Match the operations
Compare the application and policy with the work actually performed, including underground work, drilling, blasting, processing and subcontracting where relevant. Ask about restrictions tied to activities or locations. An insurer’s acceptance of one operation should not be treated as acceptance of every service offered by the business.
Review property and work exclusions
Damage to customer equipment in your care, damage to property being worked on and costs to correct your own work may receive different treatment. Pollution, professional services, auto and employer-related exposures also require separate analysis. Identify the facts of a plausible claim and trace them through the actual wording.
Coordinate contracts and limits
Review defense provisions, aggregates, completed operations and additional insured requirements. A contractual indemnity may be broader than insured contractual liability. Excess coverage should be checked for consistency with the underlying operations and exclusions rather than presumed to repair gaps.
Illustrative review scenario
A maintenance contractor damages an owner’s machine while repairing it, and the owner also alleges damage to nearby equipment. The policy may treat the property being worked on differently from other property. Ask the reviewer to trace the separate allegations through the exclusions and endorsements. The insured’s legal liability and the insurer’s duty under the policy are related but distinct questions. Would a claim for damaged owner equipment be evaluated differently from a claim for damaged neighboring property? Ask the reviewer to identify the relevant exclusions and explain the difference using actual forms.