The idea for this blog was conceived by Marshall Ma, who joined The ALS Group as a Risk Management Intern and now provides support on client accounts as Technical Analyst, based on the Chinese ideogram for “crisis”. It just happens that Marshall is fluent in Mandarin and is passionate about risk management. She is an Enterprise Risk Management Graduate and Lecturer at Columbia University. While at Columbia, Marshall spent a lot of time working on campus educating her peers and supporting industry outreach. She also participated in risk assessment and mitigation for the campus’ internal Career Design Lab.

Topics: Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), Human Capital Risk, Risk management, Risk Management Blog, Total Cost of Risk (TCoR), what is total cost of risk, what is erm, what is risk management, risk management internship

As September approaches, college students are collecting textbooks, polishing up their class schedules, and shopping for that perfect dorm room setup. Insurance is probably not the first thing on their minds. Unless - you are a Risk Management undergrad at Temple University. ALS Intern, Jason Glickstein, outlines why insurance should be on every college students’ back to school checklist.

Topics: Personal Cyber Risk, Property Risk, Risk Management Blog, Total Cost of Risk, homeowner's insurance

Hurricane Isaias hit the East Coast last week, causing damage and destruction in its path to both communities and businesses. Trees have fallen, houses where many are working remotely have been left without internet access, and businesses have been stripped of electrical power and with it the ability to function in the capacity they have been accustomed to in the last few months as their staff adapts to the “new normal.”

Topics: named storm/named windstorm, Risk Management Blog, The ALS Group, Total Cost of Risk, business continuity plan, hurricane season, preparedness, hurricane

Fireworks are a staple of Fourth of July celebrations in the United States, and many towns put on their own professional fireworks displays which are monitored for safety by local fire departments.  This year, many of these have been cancelled due to the pandemic, but people still want to celebrate, and many take it upon themselves to set off the fireworks at home. 

Topics: Risk Management Blog, Risk Mitigation, Safety and Compliance, COVID-19, homeowner's insurance, Independence Day

 

Recently, I came upon an interesting (albeit disturbing) example of how generic insurance obligation language in a contract left the Landlord without Additional Insured protection from their contractor.

In the case of Seven Up Realty vs AJ Greenwich Contracting, the contract that Seven Up had with Greenwich did not REQUIRE Greenwich 

Topics: Claims Management, Claims Management Process, Contracts, Coverage Review, Insurance, Risk Management Blog, COI Compliance, risk transfer

This pandemic has impacted all of us. Many companies, including ours, implemented a “work from home” policy to ensure the health and safety of, both, their employees and their business. For us, since we always had an open floor environment and advocate a collegial collaborative work place being able to easily collaborate on projects and ask each other questions directly was particularly important. 

Topics: Risk Management Blog, Strategic Risk Management, risk management consultant, remote work, work from home, tips, productivity

Every significant construction project needs a Builders Risk policy.

Sounds simple enough, but the process of procuring the correct Builders Risk policy starts with an understanding of the project costs, construction timeline, and imagining potential claim scenarios. When an insured purchases an insurance policy, there is an expectation if a loss occurs; the insurance company will make the insured whole again.  This only happens when a Builders Risk policy is designed correctly.  The key to policy design is understanding and identifying the values at risk and how those values align with the actual insurance policy definitions.

Topics: Construction, Construction Premiums, Construction Project Risk, Real Estate, Real Estate & Development Risk Management, Risk Management Blog, Strategic Risk Management, The ALS Group

Take a casual stroll in Manhattan and you can't help but notice that construction is booming. Cranes, scaffolding, and sidewalk sheds are everywhere. And this isn’t just a New York City phenomenon. Ground-up construction and renovation projects are picking up all across the country. Low interest rates and favorable building conditions are resulting in a surge in real estate & development projects.

Topics: Construction, Construction Accidents, Construction Project Risk, Construction Workplace Safety, Real Estate & Development Risk, Risk Management Blog, Worker's Compensation

Ransomware strikes. Your critical data files have been encrypted and your business grinds to a halt. Do you:

a) spend countless hours rebuilding from backups (if you were diligent enough to ensure they'll work) or

b) pay the perpetrator to unlock your files?

Now that ransomware is spreading like wildfire through malicious emails, "malvertising" campaigns, and exploit kits, many firms and individuals face this exact scenario.

Topics: Cyber Risk, Cyber Security, Ransomware, Risk Management Blog

More than 80% of companies don’t manage risk effectively. Is yours one of them?

A 2014 survey by a non-profit business research firm found that fewer than 20 percent of executives say their companies effectively manage risk. Companies will often have a process in place to identify and monitor risks. But they fall short when it comes to actually implementing practices to manage those risks as part of the overall strategic plan.

Topics: Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), Risk Management Blog, Strategic Risk Management, Total Cost of Risk (TCoR)