Natural Hazards Analysis

Natural hazard disasters cause damage, casualties, and financial losses. Climate change, raising catastrophe insurance premiums and increasing liability drive the importance of natural hazard analysis for businesses. TÜV SÜD Global Risk Consultants’ trained engineers gather accurate data regarding critical construction and building envelope elements, as well as site-specific equipment and features. With this collected data, accurate loss potentials can be developed across a portfolio of properties.

WHAT IS NATURAL HAZARD ANALYSIS?

Disasters sparked by natural events such as wildfires, hurricanes, floods and earthquakes are high-impact risks that cannot be overlooked. In 2016 alone, natural disaster losses totaled in an estimate of USD $175 billion, the highest amount of loss in four years. This number is likely to increase as we face challenges such as climate change, urban expansion, and growing populations.

With this in mind, awareness and concern for natural hazards has increased significantly in recent years, both from internal risk management as well as insurance liability perspectives. TÜV SÜD GRC risk engineering services regularly help companies identify these exposures, evaluate their severity and potential impact, develop action plans, and implement cost-effective mitigation strategies at the local site and corporate levels.

WHAT DOES NATURAL HAZARD ANALYSIS INVOLVE?

An effective natural hazard analysis and risk management program is based upon simple, basic data. TÜV SÜD GRC acknowledges the importance of this and collects both primary and secondary building and site data, which can then be imported into hazard modeling programs. Using this collected data, accurate loss potentials can be developed across a portfolio of properties.

TÜV SÜD GRC has the capability to go beyond modeling with detailed site-specific analysis by licensed structural engineers specializing in natural hazards risk analysis. Site-specific analysis is essential for primary/critical sites or highly protected risks; contents and/or equipment-intensive facilities; countries where design, construction and inspection practices are weak or more variable; and when accurate property and business interruption loss estimates are needed for important insurance decisions.

TÜV SÜD GRC’S RISK REDUCTION PROGRAM FOR SITE-SPECIFIC ANALYSIS:

• Utilizes structural engineers specializing in natural hazard risk analysis
• Defines the risks and quantifies the damage (PML)
• Provides important data to help risk managers make informed decisions regarding acceptable levels of risk, company risk tolerance, insurance coverage an risk reduction priorities and next steps
• Performs detailed analysis and develops mitigation recommendations on a prioritized basis
• Develops detailed options for strengthening and performs cost-benefit analysis
• Retrofit construction plans for risk reduction
• Eliminates desk-top-only CAT modeling uncertainties

TÜV SÜD GRC CAN HELP KEEP YOUR COMPANY SAFE

Risk Managers who use TÜV SÜD GRC’s natural hazards specialists to evaluate and mitigate these risks will be better prepared for a natural catastrophe and have lower losses and faster recovery following a disaster.

TÜV SÜD GRC`s engineers are trained in natural hazard analysis and identification, allowing them to gather accurate information regarding critical construction and building envelope elements, as well as site-specific equipment and features. Each assessment will identify key structural and non-structural vulnerabilities and remedial actions needed to minimize the potential property loss and subsequent impact on ongoing operations. Depending on disaster severity, natural hazards losses may fall under the deductible of your insurance program, so risk reduction benefits may directly accrue to your company’s bottom line.

CLIENT TOOLS

• GRC Connect
• Impairment/Hot Work Permit