By Gaurav Kapoor ,
Global Strategy and Operations Leader, Construction Practice
06/23/2022 · 5-minute read
As inflation rates soar in many countries, construction companies need to consider the impact of rising costs, persisting supply chain pressures, and raw material shortages on their insurance program and make any needed changes to remain resilient amidst a changing environment.
Project-specific coverages or programs are most likely to be affected by a high inflation environment. In most parts of the world, two main types of project-specific coverages are exposed to inflation:
Both of these coverages generally have a pricing basis that is linked to the insured project’s estimated contract value (ECV). In an inflationary environment, increases in raw material, labour, and various essential inputs (such as fuel, utilities, and interest costs) are likely to have a direct impact on the ECV of a project.
Project-specific insurance coverages are usually structured around the ECV at the start of the project. The ECV will usually drive a few considerations around the coverages:
Insurers have traditionally considered inflation and the potential for cost increases when it comes to construction projects. The current inflationary environment — with triple-digit increases for certain materials — has become difficult for insurers to navigate, especially when looking at projects that are still in progress. When projects have claims, calculating an adequate reserve for an adjuster could be a challenge in situations that are not total losses. In this environment, Insurers can be expected to seek answers to multiple questions, including:
All stakeholders, from construction companies to insurers, should take a collaborative and transparent approach in order to help mitigate the effects of high inflation. Among other actions, consider:
Today’s inflationary challenges can have a significant effect on both construction projects and their insurance coverage, underscoring the importance of reviewing your policies to identify potential underinsurance issues and address them immediately.
In order to develop an insurance program that meets your needs, it is important to involve your broker or insurance advisor as early in the process as possible, so they can help you assess the potential impact of your contractual obligations on insurance program design and allow sufficient time for terms to be negotiated.
Head of Construction, Marsh Specialty
Based out of Melbourne, Maarten heads up Construction for Marsh Specialties in the Pacific region, leading a team of 36 full time Construction colleagues excluding our Claims specialists.
Specific construction experience includes risk analysis; design and placement of one off and annual insurance programs; contract analysis of Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) Contracts and Finance Agreements and extensive experience in PPP projects from bid phase through to practical completion of the project.
This publication is not intended to be taken as advice regarding any individual situation and should not be relied upon as such. The information contained herein is based on sources we believe reliable, but we make no representation or warranty as to its accuracy. Marsh shall have no obligation to update this publication and shall have no liability to you or any other party arising out of this publication or any matter contained herein. Any statements concerning actuarial, tax, accounting, or legal matters are based solely on our experience as insurance brokers and risk consultants and are not to be relied upon as actuarial, accounting, tax, or legal advice, for which you should consult your own professional advisors. LCPA 22/304