Scanning for Risks

Risk Management

The Chubb Group of Insurance Companies (Warren, N.J.; $48.1 billion in total assets) launched Masterpiece HomeScan, a complimentary service to help homeowner policyholders detect moisture and electrical hot spots that could lead to water damage or fire losses. "It is mutually beneficial for Chubb and our client to identify these risks before they result in damage to the home or bring harm to its inhabitants," says Christie Alderman, client services manager, Chubb Personal Insurance.

Chubb appraisers use Flir (North Billerica, Mass.) infrared cameras in conjunction with moisture meters to detect cool or hot wall surface temperatures while appraising policyholders' homes, identifying such problems as poor insulation and leaky water pipes behind the walls, according to Alderman. The work is part of a larger Chubb project to identify all household loss exposures and develop home replacement cost values. "By creating a digital record, we are able to provide our clients with a guide [of the cost] to restore or rebuild their home in the event of loss," says Alderman. --M.W.