Groundbreaking Earthquake Insurance Program for E&S Risks by Risksmith

Risksmith Brings New Clarity to Earthquake Coverage for E&S Property Risks

Earthquake risk continues to test the boundaries of traditional property insurance, particularly within the excess and surplus marketplace. Aging construction, complex structural designs, and location driven seismic exposures often leave insureds navigating exclusions, sublimits, or outright declinations. Risksmith Insurance Services is stepping into that gap with the launch of a new Difference in Conditions earthquake insurance program designed specifically for E&S risks.

The program is built for properties that routinely fall outside standard underwriting comfort zones, including older buildings, structures with tuck-under parking, and locations with elevated liquefaction potential. By focusing on these challenges head-on, Risksmith is offering insurers and brokers a practical way to align coverage solutions with today’s underwriting realities and regulatory expectations.

Designed for the Risks That Matter Most

At its core, the program emphasizes flexibility without sacrificing discipline. Coverage is available with limits up to $25 million and can be structured as primary, quota share, or excess, allowing it to fit seamlessly into a wide range of insurance towers. Coverage extends beyond earthquake shaking alone, incorporating earth movement and earthquake sprinkler leakage, exposures that often become pain points during claims negotiations.

Policies can be issued on either standard carrier terms or customized specifications, giving underwriters room to respond to unique risk characteristics while maintaining consistency with internal guidelines and compliance standards. The result is a DIC solution that supports sound risk management rather than forcing compromises.

“We built this program to be flexible, allowing our underwriters to craft solutions with real definition options, real capacity, and no arbitrary TIV caps.”
Ravi Patel, Executive Vice President and Head of Property, Risksmith Insurance Services

Geographic Reach Reflects Real Seismic Exposure

The program is available for commercial properties located in the most active earthquake zones in the United States. These regions are not only familiar to catastrophe modelers but also to claims professionals who understand how quickly losses can escalate after a seismic event.

This geographic focus ensures that capacity is deployed where it is most needed, while underwriting remains grounded in exposure specific realities.

Why This Matters for the Insurance Industry

As regulators and rating agencies continue to scrutinize catastrophe exposure management, insurers are under pressure to demonstrate thoughtful risk selection and coverage intent. A well-structured DIC earthquake program provides clarity around what is covered, how limits apply, and where gaps are intentionally addressed rather than inadvertently created.

For brokers, the ability to place hard-to-insure properties without resorting to fragmented solutions improves client confidence and retention. For carriers, the program offers a disciplined entry point into complex seismic risks with defined parameters and experienced underwriting oversight.

Key program attributes include:

• Limits available up to $25 million with primary, quota share, or excess structures

• Coverage for earthquake, earth movement, and earthquake sprinkler leakage

• Eligibility for older buildings, tuck-under parking, and high liquefaction zones

• Availability across major U.S. seismic regions

A Pragmatic Step Forward

Earthquake risk is not becoming simpler, but insurance solutions can become clearer. By combining capacity, customization, and underwriting intent, Risksmith’s new DIC earthquake program reflects an industry trend toward precision rather than avoidance. For E&S professionals navigating the intersection of seismic exposure and insurability, this approach offers a practical and timely option grounded in real-world risk.