Property Risk Management for Commercial Real Estate
Total cost of risk strategy for owners, funds, and CFOs, beyond the policy itself.
By Dan Wentz, commercial real estate insurance broker · Updated
Premium is the number on the invoice.
It is not your cost of risk. Deductibles, retained losses, valuation accuracy, claims outcomes, and the capital sitting against all of it move the real figure, usually more than rate does. We work as an outsourced risk function for owners and CFOs, which means modeling total cost of risk instead of quoting a renewal, setting retentions on purpose instead of by default, and pressing claims until the recovery matches the coverage you paid for.
Who this is for
Built for accounts like yours
Coverage
What we bring to the table
Total cost of risk modeling
Premium, retained losses, deductibles, and cost of capital in one number you can defend to a board.
Deductible & retention strategy
Where to retain, where to transfer, and what each choice does to cash flow.
Captive & alternative risk
Group and single-parent captive evaluation, plus parametric structures where they beat the traditional market.
Claims advocacy
We manage and push claims so recoveries match the coverage you bought.
What property risk management covers for a CRE owner
Property risk management is the work around the policy that shapes what a loss ends up costing you. For most owners that means five areas. All of them feed total cost of risk, and ACREInsure.com has a free tool or guide for each.
- Insured values and the statement of values. Your statement of values sets the limits carriers quote against. Values that trail current rebuild costs can leave a gap at claim time. Start with the replacement cost estimator and the statement of values template.
- Wind and named storm deductibles. A percentage deductible applies to each building's insured value, so the dollars you retain can be much larger than the percentage suggests. The wind deductible calculator shows that figure for your schedule, and the buy-down guide explains how owners pay to retain less. Deductible terms vary by policy and carrier.
- Coinsurance exposure. When a building is insured below the share of value its policy requires, a partial loss payment can be cut in proportion. The coinsurance penalty calculator walks through the math. Whether a coinsurance clause applies, and how, depends on the policy wording and the carrier.
- Vendor certificates of insurance. Contractors, property managers and tenants working at your buildings should carry their own coverage and name you where the contract calls for it. The certificate of insurance guide covers what to collect and what to check on it.
- Claims preparation. A claim is presented with photos, maintenance records and a current schedule, so those need to exist before the loss. The claims strategy guide covers what to gather and when.
Tools & guides
Tools and guides for this asset class
Free tool
Coinsurance Penalty Calculator
Free, no email required: a coinsurance clause cuts every claim, not just a total loss, when the limit trails replacement cost. See the exact payout on your loss, the penalty across loss sizes, and what it takes to cure the gap, plus the margin clause that replaces it on blanket programs.
Run your numbersFree tool
Captive Insurance Calculator
Free, no email required: a first screen for whether a captive is worth a look. See break-even loss ratio, capital tied up, and good, expected, and bad years side by side. Illustrative only, not a savings promise.
Run your numbersGuide
Captive Insurance Guide
Who a captive fits and who it doesn't. Ballpark entry points and costs for group, single-parent, cell, and deductible captives, fit by property type, and a worked GL example.
Read the guideGuide
Claims Strategy Guide
How you handle a claim this year sets what you pay for the next five. When to report, which claims to file, starting repairs before the adjuster arrives, and what an open claim tells an underwriter.
Read the guideMore guides
- Certificate of Insurance GuideWhat a COI does and doesn't do, additional insured endorsements, and a checklist for reviewing the certificate a contractor hands you.
- Hired and Non-Owned Auto GuideWhy general liability won't answer an employee's crash on company business, where HNOA comes from, and a checklist for owners and managers.
FAQ
Common questions
What is total cost of risk?
TCOR is everything carrying risk actually costs you: premiums, retained and uninsured losses, deductibles, risk-control spend, and the capital tied up behind it. Owners who manage that whole number are the ones whose insurance cost falls over time. Chasing premium alone mostly just moves cost around.
Should our portfolio consider a captive?
Sometimes. With enough predictable, retainable risk, a captive recaptures underwriting profit and smooths volatility. Without it, a captive is an expensive hobby. We model your portfolio's economics honestly before recommending one either way.
Do you handle claims for us?
Yes, and it's core to the work. We manage the claim process and press the carrier so the recovery reflects the coverage you paid for, not the first number the adjuster offers.
Coverage described on this page is a general summary, not a quote, coverage recommendation, or offer of insurance. Requesting a quote doesn't bind coverage. Terms, exclusions, and availability vary by carrier, state, and property, and only the policy actually issued determines coverage. Insurance is placed through producers licensed in the state where the property is located.
Free renewal review
Talk to a risk management specialist
We'll reply within one business day with when to start marketing it and what to have ready. Built for accounts with $50,000+ in annual premium.
- A second set of expert eyes on your program, free.
- Marketed to the carriers that actually want your risk.
- No obligation, fully confidential.
Book 20 minutes or call (205) 999-4884