Property managers who shop for insurance coverage -- or who help their clients shop -- encounter loss run requests from carriers and agents as a routine part of the process. Many property managers provide loss runs without fully understanding what the underwriter is looking for or how the information affects their coverage and pricing. Understanding how to read a loss run, how to request one, and how to present one favorably can meaningfully affect the outcome of a renewal or market search.
What a Loss Run Report Is
A loss run is a document produced by an insurer that summarizes the claims made on a policy over a specified period. For each claim, the loss run shows the date of loss, a brief description (such as "wind/hail" or "water damage"), the amount paid to date, the amount reserved (the insurer's estimate of what remains to be paid), and whether the claim is open or closed. The report typically covers three to five years of policy history.
Loss runs are the primary tool insurers use to evaluate the prior claims experience of a new applicant. When you switch carriers or shop for competing quotes, the new carrier will ask for loss runs from your current and prior insurers before quoting. Providing loss runs promptly and proactively -- rather than waiting to be asked -- signals professionalism and speeds up the quoting process.
How to Request a Loss Run in Florida
Florida law requires insurers to provide loss runs within 10 business days of a written request. To request a loss run: submit a written request (email is sufficient) to your insurance agent or directly to the insurer's underwriting or policy service department; identify the policy number and the date range you need (typically three to five years of history); and state that the request is for insurance shopping purposes. Your agent can often facilitate the request on your behalf.
For prior carriers -- insurers you left in previous years -- you have the same right to request loss runs. If you cannot locate the prior carrier's contact information, your current agent may be able to assist, or you can search the Florida Department of Financial Services carrier database.
What Underwriters Look for in a Loss Run
Underwriters evaluate loss runs on several dimensions. Frequency is typically more concerning than a single large loss: five small claims in three years suggests ongoing maintenance or management issues. Type of loss matters: water damage claims from internal sources (plumbing, appliance failures) raise maintenance questions; wind claims from a named hurricane are market-wide events viewed more neutrally. Open claims with large reserves signal ongoing exposure. Trend direction matters: a clean recent history after a difficult period tells a different story than accelerating claims.
Many property managers assume that a series of small claims -- say, five claims totaling $20,000 -- is less damaging than a single $100,000 hurricane claim. Underwriters often view it the opposite way. High claim frequency is interpreted as a signal about how the property is managed and maintained, whereas a single storm claim is a weather event outside the manager's control. Think carefully before filing small claims that can be handled out of pocket.
How to Present a Loss Run Favorably
When your loss run shows an unusual year -- a hurricane year with multiple storm claims, a year with a significant water loss, or a year with a large liability claim -- consider providing a brief context memo with the loss runs when shopping coverage. The memo should explain the circumstances of significant claims (for example, "2022 claims reflect Hurricane Ian impact on three properties in Charlotte County; all repairs completed and properties returned to service"), describe any corrective actions taken, and provide context for why the loss history is not predictive of future performance. Underwriters are evaluating future risk, not just historical losses -- a well-documented explanation of a bad year can meaningfully affect how they interpret the data.
Do not wait until the week before renewal to request loss runs. Request them 60 days before your renewal date so you have time to review them, identify any errors (claims shown as open that are actually closed, incorrect amounts reserved), and have errors corrected before submitting to competing carriers. Errors on a loss run can negatively affect your quotes -- getting them corrected before you shop is worth the effort.
Keep your claims history organized and accessible across every property in LossHQ
LossHQ helps Florida property managers document and track claims history so loss run requests are fast and accurate at renewal time.
Start Free -- No Card Required ->The Bottom Line
Loss run reports are a core tool in the Florida property insurance process. Property managers who understand how to request them, read them, and present them proactively are better positioned to shop coverage effectively and obtain competitive quotes. For related guidance, see how to audit your Florida property insurance portfolio, Florida property insurance renewal tips, and Florida property insurance market overview.