When you shop for commercial insurance, especially General Liability, Workers’ Compensation, or Business Property coverage, you will almost always be asked for one thing before an insurer can finalize a quote: your loss run report.

For many small and midsize businesses, this request arrives at exactly the wrong time, often during a renewal crunch, an enterprise contract review, or a move to a new broker. But loss runs are not busywork. They are the primary record of how your business has interacted with risk, and they directly influence your pricing, eligibility, and negotiating power.

Understanding how loss runs work gives you more control. It helps you secure stronger terms, avoid delays, and put your best foot forward with underwriters evaluating your business. This guide breaks down the essentials: what loss runs are, what they include, why insurers care, and how to use them to your advantage.

Key Takeaways

• Loss run reports are your verified claims history and a core input to insurance pricing and eligibility.
• Insurers focus on frequency, severity, and reserves when evaluating your risk profile.
• Clean or well-contextualized loss runs improve your negotiating position and coverage terms.
• With the right broker, loss runs become a strategic tool for stronger underwriting outcomes.

What Is a Loss Run?

A loss run is your company’s official claims history. Each time you report an incident, whether it becomes a paid claim or not, it appears on this record. Insurers use loss runs to assess your risk profile in the same way lenders use credit reports.

If you have a clean record, it signals lower exposure and can help you secure more competitive premiums. If there are frequent or high-severity claims, the insurer will want to understand what happened and what has changed since.

Loss runs apply across nearly all commercial insurance lines, including:

• General Liability
• Business Property
• Workers’ Compensation
• Professional Liability/Errors & Omissions (E&O)
• Cyber
• Business Owner’s Policies
• Commercial Auto (and in some cases, Hired and Non-Owned Auto)

What Is a Loss Run Report?

A loss run report is the formal document summarizing your claims history over a defined period, typically three to five years. It is issued by your current or past insurance carrier and is required by any carrier quoting new coverage.

Loss run reports are standardized, verifiable, and dated, meaning a broker or insurer can rely on them during underwriting. If you’ve switched insurers in recent years, you may need multiple reports to provide a complete picture.

What’s Included in a Loss Run Report?

Loss run reports generally contain five categories of information:

1. Your Policyholder Details

• Business name
• Policy number
• Policy term(s)

2. A Chronological List of Claims

For each claim, insurers list:

• Date of incident
• Date you reported the claim
• Description of what happened
• Coverage line involved (e.g., General Liability, Property, Workers’ Comp)

3. Financial Impact

• Legal expenses
• Payments made to resolve the claim
• Indemnity or settlement amounts
• Vendor or remediation costs (depending on coverage)

4. Open vs. Closed Status

Open claims carry more uncertainty, so underwriters look carefully at:

• Whether the claim is still active
• What remains unresolved
• Expected duration or litigation activity

5. Reserves

For any open claim, insurers set aside “reserves,” or the amount they anticipate paying before the claim is closed. These reserve amounts can influence your pricing even before the costs are finalized. If you have no activity, the report will simply state “No losses reported.” This is a valuable signal for insurers, especially when paired with industry benchmarks and thoughtful context from your broker.

When You Need a Loss Run Report

Loss run reports surface at predictable moments in a company’s insurance cycle. Insurers and counterparties rely on them to validate your claims history before extending coverage, signing a contract, or approving financing. Here are the situations where you’ll almost always be asked for one:

When You’re Shopping for New Coverage

Any insurer quoting new General Liability, Property, Workers’ Compensation, or Professional Liability coverage will require three to five years of loss runs before binding a policy. Without them, underwriting can’t move forward.

When You’re Renewing Existing Policies

Renewals with significant changes (e.g., higher limits, new operations, expanded locations, or prior-year claims) often trigger a fresh request. Carriers may also ask for updated loss runs if you’ve had open claims or meaningful activity since your last renewal.

When You’re Entering a Contract or Partnership

Enterprise clients, vendors, and commercial landlords may request loss runs during their risk review process. They want confirmation that your business has a manageable loss history before moving forward.

When You’re Raising Capital or Seeking Financing

Investors and lenders sometimes require loss runs as part of diligence, particularly for companies with physical operations, employee-intensive environments, or regulatory exposure.

When You’re Evaluating Your Own Risk Profile

Many businesses proactively review loss runs annually to identify trends, like frequent injuries, recurring property damage, or operational gaps, and use those insights to strengthen safety or compliance programs.

A loss run report becomes essential anywhere claims history affects pricing, underwriting, credibility, or operational decision-making.

How to Interpret Your Loss Run Report

The value of a loss run is not just in the data but in how you interpret it. Three factors matter most:

1. Frequency: Repeated similar claims can indicate systemic issues.
2. Severity: One catastrophic claim may not define your profile if you have an otherwise clean history.
3. Reserves: Large reserves on open claims can affect pricing until they are revised or the claim is closed.

A knowledgeable broker can help you contextualize the record, providing underwriters with operational history, changes made, or relevant explanations that clarify your risk posture.

Loss Runs for General Liability: What They Show and Why They Matter

Because General Liability is one of the most common and most claims-active coverages for businesses, General Liability loss runs are often the deciding factor during underwriting. These reports highlight incidents involving:

• Bodily injury (e.g., slip-and-fall accidents)
• Property damage (e.g., equipment accidentally damaged at a client site)
• Personal and advertising injury

Underwriters aren’t just looking at the claim amount. They’re looking at frequency, severity, and cause. A single high-value claim (such as storm damage) may be viewed differently than three similar small claims that suggest chronic issues.

How to Request a Loss Run Report

You obtain loss run reports from your current or past insurance carriers. Most insurers allow you to request them in three ways:

• Through your online portal
• By contacting your agent or broker
• By emailing the carrier directly

When requesting a report, always specify:

• The policy or policies you need
• The timeframe (often three to five years)
• Your required delivery date

Insurers are required by most states to provide loss runs within 10 days of receiving your request. If you do not receive your report in a timely manner, you can escalate through your state insurance department.

How Long Does It Take to Receive Loss Runs?

Turnaround depends on carrier systems and volume, but generally:

• Some carriers deliver within 24 hours
• Most provide reports within three to five business days
• Delays beyond 10 days may violate state guidelines

If you need new coverage quickly, like completing a client contract, requesting loss runs early can prevent unnecessary last-minute stress.

How Loss Runs Affect Your Ability to Switch Insurance Providers

Any insurer quoting a new policy will require loss runs before binding coverage. Without them, the carrier cannot accurately price or evaluate your risk.

This means:

• Start your renewal or shopping process early
• Request loss runs before you begin quoting
• Keep copies of each report for future use

If you’re expanding, entering new markets, or bidding on enterprise contracts, having updated loss runs on file helps your broker advocate for stronger terms.

Best Practices for Keeping Your Loss Runs Strong

Loss runs improve when your operations improve. Businesses that treat claims history as a management tool tend to secure better terms over time.

Best practices include:

• Conducting annual safety and risk reviews
• Updating training or equipment when patterns appear
• Documenting corrective actions after a claim
• Keeping lines of communication open with your broker
• Closing claims promptly when issues are resolved
• Implementing cybersecurity controls if applicable

Operational maturity matters, and loss runs are the clearest record of it.

How Vouch Helps You Manage and Use Loss Runs Effectively

A strong broker doesn’t just request your loss runs; they help you understand and leverage them. With Vouch, clients benefit from:

• Streamlined Onboarding: We help you collect and consolidate loss runs from past carriers without the usual back-and-forth.
• Expert Interpretation: Advisors explain how underwriters will view your history and what context strengthens your position.
• Benchmarking: We compare your loss experience to similar businesses, helping you understand where you stand and what improvements matter most.
• Proactive Renewal Support: We help you request and review loss runs well before renewal, preventing last-minute delays with carriers or contracts.

Loss runs shouldn’t be a roadblock. With the right guidance, they turn into a tool that helps you secure better coverage, from pricing to contract compliance to risk planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all insurers require loss runs?

Any insurer quoting or renewing commercial insurance will typically ask for at least three years of loss runs.

Can I get a quote without providing loss runs?

Carriers may give an early estimate, but they cannot finalize or bind coverage until loss runs are provided.

What if I’ve never had commercial insurance before?

If you’re a first-time buyer, you won’t have loss runs. Insurers simply price your policy based on industry, size, and operations.

What if my previous carrier won’t send the report?

Most states require delivery within 10 days. If they fail to comply, you can escalate to the state insurance department.

Do loss runs cover every type of commercial policy?

Loss runs exist for nearly all lines with claims activity, including General Liability, Business Property, Workers’ Compensation, E&O, and Cyber.

Why are reserves important?

Reserves reflect the insurer’s estimated future payout on an open claim. High reserves can influence pricing until the claim closes.

Does one major claim hurt more than several small ones?

Not always. One unusual, high-severity claim may be viewed as an isolated event. Multiple similar claims often raise more concerns.

How often should I review my loss runs?

At least once per year or any time you add new operations, sign major contracts, or prepare for renewal.

Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC (CA License #6004944) is a licensed insurance producer in states where it conducts business. A complete list of state licenses is available at vouch.us/legal/licenses. Insurance products are underwritten by various insurance carriers, not by Vouch. This material is for informational purposes only and does not create a binding contract or alter policy terms. Coverage availability, terms, and conditions vary by state and are subject to underwriting review and approval.