The ALS Group Risk Management Articles

We manage more than a quarter billion dollars of premiums for a diverse range of clients around the globe. 

Hurricane Joaquin Preparedness

As the National Weather Service is reporting of Hurricane Joaquin intensifying to an extremely dangerous category 4 storm, I wanted to reach out to you to let you know that our team is here and ready to help. Whether you need to understand coverage or need assistance in preparing a contingency plan, the ALS team is here for you.

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Cyber Risk – you should be worried too

Cyber risk has shot up to become the 2nd largest concern for U.S. businesses in 2015 (up from 5th in 2014). Malicious attacks such as computer viruses, banking or financial system hacks, and data breaches can cripple a business’ reputation and financial standing. If your company is not prepared, it may never recover from a serious cyber risk event.

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Supply Chain Risk- How “Wood” You Prevent Your Companies From Being Exposed to a Financial Loss?

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal highlighted the plight of Lumber Liquidators who has been struggling to deal with the fallout from a scandal that was caused due to the use of formaldehyde in its wood.  You may have seen this on a “60 Minutes” program in early March. If you are a retailer after reading this article and watching the 60 Minutes TV spot you must be asking the question. How well do I know my 3rd party vendors and what  process, if any, does my organization have to contain a similar event?

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Is Your Supply Chain Strong Enough?

It should come as no surprise that a disruption to the supply chain of any company offering its goods to the public could have disastrous effects. From not being able to stock shelves, to a possible loss in labor force, to unrealized sales, to reputational harm, there is a multitude of things that could go wrong if a company cannot produce the goods it operates to sell.

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Hurricanes, Tropical Storms and Insurance – Oh My

As the world is ever changing, so are the way insurers interpret the natural disasters and how they will respond to cover these terrible events. Over the years, the U.S. has seen an increase in earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards and more. The insurance industry now has created a stricter view of how they will cover these events. In particular, as we have seen with Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy, the insurance industry has developed a new terminology and deductible related, specifically, to “named storm/named windstorm.”

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Asbestos Exposure Claims – Just Hitting Their Stride at 25

It’s been, roughly, a quarter-century since widespread asbestos installation in the United States came to an end, but the ramifications of its use are still being felt today. While the US has not banned the use of asbestos completely, it is no longer used as a form of insulation in construction projects. The shift away from the use of asbestos came at the turn of the 1990s. Of particular interest is the fact that, many of the buildings constructed during that time are now being demolished or renovated, which exposes workers to the air-borne particles that can cause ailments such as lung cancer and mesothelioma.

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TRIA Re-authorization

Yesterday, January 12, 2015, President Obama officially signed the legislation needed to reauthorize The Terrorism Reinsurance Act (TRIA).  Passage of the bill returns stability to insurers, policyholders and lenders after Congress adjourned and allowed the federal terrorism insurance backstop to expire.  The executed legislation does modify terms of the prior act.

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New Year’s Resolutions – Review your Homeowners Coverage – Mitigate Water Damage Claims

On December 18 ACE Private Risk Services announced that they were acquiring the personal insurance business of Fireman’s Fund from Allianz SE. While this does not rise to the notoriety of Sony and North Korea, it is of particular interest to those who are written in the so called “high-net-worth” market category. Fireman’s Fund and ACE have two (now one) of the best personal lines programs out there. Other notable carriers are AIG Private Client Group, Chubb and PURE. All are vying for a share of the $1M+ dwelling homeowners market.

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Traffic Jams and Supply Chain Risk

Everybody has heard of the “famous” traffic delays in Los Angeles.  The recent Wall Street Journal article, “A New Traffic Jam Hits L.A.”, describes a new type of delay hitting the city – shipping.  This has impacted many of businesses due to the challenge of getting products in and out of the port of Long Beach.  It has now stalled the delivery of goods and caused some shippers to redirect their ships to other ports. That, combined with the fact that there are few ports that can handle the larger cargo ships, can impact an organization’s bottom line by increasing its cost of doing business. This article drives home the

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Ebola: The New Construction Project Risk

The global outbreak of the Ebola virus not only has long term social ramifications but economic ones as well.   Recently, this issue has become more and more prevalent on construction projects in developing nations.    When a local government considers a substantial construction project it is expecting certain economic outcomes to follow. In light of the Ebola crisis, risk managers of construction companies and material supply companies must now factor into their budgets the real likelihood of a project being delayed or shut down even after a substantial amount of funds have been expended.  A recent WSJ article, “Mining Projects Take Hit From Ebola Crisis”,  spoke about how major mining efforts

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Our areas of expertise include:

  • Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)
  • Cyber Security & Cyber Liability Insurance
  • Construction Management
  • Customized Risk Management Assessments (RMAs)

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