIVERS FOR THIS BUYER TYPE
SITE CONDITIONSPHASE I/II FINDINGS, REGULATORY STATUS, KNOWN CONDITIONS
DEAL STRUCTUREBUYER VS SELLER POLICY, LIMITS, TERM LENGTH
PROPERTY TYPEINDUSTRIAL VS COMMERCIAL VS RESIDENTIAL — DIFFERENT RISK PROFILES
DILIGENCE QUALITYBETTER DUE DILIGENCE GENERALLY SUPPORTS BETTER PRICING
TYPICAL PRICING SPECTRUM
LOWER END CLEAN COMMERCIAL SITE, GOOD DILIGENCE, NO KNOWN CONDITIONS, MODERATE LIMITS
MID RANGE SOME RECOGNIZED CONDITIONS, INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY, HIGHER LIMITS, COMPLEX DEAL
HIGHER END CONFIRMED CONTAMINATION, BROWNFIELD, HIGH LIMITS, REGULATORY INVOLVEMENT
SEE POLLUTION LIABILITY FOR REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS →
SUBMISSION QUALITY SCORER

HOW STRONG IS YOUR UNDERWRITING SUBMISSION?

UNDERWRITERS PRICE WHAT THEY SEE. A WEAK SUBMISSION — EVEN FOR A GOOD ACCOUNT — CAN PRODUCE A WORSE PRICE OR A DECLINATION. USE THIS TOOL TO SEE HOW YOUR SUBMISSION WOULD LIKELY BE VIEWED AND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO IMPROVE IT.

OPERATIONS INFORMATION
LOSS & RISK HISTORY
SITE / ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
0 SUBMISSION SCORE
NOT STARTED
UNDERWRITER LIKELY VIEW
CHECK THE ITEMS ABOVE THAT YOU HAVE OR PLAN TO INCLUDE IN YOUR SUBMISSION TO SEE HOW AN UNDERWRITER WOULD LIKELY VIEW IT.
THE UNDERWRITER LENS

HOW UNDERWRITERS ACTUALLY LOOK AT A POLLUTION LIABILITY ACCOUNT

UNDERSTANDING HOW UNDERWRITERS THINK ABOUT PRICING IS THE BEST WAY TO UNDERSTAND WHY YOUR PRICE WILL COME IN WHERE IT DOES. CLICK EACH LENS TO SEE WHAT UNDERWRITERS ARE ACTUALLY EVALUATING.

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WHAT IS THE ACTUAL EXPOSURE?
UNDERWRITERS START BY UNDERSTANDING WHAT COULD ACTUALLY GO WRONG AND HOW BAD IT COULD BE. A SMALL PROPERTY OWNER WITH NO KNOWN CONDITIONS AND A LARGE INDUSTRIAL REMEDIATION CONTRACTOR ARE NOT THE SAME DISCUSSION — EVEN IF THEY ARE ASKING FOR THE SAME LIMITS. THE EXPOSURE PROFILE DEFINES THE STARTING POINT FOR EVERY PRICING CONVERSATION.
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HOW COMPLETE IS THE INFORMATION?
UNDERWRITERS PRICE UNCERTAINTY. WHEN INFORMATION IS THIN, THEY ADD MARGIN FOR WHAT THEY DO NOT KNOW. WHEN INFORMATION IS COMPLETE AND CLEAR, THEY CAN PRICE WHAT IS ACTUALLY IN FRONT OF THEM. THIS IS WHY THE QUALITY OF A SUBMISSION DIRECTLY AFFECTS THE QUALITY OF THE PRICE — NOT JUST THE EASE OF PLACING THE ACCOUNT.
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WHAT DOES LOSS HISTORY SHOW?
LOSS HISTORY IS ONE OF THE MOST HEAVILY WEIGHTED FACTORS IN ENVIRONMENTAL UNDERWRITING. PRIOR CLAIMS — ESPECIALLY ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIMS — SIGNAL HOW THE ACCOUNT ACTUALLY PERFORMS IN REAL CONDITIONS. A CLEAN HISTORY WITH GOOD EXPLANATION IS A MEANINGFUL UNDERWRITING ADVANTAGE. A HISTORY WITH UNRESOLVED CLAIMS OR UNEXPLAINED PATTERNS IS A SIGNIFICANT PRICING PROBLEM.
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IS THE LIMIT APPROPRIATE FOR THE RISK?
LIMITS AFFECT PRICE — BUT NOT IN A SIMPLE LINEAR WAY. HIGHER LIMITS DO COST MORE, BUT THE INCREMENTAL COST OF MOVING FROM $1M TO $2M IS NOT THE SAME AS MOVING FROM $3M TO $5M. UNDERWRITERS ALSO ASSESS WHETHER THE LIMITS REQUESTED ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE ACTUAL EXPOSURE — AND WHETHER THE RETENTION OR DEDUCTIBLE STRUCTURE MAKES SENSE FOR THE ACCOUNT.
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DOES GEOGRAPHY OR SITE ADD RISK?
WHERE THE EXPOSURE IS LOCATED MATTERS. SENSITIVE GEOGRAPHY — WATERWAYS, AQUIFERS, WETLANDS, DENSELY POPULATED AREAS — CAN INCREASE PRICING BECAUSE IT INCREASES THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCE OF A RELEASE. MULTI-STATE OPERATIONS AND MULTI-JURISDICTION EXPOSURE ALSO ADD COMPLEXITY THAT AFFECTS HOW UNDERWRITERS VIEW AN ACCOUNT.
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IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIAL ABOUT THIS ACCOUNT?
EVERY ACCOUNT HAS SOMETHING UNIQUE. KNOWN CONTAMINATION, AN UNUSUAL HAZARDOUS MATERIAL PROFILE, AN ATYPICAL OPERATION, A CONTRACT REQUIREMENT THAT CREATES UNUSUAL COVERAGE DEMANDS — THESE ARE ALL FACTORS THAT UNDERWRITERS PAY ATTENTION TO AND THAT CAN MOVE PRICING SIGNIFICANTLY IN EITHER DIRECTION. EXPLAINING SPECIAL FACTORS CLEARLY IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN LEAVING THEM FOR THE UNDERWRITER TO GUESS AT.
RELATED PAGES TO REVIEW NEXT

POLLUTION LIABILITY INSURANCE COST & PRICING — RELATED PAGES

USE THE LINKS BELOW TO MOVE INTO A SPECIFIC COST PAGE, A QUOTE PROCESS PAGE, A COVERAGE EXPLANATION PAGE, OR A COMPARISON PAGE THAT FITS YOUR SITUATION.

COST & QUOTE PAGES
CPL INSURANCE COST FOR CONTRACTORS POLLUTION LIABILITY INSURANCE QUOTE & APPLICATION PROCESS WHAT POLLUTION LIABILITY INSURANCE COVERS & EXCLUDES
COMPARISON PAGES
POLLUTION LIABILITY VS GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE CPL VS POLLUTION LEGAL LIABILITY (PLL) INSURANCE ENVIRONMENTAL PACKAGE INSURANCE
PRODUCT PAGES
ENVIRONMENTAL & POLLUTION LIABILITY INSURANCE HUB CONTRACTORS POLLUTION LIABILITY (CPL) INSURANCE SITE POLLUTION LIABILITY (PLL) INSURANCE TRANSPORTATION POLLUTION LIABILITY INSURANCE
FAQS

COMMON QUESTIONS — POLLUTION LIABILITY INSURANCE COST & PRICING

HOW MUCH DOES POLLUTION LIABILITY INSURANCE COST?
IT DEPENDS HEAVILY ON THE TYPE OF INSURED, THE EXPOSURE, THE LIMITS, THE QUALITY OF THE SUBMISSION, AND THE UNDERWRITING PROFILE. A SMALL PROPERTY OWNER WITH NO KNOWN CONDITIONS AND A LARGE REMEDIATION CONTRACTOR WITH COMPLEX HISTORY ARE NOT COMPARABLE RISKS — AND SHOULD NOT EXPECT COMPARABLE PRICES. THE MOST IMPORTANT FIRST STEP IS UNDERSTANDING YOUR EXPOSURE CORRECTLY BEFORE ASKING ABOUT PRICE.
WHY IS THERE NO SIMPLE PRICE?
BECAUSE A PROPERTY OWNER, A REMEDIATION CONTRACTOR, AND A FUEL HAULER ARE NOT COMPARABLE RISKS — AND NEITHER ARE TWO CONTRACTORS WHO DO DIFFERENT TYPES OF WORK, HAVE DIFFERENT LOSS HISTORIES, OR SUBMIT THEIR ACCOUNTS WITH VERY DIFFERENT LEVELS OF INFORMATION. POLLUTION LIABILITY PRICING IS HIGHLY ACCOUNT-SPECIFIC BECAUSE THE EXPOSURES ARE HIGHLY ACCOUNT-SPECIFIC.
DOES BETTER INFORMATION REALLY HELP PRICING?
YES. UNDERWRITERS PRICE UNCERTAINTY. IF THE SUBMISSION IS THIN, SLOPPY, OR MISSING IMPORTANT INFORMATION, THE UNDERWRITER MUST PRICE WHAT THEY DO NOT KNOW AS WELL AS WHAT THEY DO. A CLEAN, COMPLETE, WELL-ORGANIZED SUBMISSION THAT CLEARLY EXPLAINS THE OPERATIONS, HISTORY, AND EXPOSURE IS ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL THINGS AN INSURED CAN DO TO IMPROVE THEIR PRICING OUTCOME.
DO HIGHER LIMITS ALWAYS COST A LOT MORE?
THEY CAN, BUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LIMIT AND PRICE IS NOT LINEAR AND DEPENDS ON THE ACCOUNT. MOVING FROM A $1M TO A $2M LIMIT WILL NOT DOUBLE THE PRICE — AND THE INCREMENTAL COST OF ADDITIONAL LIMITS OFTEN DECREASES AS LIMITS INCREASE. THE RIGHT LIMIT STRUCTURE SHOULD BE DRIVEN BY THE ACTUAL EXPOSURE AND CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS — NOT JUST BY WHAT IS CHEAPEST.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET A REALISTIC PRICE?
SUBMIT GOOD INFORMATION, UNDERSTAND THE EXPOSURE FIRST, AND ASK FOR A QUOTE BASED ON THE ACTUAL RISK PROFILE. WORKING WITH A SPECIALTY BROKER WHO UNDERSTANDS THE ENVIRONMENTAL INSURANCE MARKET — AND WHO CAN HELP PRESENT YOUR ACCOUNT IN THE BEST POSSIBLE LIGHT — IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPACTFUL THING YOU CAN DO TO GET AN ACCURATE AND COMPETITIVE PRICE.
WHAT DO UNDERWRITERS WANT TO SEE IN A SUBMISSION?
A CLEAR DESCRIPTION OF OPERATIONS, COMPLETE LOSS HISTORY (5 YEARS), PROJECT OR SITE DETAILS, ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS WHERE RELEVANT, CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS, REVENUE OR PAYROLL, SUBCONTRACTING DETAILS, QUALITY CONTROL OR RISK MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, AND AN EXPLANATION OF ANY KNOWN CONTAMINATION OR SPECIAL EXPOSURES. THE MORE COMPLETE AND ORGANIZED THE SUBMISSION, THE BETTER THE UNDERWRITING CONVERSATION IS LIKELY TO GO.
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USE THE FORM BELOW IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS POLLUTION LIABILITY PRICING FOR YOUR SPECIFIC OPERATION, UNDERSTAND WHAT INFORMATION WOULD IMPROVE YOUR SUBMISSION, OR GET A REALISTIC QUOTE BASED ON YOUR ACTUAL RISK PROFILE. IF YOU WOULD RATHER TALK IMMEDIATELY, CALL / TEXT (412) 212-2800.

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT CONTACT US TODAY CALL / TEXT (412) 212-2800

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