Insurance for Dams & Levees Projects
Dam and levee work carries some of the largest potential losses in civil engineering, because a failure affects everyone downstream.
Many professional liability carriers exclude dam work or limit it, so firms in this field need it disclosed clearly and placed with carriers that accept it.
Why Dam and Levee Work Is Different
A breach can damage property and injure people far from the site.
Inspection and rating reports are relied on by owners and regulators.
Flood estimates and spillway design are tested by extreme storms.
Exclusions are common. Your policy wording needs checking before you take the work.
For example: the spillway after the storm
A storm larger than any on record overtops a small dam’s spillway, eroding the embankment. Downstream owners sue the dam owner, who brings in the engineer who designed the spillway upgrade ten years earlier.
The hydrologic standard used at the time, what the regulator approved, and whether the engineer’s coverage stayed continuous with the same retro date decide the outcome.
Hypothetical example for illustration. Coverage for any claim depends on the policy terms and the facts.
Dams & Levees: Common Questions
Does my professional liability cover dam work?
Check the exclusions. Many policies exclude or limit dams, and you may need a carrier that accepts this work.
Do small dam projects count?
Usually yes. Carriers ask about dam work regardless of size, and a small dam can still cause large downstream losses.
How long does exposure last?
A long time. Dams are in service for decades, so continuous coverage and retro dates matter even more than usual.
Disciplines Most Active on Dams & Levees Projects.
Tell Us About Your Firm. We’ll Tell You What We See.
Starting out or renewing, with a policy in hand or not. If something is worth discussing, we’ll call. If not, we’ll say so.