Underwriting and Risk Selection

Property-Level Wind Risk Assessment

Property-level risk scores for straight-line wind translate complex wind dynamics into clear, actionable, individual risk differentiation based on structural characteristics, surrounding property context, and localized wind behavior.

Rising wind losses require smarter property-level differentiation

Straight-line wind continues to drive significant homeowners losses, and volatility remains difficult to manage. Pricing structures often reflect broad geographic exposure rather than property-level structural differentiation that materially influences loss outcomes.

Rising wind losses require smarter property-level differentiation

Similar wind exposure, different outcomes

Wind loss outcomes reflect not only property location but how a specific structure responds to wind. Variations in structural and surrounding characteristics can materially influence how similar wind exposure affects individual homes. Failure to capture those differences can leave elevated vulnerability embedded within the portfolio—contributing to wind-driven loss volatility and inconsistent segmentation.

Similar wind exposure, different outcomes

Informed decisions, simplified

Clearer property-level wind differentiation with LOCATION® Wind can help insurers identify elevated vulnerability earlier and manage straight-line wind risk more precisely across underwriting, pricing, and portfolio strategy.

Differentiate wind risk beyond geographic exposure

Our integrated wind risk score distinguishes which properties are structurally more susceptible to wind damage—even under comparable wind conditions.

Strengthen pricing alignment

Integrated property-level wind risk differentiation, built into rating strategies, strengthens pricing alignment and refines segmentation.

Detect elevated wind vulnerability earlier

Structural characteristics and surrounding property context help identify elevated wind susceptibility before loss emerges.

Enhance portfolio visibility

Wind risk distribution and clustering across regions and portfolios help to reveal structural concentrations and volatility drivers.

Features and capabilities

As part of Verisk’s LOCATION suite, LOCATION Wind translates complex structural and localized wind dynamics into a clear, property-level wind risk score to support underwriting, pricing, and portfolio management.

A single, integrated wind risk score

A property-level wind risk score from 1 (lowest relative risk) to 100 (highest relative risk) enables differentiation by capturing how structural vulnerability interacts with localized wind exposure.

Explainable risk insights

Structural and surrounding property characteristics that meaningfully influence wind risk support transparency, interpretation, and confident decisions.

Built to complement existing rating plans

Incremental differentiation beyond commonly used rating variables enhances segmentation—without unnecessary redundancy.

LOCATION Wind is built on Verisk’s proprietary roof and property intelligence and informed by historical wind loss experience.

Related resources

Stay in the know about important industry trends and innovative solutions.

Webinar

How Insurers Can Confront Climate-Driven Growth of Natural Hazards

Natural catastrophes generated $176B in claims across the U.S. in 2020 and 2021, as weather-related threats and property development accelerated in vulnerable areas.

View the webinar on demand

Close up view of cracked, arid, orange-colored soil

White paper

Ice, Fire, Wind, and Water

Examine recent activity, trends, and data-driven tools that can help measure and mitigate risk surrounding destructive categories of hazards.

Download the white paper

Article

Hail in Southern California: Making sense of hail’s changing geography

Hail is spreading out into new regions of the country that aren’t traditionally exposed to hail risk.

Read the article

Press release

Verisk Estimates Insured Losses for Hurricane Melissa Will Range Between USD 2.2 Billion to USD 4.2 Billion

The industry loss range includes estimated wind and precipitation-induced flood from Melissa’s track across Jamaica, with most of the modeled loss attributable to wind.