The Institute created Environmentalriskmanager.com as an interactive online environmental resource enabling brokers and risk managers to obtain the latest information, knowledge, and solutions to environmental problems and opportunities confronted by this market segment. Unlike many database systems that statically present information, we provide you dynamic access to professionals at the Institute that possess the knowledge through interactive online consulting or by phone.

The information contained in the website consists of thousands of files of technical data and interactive worksheets. The data is continually updated so that you always have the most recent coverage comparisons, policy modifications, potential coverage gap analysis, case laws affecting coverage and regulatory data.

The website and the Institute can be used in several important ways:

1. E&O Prevention:  The site's mantra is Effective Environmental Risk Management.  Step 1 of this process is exposure identification.  The site assists the environmental insurance broker in properly identifying potential exposure - not taking full advantage of this leaves a broker vulnerable to the likelihood of missing key issues that could later become an incident.  The site further outlines different methods of handling the identified risk.  Sophisticated risk managers will find that although insurance is a big piece of the risk transfer puzzle, it must frequently be augmented by other techniques, such as by the use of certain contractual language and preventative measures.  The typical broker/environmental risk specialist is unaware, for example, how environmental medicine can assist a client - both before and after an issue arises. 

2. Environmental Insurance: Off-the-shelf policies can be riddled with coverage gaps, and each policy must be individually reviewed for every client's identified exposures.  The website is a comprehensive source for impartial reviews of the top insurance policies used by the industry � line by line commentary providing helpful hints, coverage comparisons, suggestions for improvement and clarification, and a spotlight on costly gaps in coverage. The comparison and analysis is presented in an easy-to-follow chart format, and also includes a User Guide for quick information about each type of policy reviewed.  A summary of the issues outlined in the chart is included for fast review. This research tool can save you literally thousands of hours of staff time.  

3. Client Service:  The website addresses specific, common questions asked by many clients, including contract coverage specifications to use when a remedial contractor, consultant, transporter or disposal site is hired; links to laws/permits/financial responsibility requirements; key court cases in the industry; information on specific toxicants, audit checklists, fines penalty calculations, loss modeling, court case search, all federal state environmental laws, CERCLIS and proposed sites for regulatory action, risk profiles by industry, and more.

4.  Sales Potential:  With a quick "click," salespeople can go out on calls, armed with specific knowledge of the workings of various industries, its corresponding pollution inputs and outputs, and environmental key court cases within that industry.  They have User Guides for various policy types, and information to enable them to show a very distinct understanding of the prospect's operations and key environmental concerns.  This, by far, will differentiate them from the majority in the industry, who currently relies on potentially biased insurance company propaganda as their means of education. 

5.  Training & Education:  The website is comprehensive on the facets of information, but can easily be divided into sections for specific areas of training brokers and service teams.  The material is simple on the surface, but also tackles very difficult concepts that are most likely new to even the most experienced environmental risk specialist.

6.  Underwriting Submissions:  The more complete an underwriting submission, the better equipped an underwriter is to be able to negotiate price and coverages.  Using data from the site can support the broker�s recommendations.  Such data includes pre-submission research on disposal sites, Records of Decisions, actual vs. perceived exposures for a specific industry, applicable court cases, and more. 

7.  On-line Assistance: Environmentalriskmanager.com is the only known source of environmental information and knowledge that is actually interactive.  Specific issues can be researched quickly and easily online by our professional staff.  This unique "behind the scenes" advisor provides a distinct advantage for your staff.

 8. Unbiased Service:  Because we are associated with Texas State University-San Marcos, we not only have a full range of environmental sciences available for Subscribers, but also the unbiased edge that comes from being outside of the underwriting community.

 9. Industry Experience: The professionals behind the Institute and the website have a collective experience of 125 years in environmental insurance and risk management, environmental law, medicine and technology. While in the insurance industry as former brokers, we had managed, marketed and developed over $1.2 billion in premiums. 

10. ERM Designation: The foundation of the website is based on the ERM professional curriculum.  This is the only designation offered in the industry for Environmental Risk Management. Founded by the Institute�s Chairman in 1996, it has become one the primary training and education programs for underwriters of AIG, Chubb, Liberty Mutual, and others. From the brokerage community, numerous professionals have attended from Marsh, Aon, Willis, Gallagher and smaller regional and local brokers.  It has been well attended by environmental consultants/loss control professionals, risk managers, and attorneys.  The website goes well beyond even the ERM program in content, research and delivery of specialized knowledge. The professionals  that have earned the ERM designation will appreciate the website as a continuous, expanded tool in delivering the highest quality services to their clients, as well as allowing their own professional development.