Optas Fire Underwriters Survey (FUS) releases Canadian Fire Insurance Grading Index-Version 2.0

Toronto – May 22, 2014 – Since 1883, Fire Underwriters Survey has been committed to helping the Canadian insurance industry establish appropriate fire insurance rates to residential and commercial properties by providing Fire Insurance Grades which are one of a kind in Canada. On May 25, 2014, FUS will release a new web based system for the Canadian Fire Insurance Grading Index: Version 2.0, available to all subscribing underwriters across Canada including all brokers that have been sponsored.

The new version of the Canadian Fire Insurance Grading Index offers numerous benefits: 

• • Index is a web based service, capable of producing more accurate results using less analysis time
  • Adjustments for Risk Specific Commercial Property Response Conditions (RiskSCOR™) are made automatically in all areas where hydrants have been geo-coded
  • 80% of all hydrants in Canada have been geo-coded and included in search results
  • Address search feature has been expanded to include all provinces and territories with updated postal code data
  • Postal code search feature has improved accuracy with subsidiary addresses included for each postal code

  • Updated road network data with improved mapping accuracy

“The insurance industry is evolving quickly and there are significant gains ahead as companies realize they can improve accuracy, efficiency, and profitability with the implementation of digital and GIS based tools. The Canadian Fire Insurance Grading Index is one of the tools that is leading the way in the digital and GIS evolution of the P&C industry in Canada” shares Michael Currie, Fire Underwriters Survey Director at Opta Information Intelligence.

The new online version of the Canadian Fire Insurance Grading Index is available through iClarify, powered by Opta, at no additional cost to all subscribing insurance companies and the brokers they sponsor. The system is also available at www.fireunderwriters.ca

Over the past 24 months, FUS has been testing the implementation of GIS technology into the Canadian Fire insurance Grading Index, and has created several search tools including the addition of hydrant data into several areas of Canada. We thank all underwriters who have participated and supported the testing stage as the collective results and feedback have been used to develop a new database for fire protection data that further improves accuracy and efficiency for the underwriting process across Canada. 

Autumn Kerr, Manager, Risk Management Services at AIG Canada notes, “The FUS tool has been a huge help to us since it was introduced. Since then we have benefited with every improvement you’ve rolled out on the system – the address mapping, the earthquake hazard ratings, and now the fire hydrant mapping. I’m excited to see what the next few months will bring.” 

For more information on the Canadian Fire Insurance Grading Index, please contact your Regional office or:

About FUS

Fire Underwriters Survey is operated by Opta Information Intelligence. Opta provides its insurance and corporate clients with tools and information to help manage and authenticate risk information, in turn helping them discover and explore business opportunities, become more competitive, generate business, and gain the insight required to make profitable business decisions.

http://www.fireunderwriters.ca