PRODUCT: Wildfire Defense Syndicate 1996

COMPANIES: Wildfire Defense Systems (WDS); Polo Managing Agency Ltd. (PMA); Aon; Lloyd's of London.

BEST RATING: A

AVAILABILITY: WDIS is open to new relationships with retail agents whose clients include excess & surplus commercial property risks in wildfire-prone areas of California.

FOCUS: WDIS has been offering E&S commercial property solutions since 2021 and WDS has been providing its wildfire defense services through insurance companies since 2008.

Created under Lloyd's syndicate-in-a-box (SIAB) program, Wildfire Defense Syndicate 1996 provides E&S lines property insurance for California wildfire-exposed commercial risks. WDIS, an existing coverholder at Lloyd's, already places coverage for wildfire-exposed risks and the approval of Syndicate 1996 will allow it to increase its capacity.

Admitted property coverage for commercial firms is increasingly difficult to place in wildfire-prone areas. Coverage is even becoming difficult to find in the E&S market. “Companies in wildfire-prone areas of California increasingly find themselves with very limited coverage options. They often are placed in the California FAIR Plan or choose to self-insure. Every policy placed through WDIS includes an endorsement providing wildfire response services through WDS at no additional premium," says Clark Sheffield, vice president and head of commercial lines, WDIS.

Each policy is underwritten by the carrier for whom WDIS has a contractual relationship. If a property is threatened, WDS response services provide policyholders with an additional layer of prevention against wildfire-related damage by taking proactive steps to make the property more survivable during a nearby wildfire.

UNDERWRITING: WDIS uses advanced data analytics and cutting-edge risk modeling techniques to identify and mitigate risks. By leveraging the WDIS proprietary risk and inspection models, WDIS is able to offer its retail agents access to property coverage options.

TARGET: Major commercial property owners and companies based in wildfire-prone areas in California.

COVERAGE AVAILABILITY: California.

CONTACT: Clark Sheffield, vice president and head of commercial lines, WDIS.

Will Jones is IA editor-in-chief.