Loss runs: the claims history insurers read before they quote
Loss runs are reports an insurer issues listing the claims under your policies, usually by policy year, with each loss date, what was paid, and for open claims, the reserve still set aside. A new insurer reads them before quoting. Several states set deadlines: Florida and Oregon give insurers 15 calendar days to supply five years, and Illinois gives them 30 days to supply three policy years.
On this page
What a loss run shows
A loss run is the insurer’s own record of the claims on your account. Florida’s statute gives a useful minimum: the policy number, the period of coverage, the number of claims, paid losses on all claims, and the date of each loss. Claim files, investigation reports, and statements are not part of it.
Illinois and Pennsylvania go further. Their loss information rules list three kinds of entry:
| Entry | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Closed claims | Date and description of the occurrence, and total payments |
| Open claims | Date and description, payments so far, and the reserve still set aside |
| Other reported occurrences | Date, description, and any reserve |
That last row matters. A rider’s fall that you reported but that never turned into a claim can still appear. For workers’ compensation, the rating worksheet marks each claim open or final, which feeds your experience mod.
Underwriters read loss runs because your history drives the price. California’s insurance department reminds business owners that claims experience is part of the rating formula and directly affects premium.
State rules for getting them
Several states require insurers to hand loss runs over on request:
| State | Deadline | How far back | Other terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida (Fla. Stat. 627.444) | 15 calendar days after the insurer’s designee receives your written request | The preceding five years, or your full history with the insurer if shorter | One statement a year at no charge. Reserves are not required. The agent of record is told when it is sent |
| Oregon (OAR 836-080-0810) | 15 calendar days | Five years, or the whole period insured if shorter | Applies to current and prior commercial policyholders. Workers’ comp runs leave out confidential worker medical records |
| Illinois (215 ILCS 5/143.10a) | 30 days | Three previous policy years | Sent with any cancellation or nonrenewal notice, except for nonpayment, misrepresentation, or fraud. Extra detail a new insurer needs is due within 20 days, and the old policy extends by the days that takes |
| Pennsylvania (Act 86 of 1986) | 30 days after your written request | At least three years, or the time the insurer covered you if shorter | Applies after a midterm cancellation or nonrenewal notice. Send your written request no later than 10 days after the notice reaches you |
Requesting them
- List every policy. Auto, general liability, workers’ compensation, umbrella, and any professional or abuse coverage, current and prior, with policy numbers and dates.
- Ask each insurer in writing for currently valued loss runs. In Illinois you can have them sent straight to your agent.
- Start early. RLI’s NEMT program accepts a submission only inside the 90 days before the policy starts, with loss runs valued in that same window, so order them as it opens. Getting insurance is covered step by step in getting NEMT insurance.
- Read them before you send them. Check that each claim belongs to you, that finished claims show as closed, and that amounts match what you know.
Open claims and reserves
A reserve is the insurer’s estimate of what an open claim will still cost. Loss runs show it beside the amount already paid, so an underwriter sees both, and a claim that is finished in practice but still open on paper keeps its reserve on your record. Ask the adjuster where each open claim stands, send any documents it is waiting on, and ask for claims that are resolved to be closed out.
Report every incident to your insurer promptly anyway. California’s insurance department warns that handling a claim yourself violates your duties under the policy and can cost more in the end. After a claim, the passenger injury claim guide walks through the process, and a written fleet safety program shows the next underwriter what changed.
Answering an adjuster’s questions
Claims move faster when the facts of the ride are easy to produce. HealthRide saves signatures, GPS miles, and on-time records on every ride. Its trip log shows every leg with planned against actual times, who drove, which van, and the GPS-recorded mileage, ready to export as a spreadsheet or a PDF for printing.
Frequently asked questions
- Which years of loss runs will a new insurer ask for?
- Usually three to five. RLI's NEMT program asks for four years of currently valued loss runs, dated within 90 days of the effective date, and may ask for a fifth after review. Florida and Oregon require insurers to supply five years on request, and Illinois three policy years. Order every year you have from each insurer, even the ones with no claims.
- How do I get loss runs from a former insurer that will not respond?
- Put the request in writing, keep a copy, and cite your state's rule if it has one. Oregon treats an insurer's failure to provide commercial loss runs within 15 calendar days as an unfair trade practice, and Illinois treats a pattern of refusals the same way. If the insurer still does not respond, contact your state insurance department.
- Do claims that were never paid appear on a loss run?
- They can. Illinois requires insurers to list the date and description of every reported occurrence, including ones with no payment, along with any reserves. Pennsylvania's loss information rule also covers notices of occurrence. A reported incident that closed at $0 should show as closed with nothing paid, so check that it does.
- Can a brand-new company get quoted without loss runs?
- Yes, though fewer insurers will quote it. Underwriters then lean on the rest of the submission, such as driver motor vehicle records, the vehicle schedule, and the account narrative. Some specialty programs take these risks on purpose: RLI's NEMT program lists being a new venture or lacking industry experience among the situations it reviews, with a $50,000 minimum premium.
