New Roof Risk Playbook: Sept 17 — Rewriting the Roof Risk Playbook

Lead Skyscraper roofs are critical infrastructure—protecting building systems, tenant operations, and long‑term asset value. As climate pressures grow, rooftop technologies proliferate, and material lifecycles shorten, underwriters must adopt modern, data-driven approaches to assess and price roof risk. On Sept 17, Skyscraper Insurance, in partnership with CAPE Analytics, presents the webcast “New Roof Risk Playbook,” designed specifically for underwriters, portfolio risk managers, claims professionals, and brokers focused on high‑rise and mixed‑use properties. This comprehensive blog outlines what you’ll learn, why it matters, and practical steps to apply the playbook across portfolios.

Why roof risk deserves a dedicated playbook Roof exposures on high‑rise buildings differ materially from low‑rise assets. They concentrate critical equipment (HVAC, cooling towers, solar arrays), carry unique structural and access challenges, and are directly tied to business interruption and tenant operations. Recent trends driving the need for a revised playbook include:

• Intensifying storms and hail events that increase roof damage frequency and severity.
• The rise of rooftop solar, vegetated systems, and heavier mechanical loads.
• Aging roofing systems reaching end‑of‑life in concentrated vintages across portfolios.
• Supply‑chain delays and specialized contractor availability extending repair timelines and BI durations.
• New data sources (satellite, LiDAR, machine learning) enabling rapid vulnerability detection and portfolio triage.

Event overview: what the webcast covers The Sept 17 webcast is a focused, 60‑minute session with live Q&A. It blends underwriting insight, risk engineering best practices, and real claims lessons using modern analytic tools. Key agenda items:

• Modern roof risk indicators: leveraging satellite imagery, LiDAR, and AI analytics to detect deterioration, ponding, and hidden vulnerabilities.
• Material and design considerations: performance profiles for single‑ply membranes, built‑up roofing, metal systems, green/vegetated roofs, and ballast solutions as applied to tall buildings.
• Rooftop equipment and solar: underwriting rooftop solar arrays, racking systems, ballast vs. penetrative installations, and contract language to protect insurers.
• Inspection playbook: drone-enabled inspections, safe-access protocols, condition scoring, and when to deploy full forensic surveys.
• Underwriting integration: how to incorporate data signals into underwriting scorecards, term language, and rating factors.
• Claims-tested mitigation: common causes of large roof losses, documentation that speeds adjuster decisions, and rapid contractor mobilization strategies.
• Q&A with CAPE Analytics: live demonstrations of analytics and practical use cases.

Deep dive: modern roof risk indicators and why they matter Traditional roof evaluation relied largely on in-person inspections and sample photos. Today, modern indicators provide scale, consistency, and speed:

• Satellite and aerial imagery: detect long‑term trends (surface degradation, ponding) across thousands of roofs, enabling prioritized inspections.
• LiDAR and photogrammetry: reveal subtle slope changes, rooftop debris, and equipment encroachment that accelerate wear.
• Thermal and multispectral data: identify moisture intrusion, insulation voids, and thermal bridging—leading indicators of hidden damage.
• Time-series analytics: track deterioration trajectories across seasons and years to forecast when replacement risk rises materially.

Using these signals, underwriters can move from reactive to predictive workflows—targeting resources where loss probability and severity are highest.

Inspection and maintenance best practices for high-rises A consistent inspection standard reduces surprises and contention at claim time. Best practices include:

• Establishing a standardized inspection checklist for high‑rise roofs, covering membrane condition, flashings, penetrations, drains, parapets, and rooftop equipment anchorage.
• Deploying drone surveys for visual and thermal capture; use manned inspection for areas requiring close-up intervention.
• Enforcing vendor qualifications and QA on rooftop contractors; require ballast and anchor details for solar and heavy equipment.
• Implementing preventive maintenance KPIs: drain clearing schedules, drain flow tests, membrane condition scoring, and immediate remediation triggers for ponding water.
• Documenting remedial work with pre/post photos, contractor reports, and invoices to reduce friction during claims.

Underwriting guidance: pricing, policy language, and rooftop technology Underwriters should treat rooftop technology and material choices as explicit rating factors:

• Solar and renewable installations: request design details, ballast vs. penetrative attachments, racking warranty, and commissioning reports. Consider separate endorsements or sublimits for panels and racking.
• Equipment loads: capture installed equipment weights and seating details; require structural certification where loads exceed original design allowances.
• Policy language: clarify coverage for rooftop equipment, solar arrays, and vegetated roofs. Address removal and reinstallation costs, stowing requirements during severe weather, and aggregation limits.
• Time‑element exposure: build extended indemnity, ingress/egress, and supplier contingent BI into the conversation when rooftop failures can disrupt tenant-critical operations.

Claims insights: accelerating recovery and limiting BI Large roof claims often become time‑element losses. Claims teams and insureds can accelerate recovery by:

• Rapid triage using drone imagery and AI damage scoring to prioritize life‑safety and containment.
• Immediate temporary mitigation: tarping, shoring, and rooftop stowage to prevent secondary damage.
• Pre‑approved contractor panels and emergency procurement clauses to reduce mobilization lag.
• Accurate BI substantiation: collect tenant revenue streams, alternate location expenses, and detailed loss timelines to support speedy indemnity payments.
• Coordinated project management: a single accountable PM to oversee repairs, subcontracts, and quality control.

Case study (concise, anonymized) A 40‑story mixed‑use building experienced membrane failure and widespread ponding after an intense storm. Satellite time‑series flagged accelerated deterioration two seasons earlier; drone images confirmed extensive blisters and blocked drains. Because the owner had followed an inspection cadence and maintained vendor panels, temporary containment began within 24 hours and permanent repairs commenced in three weeks. Layered BI coverage and robust documentation enabled timely settlement, minimizing tenant displacement and reducing long‑term vacancy risk.

Practical playbook: actions for underwriters and portfolio managers

1. Adopt portfolio‑scale analytics: use satellite and LiDAR to triage inspection priorities.
2. Standardize inspection and reporting templates across assets—include thermal imaging and condition scoring.
3. Require documentation for rooftop installations (solar, mechanical) and incorporate design details into underwriting models.
4. Include parametric or excess solutions for climate‑driven perils when appropriate.
5. Negotiate emergency procurement clauses and maintain contractor panels to accelerate remediation.
6. Educate clients: provide an owner checklist for rooftop maintenance and supply model vendor lists for trusted contractors.
7. Test claims readiness with tabletop exercises focused on roof failures and BI scenarios.

How CAPE Analytics and modern data partners fit in Analytic providers like CAPE Analytics bring scalable, validated signals that help underwriters prioritize inspections, model deterioration, and present objective evidence during renewals or claims. Integrating such data into underwriting workflows reduces surprise losses and enables risk pricing that reflects true condition and exposure.