WRC Agency: Examining Commercial Exposures
At the WRC 2021 All Manager Meeting, Vice President of WRC Agency Sara Mohrbacher discussed three different commercial exposures, highlighting the risks involved with each of them, and the type of questions an underwriter may ask when reviewing the risk for rating.
The first exposure she discussed was event venues, in particular barns that have been renovated into a wedding event venue. General Liability exposures due to slip and fall exposures and property damage due to fire are the biggest concerns, but other lines of coverage also were discussed.
When visiting the venue, agents should review the layout of the premises, note if there is a dance floor, and if anything outside, such as bonfires or water features, needs to be considered. In addition, it is important to pay attention to how liquor is served.
Regarding property damage considerations, the building should be up to code, and special attention should be paid to how the kitchen (if there is one) is vented and cleaned, as well as the general housekeeping of the business.
The second exposure Sara reviewed was a food truck. Some of the biggest concerns about food trucks are contaminated food and property damage due to the use of grills, fryers and propane. In addition, find out if the truck is stationary for any length of time and if so, look to see if there are tables, awnings or anything else that could cause injury.
Sara also discussed cut-your-own tree farms. When considering coverage for these, it is important to find out if the farm provides tools for customers to cut down their trees and if they explain how to use the saws properly. Workers’ compensation can play a big role as employees work with heavy trees and often use equipment to cut and package trees, as well as secure them to clients’ vehicles.
Sara also discussed the benefits of using the WRC Agency, highlighting that agents earn 80% of the commission earned and agents get to know team members. WRC Agency handles both personal and commercial accounts, for a variety of risks.