OAKLAND, Calif., June 7, 2007—
EQECAT, Inc., a subsidiary of ABSG Consulting Inc.
(“ABS Consulting”), and the leading authority on
extreme-risk modeling, said today that the American
Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) is using
the firm’s earthquake-risk analysis in rate filings
across the United States.
EQECAT’s detailed analysis
involved the use of EQESTOCK™, its nationwide
proprietary database, together with its knowledge of
the geographic distribution of earthquake risk.
EQESTOCK portfolios provide a statistical estimate
of residential, commercial, and industrial in-force
property insurance exposures based upon typical wind
and earthquake insurance policies.
The results of the analysis are
being used in nationwide rate filings based upon
EQECAT’s USQuake™ model. AAIS, a Wheaton,
Illinois-based national insurance advisory
organization, files rating information on behalf of
its members as one of its primary services.
EQECAT’s USQuake model is part
of the WORLDCATenterprise™ platform, which is used
to assess and manage potential damage and loss from
earthquakes, wind, flood, wildfire and terrorism,
among other perils.
The USQuake model is consistent
with the latest information regarding seismicity,
geology and earthquake vulnerability in the U.S. It
is used by the California Earthquake Authority (CEA)
to assist in setting earthquake insurance rates.
The CEA, the world’s largest mono-line earthquake
risk insurance company, was established by the
California legislature to provide earthquake
insurance to homeowners and renters in the
state. The EQECAT model is the only earthquake risk
model accepted under the "state-of-the-art"
requirement in the CEA enabling legislation, EQECAT
said.
“EQECAT’s state-of-the-art
technology, coupled with its experienced team of
engineers and consultants, enables us to better
understand the potential risks that impact our
members’ books of business,” said Paul Baiocchi,
President of AAIS.
“It is our overall goal to make
sure our members have access to the very best,
cost-effective solutions geared toward their
specific needs,” he said. “Having access to quality
technology and an experienced team of consultants,
such as that provided by EQECAT, is central to the
development and success of the programs we offer to
our members.”
“We are especially pleased that
AAIS, as a highly regarded insurance advisory
organization, selected EQECAT to provide this
important risk-analysis using our USQuake model,
which is based upon the latest generally accepted
science, engineering expertise, and advanced
mathematics,” said Rick Clinton, President. “We are
dedicated to offering the best scientifically based
resources, and providing authoritative guidance on
the issues facing the market.”
EQECAT serves global
clients through extensive WORLDCATenterprise™
Through its user-friendly,
extreme-risk modeling software, WORLDCATenterprise™,
EQECAT enables clients to assess and manage
potential damage and loss from wind, earthquakes,
flood, wildfire, and terrorism, among other perils.
WORLDCATenterprise™ includes 177 natural hazard
software models for 89 countries spanning six
continents.
EQECAT and its parent, ABSG
Consulting Inc. (“ABS Consulting”), serve the global
property and casualty insurance industry, major
multinational corporations and financial
institutions. EQECAT is known as the technical
leader and innovator in the development of analysis
tools and methodologies to quantify insurers’ and
major corporations’ exposure to natural and man-made
catastrophic risk.
EQECAT was founded in 1994 and
is headquartered in Oakland, California. For
additional information, please log on to
www.absconsulting.com, or www.EQECAT.com.