Request letter
Loss run request letter: what to ask each carrier for
The loss runs you receive can only be as good as the request you send. Ask for five years of policy periods, currently valued, with the detail and totals an underwriter needs, and a carrier has little reason to send you less. The letter below does that; fill it in and copy it.
Definition
What a loss run request letter is
A loss run request letter is the short written request that an insured, or its broker, sends to a carrier or its claims department to obtain loss runs: the carrier's reports of claims under the insured's policies. A good one names the policies, states the span of years and the valuation wanted, and lists the claim detail and totals to be included, so the answer arrives complete the first time.
The request
What to request from each carrier
These are the items the letter asks for, and why each one is there.
Five full policy years plus the current term
Every policy and every line the insured has had with that carrier in that span. Say so in the letter, because a carrier will otherwise send what the portal defaults to.
A recent valuation date
Ask for loss runs valued currently, meaning as of a recent date and not an earlier report sent again. How recent depends on the market you are approaching, and many markets ask for 60 to 90 days before the effective date.
Claim-level detail
Claim number, policy number and period, date of loss, date reported, claimant, status, and paid loss, paid expense, reserve and incurred.
Totals for each policy period
Totals are what the claim rows are checked against. A report without them can still be read, but nothing can be tied out.
A statement for years with no claims
Ask the carrier to print the period and say that no claims were reported, so a missing year is never a question.
The basis of the figures
Whether amounts are gross or net of the deductible and of recoveries, and whether incurred includes expense.
A usable format
A PDF is standard. If the carrier can also send a spreadsheet, take it, and still keep the PDF as the record.
Template
Fill in the letter
Everything you type stays in your browser. Leave a field empty and its place in the letter stays in square brackets.
Steps
How to get five years of loss runs
The letter is one step. Most delays come from the steps around it.
- List the carriers and the policiesWrite down every carrier, policy number and policy term for the span you need, including terms placed through a previous broker. A gap in the list becomes a gap in the loss history.
- Fill in the letterComplete the form below for the first carrier. The letter updates as you type, and the bracketed gaps show what is still missing.
- Confirm authorityIf you are the broker, ask the carrier what it needs from the insured (for example a signed authorization or a broker-of-record letter) and attach it.
- Send it through the carrier's channelUse the portal, email address or department the carrier names for loss runs. Keep a record of the date sent and when you will chase.
- Check each report when it arrivesLook at the valuation date, the years covered and the totals. Ask for a replacement now if something is missing, not after the submission is out.
- Upload the reportsConvert each PDF on the converter, read the tie-outs and build the claims schedule.
Comparison
After the loss runs arrive: re-keying, generic PDF-to-Excel, or LossRun Pro
Getting the reports is half the job. The other half is turning them into something you can stand behind.
| What you need | Manual re-keying | Generic PDF-to-Excel | LossRun Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Checking that the reports are complete | Read the heading and the footer of each PDF. | Not checked. Converts what it is given. | Each report is tied out period by period, and a period with no printed total is shown as unchecked. |
| Getting five carriers to one layout | Re-key five different layouts. | Five differently shaped sheets. | One fixed layout, with the source file named on each row. |
| Spotting a missing year | Count the policy periods on each report. | Not looked for. | The policy-year summary lists the years that were read, so a gap is visible. |
| Telling a stale report from a current one | Find the date in the heading. | The date is just another cell. | The valuation date is read and shown with the summary when the report prints one. |
| Time between PDFs arriving and a schedule | A working session per carrier. | Minutes, then cleanup. | One upload per carrier, then the tie-out to read. |
FAQ
Questions about requesting loss runs
What should a loss run request letter say?
It should identify the insured and the policies, ask for currently valued loss runs for a stated span of years, list the detail you need on each claim, and say by when you need the reports and where to send them. If you are the broker, it should say you act for the insured and attach the insured's authorization. The letter on this page does all of that and leaves the carrier-specific details for you to fill in.
How many years of loss runs should I request?
Five full policy years plus the current term is the usual request, and the letter defaults to it. Some lines, markets or newer businesses call for fewer or more. Check the submission instructions for the market, and request the longer span if you are unsure, since it is easier to leave a year out than to ask again.
What does "currently valued" mean?
It means the loss run is valued as of a recent date, so the paid amounts and reserves reflect where each claim stands now. A report that was run a year ago and sent again is not currently valued, however recently it was emailed. The valuation date is printed on the report, and the market you are approaching sets how old it may be.
Who is allowed to request a loss run?
The insured can ask for its own loss runs. A broker generally needs the insured's authorization or must be the broker of record, and each carrier sets its own requirement and its own channel, such as a portal, a dedicated email address or the claims department. Ask each carrier what it needs before you send the letter. This page is not legal advice.
How long does a carrier take to send loss runs?
It varies. Some carriers release them from a portal at once and others take days. Some states regulate how quickly a carrier must respond to a request, and this page does not give legal advice about that. Put the date you need the reports in the letter, ask the carrier what its normal turnaround is, and start early on carriers you have not dealt with before.
What if a carrier will only send a PDF?
That is the normal case. A PDF is fine: upload it to LossRun Pro, which reads the claim table and turns it into the standard schedule. A spreadsheet from the carrier is a convenience, but the PDF is still the record to check the figures against.
What if the policy was placed through a program or a managing general agent?
Start with the broker or program administrator who placed the coverage. Claims on program business are often handled by a third-party administrator, and it may be the one that issues the loss run. The letter works for any of them; change the name on the first line.
Should I send one letter or one per policy?
One letter per carrier that lists every policy number and every line you want covered is the simplest. If a carrier handles each line through a different unit, it may route the request or ask you to send it separately, and you can reuse the same letter with the lines changed.
What do I check when the loss runs arrive?
The valuation date, the policy years covered, the policy numbers, that every period is present (including years with no claims), and that period totals are printed. Then upload each report: the tie-out will show whether the claim rows add up to the totals. The reading guide explains each column.
Is what I type into the letter form sent anywhere?
No. The form runs in your browser and builds the letter on the page. Nothing you type is uploaded, stored or sent to any server. Copy the letter or save it as a text file when you are done.