Verisk Insurance Solutions - Underwriting Helps Insurers Manage Texas Wildfire Risk

2013-01-10 15:31:29 -
JERSEY CITY, N.J., January 10, 2013 - Verisk Insurance Solutions - Underwriting,
a unit of Verisk Analytics (Nasdaq:VRSK), today announced that FireLine(TM) -
its industry-leading wildfire risk management system - is now available for
Texas. FireLine assesses wildfire risk for individual properties to support
underwriting decisions and manage exposure concentrations. FireLine has also
been used in support of approved property insurance rate filings for individual
carriers in California.

"2011 was one of the worst years on record for wildfire losses in Texas," said
Neil Spector, president of Verisk Underwriting. "According to the Property Claim
Services [PCS] unit of Verisk Analytics, the Bastrop County wildfire destroyed
more than 1,600 homes and cost insurers $500 million. Companies insuring
properties in Texas need FireLine to identify properties at risk from wildfires
to effectively manage exposure 
  
    
      
        

	    
  
  concentrations in high-risk areas."

Originally designed in collaboration with leading California insurers, FireLine
identifies and provides a score for each property exposed to wildfire risk.
Scores are based on the three critical factors that contribute to wildfire risk:

  * fuels - trees, grass, and brush that feed wildfires
  * slope - the grade of the surrounding land, which can influence speed and
    intensity of wildfire
  * access - the network of roads leading to the property

FireLine uses satellite imaging technologies developed by Verisk Analytics
subsidiary Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER) to analyze and process
high-resolution satellite images that identify fuels, slope, and access in
relation to each at-risk property in Texas.

Access to FireLine is available in a variety of ways to support straight-
through-processing underwriting environments, detailed underwriting analysis,
and portfolio-level exposure concentration analysis.

In addition to Texas and California, FireLine is available in Arizona, Colorado,
Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. Other states can be
added upon request.

About Verisk Insurance Solutions - Underwriting
A unit of Verisk Analytics (Nasdaq:VRSK), Verisk Insurance Solutions -
Underwriting is a leading source of underwriting information about
property/casualty insurance risk. Drawing upon vast experience in data
management, predictive modeling, and risk-assessment solutions, Verisk Insurance
Solutions includes the industry-leading brands of ISO, AIR Worldwide, and
Xactware. In the United States and around the world, Verisk Analytics helps
customers protect people, property, and financial assets. For more information,
visit www.verisk.com/insurance.

Contact:
Jessica Riccardi/Giuseppe Barone
MWW Group (for ISO)
(201) 507-9500
jriccardi@mww.com
gbarone@mww.com



This announcement is distributed by Thomson Reuters on behalf of 
Thomson Reuters clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that: 
(i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and 
    other applicable laws; and 
(ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and 
     originality of the information contained therein. 
    
Source: Verisk Analytics Inc. via Thomson Reuters ONE
[HUG#1669385]