Insurance
BlueZoo helps insurers measure and mitigate risks from overcrowding
Insurers know that crowds of people are a hazard that generate risks. Understanding the presence and movement of people enables insurers to better mitigate, select, and price risks. BlueZoo’s patented foot traffic measurement solutions identify when and where crowds gather and generates valuable data.
Once a baseline for occupancy risks by industry is established, insurers can use these insights to select risks to insure. Eventually, all insurers will use occupancy data (normal, overcrowded, abandoned, etc.) and claim histories to price policies.
Mitigate risks to reduce claims
Minimizing claims, if not eliminating risk, is every insurer’s objective. When unexpected crowds gather, dangerous situations can result. BlueZoo sensors send alerts when risky situations emerge so that risks can be mitigated.
Any crowding which exceeds safe maximums or fire marshal limits creates risks which could lead to claims. Overcrowding in hotels, offices, stores, festivals, and other insured spaces correlates to slip-trip-and-fall claims. Overcrowding in restaurants and bars correlates to outbreaks of salmonella, COVID or other diseases. Large, unannounced gatherings in short-term rental properties correlate to unauthorized parties that bring noise, property damage, and even violence.
Establishing an occupancy baseline
Measuring occupancy patterns 7-by-24 across large numbers of similar businesses (e.g. restaurants, hotel ballrooms) permits establishment of a baseline profile of “typical” occupancy, corresponding to time-of-day, day-of-year, revenues, etc.
A useful baseline requires that data are measured consistently and continuously. Occupancy patterns that deviate from “typical” occupancy can correlate to higher risk. Such unusual behavior at the property should motivate a visit by a risk engineer or a discussion with the food-and-beverage manager whose ballrooms regularly exceed capacity.
Detecting atypical occupancy in real time
This permits immediate risk mitigation. Like monitored fire alarms, burglar alarms, security cameras, carbon monoxide monitors, and water leak detection, occupancy sensors can identify emerging dangerous situations. Once identified, BlueZoo sends an alert to the designated person, such as a building manager, on-premises security lead, or short-term rental manager.
Insurers select occupancy thresholds (or patterns) at which to send alerts based on underwriting tolerances, client type and claim experience, claims knowledge, and other known or suspected triggers. These triggers can be modified as desired based on availability of insurer or client resources, client relationships, etc.
| Sensor | What it detects | Hazards mitigated |
|---|---|---|
| BlueZoo Occupancy Monitor | Overcrowding | Human injury (slip/fall, fire, disease) |
| Leak / water sensor | Water | Flooding, property damage |
| Fire / smoke alarm | Fire | Fire, property damage, human injury |
| Carbon monoxide sensor | Carbon monoxide | Human injury |
| Burglar alarm | Unauthorized access | Property damage, theft |
"Usage Based Insurance is here to stay"
– Niall Wialliams, Intelligence Analyst at CB Insights
May 14, 2021, Digitizing P&C Conference
Select risks to improve margins
BlueZoo insights help insurers understand and better select risks. BlueZoo helps find more of your most profitable customers. Once an occupancy risk baseline is established for one type of business, insurers can place each insured on the occupancy risk spectrum. Identify your most profitable customers – and you can select other prospects that resemble those customers.
| Property characteristics | Occupancy risk rating |
|---|---|
| Bars (SIC 5812, that also have restaurants) located in the southeast USA and have occupancy limits of 50 | 91 |
| Bars (SIC 5812, that also have restaurants) located in the southeast USA and have occupancy limits of 100 | 98 |
| Bars (SIC 5813, no restaurant), located in the southwest USA and have occupancy limits of 50 | 80 |
BlueZoo insights help insurers understand and better select risks. BlueZoo helps find more of your most profitable customers. Once an occupancy risk baseline is established for one type of business, insurers can place each insured on the occupancy risk spectrum. Identify your most profitable customers – and you can select other prospects that resemble those customers.
Price risks to expand market share
Insurers know that better data means better results. BlueZoo insights enable insurers to both better price policies and to create new products to grow market share.
BlueZoo allows actuaries and underwriters to know true occupancy numbers, continuously. Compare occupancy rates across same-type businesses to identify outliers. Price premiums more accurately, and leverage this new data in actuarial tables and the underwriting process, based on long term trends.
