In the Insurers’ Report column, we discuss some common questions we receive from insurers. If you have a question you’d like answered, e-mail us. Keep your eye on future issues for your question (and our answer).
Why did that building we’re underwriting or already insure receive a poor sprinkler grade?
That’s not just a good question — it’s also a question you should always be asking.
Our Automated Sprinkler Grading Report (ASGR) works on a 100-point scale. We start at 100 points and deduct for a variety of deficiencies. It’s important to note that we monitor dozens of different factors when grading a sprinkler system. One system might receive a low score because our inspector couldn’t confirm that the system was tested. Another system might receive a low score because it doesn’t have sufficient water pressure from the main water line. Obviously, there’s a major difference in actual risk between those two scenarios.
That’s why you should always ask why a building received its particular sprinkler grade. That’s also why we’re pleased to inform you that, starting this summer, our ASGR will itemize each deficiency and list possible remediations. For example, an ASGR score of 30 may improve to 50 simply by performing proper testing. The ASGR gives you the means to improve a building’s risk.