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Environmental Insider was created for brokers like you, as a source of ideas and innovations to help you grow your business. Our newsletter consists of new information regarding our products and programs, relevant industry trends, informational content on claims and environmental risks, letters from leadership, and more! Subscribe if you want to be the first to have access to our new editions as soon as they’re released.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time – 2026 Industry Trends!

Mar 11, 2026, 10:29 AM
Be ready when life happens. These industry-trend situations illustrate the variety of environmental exposures that could affect your customers!
Be ready when life happens. These industry-trend situations illustrate the variety of environmental exposures that could affect your customers!
Be ready when life happens. These industry-trend situations illustrate the variety of environmental exposures that could affect your customers!
Author : Great American Insurance Group
Social media title : Wrong Place, Wrong Time – 2026 Industry Trends!
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Published Date : Jan 23, 2025, 23:00 PM

Be ready when life happens. These industry-trend situations illustrate the variety of environmental exposures that could affect your customers!

The rapid expansion of data centers—driven by AI, cloud computing and global digitalization—has created new environmental exposures and risks. These facilities rely heavily on cooling systems and uninterrupted power, making them vulnerable to accidents, financial loss and business interruption. Consider this…

Lithium Ion-Exploded Battery

A hyperscale data center installs a lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS) to support peak load. The system includes thousands of interconnected cells housed in modular cabinets. During routine charging, a manufacturing defect in one cell initiates a thermal runaway. Smoke and corrosive off-gassing infiltrate nearby server halls. Although the fire is contained within the BESS room, the contamination forces a full shutdown of two data halls and triggers an emergency evacuation. As a result, there was structural damage to the BESS enclosure and adjacent rooms, multi-week business interruption, and loss of customer processing capacity.

Litigation funding, evolving jury attitudes and expanding theories of liability continue to drive up verdicts and settlements. Consider this… 

Gavel graphic

A concrete manufacturing plant has operated for decades on the outskirts of a growing suburban community. As residential development expands closer to the facility, neighbors begin reporting dust accumulation on vehicles, outdoor furniture and HVAC filters. Several residents raise concerns about respiratory irritation and long-term exposure to airborne particulate matter. Local environmental groups commission independent air-quality testing, which detect intermittent spikes of respirable crystalline silica near the property line and during peak production hours. Although levels fluctuate, the findings prompt a coalition of residents to file a class action lawsuit alleging that fugitive dust emissions have migrated into surrounding neighborhoods. The complaint asserts bodily injury, property contamination and diminished property values. Operators were responsible for defense costs, potential settlements, regulatory enforcement actions and upgrades to dust-control systems, and monitoring obligations.   

Sediment is increasingly treated as a regulated pollutant, especially in construction, dredging and stormwater management. Failures in erosion control or sediment containment can lead to significant environmental risks. Consider this… 

Man digging

A large commercial development project is underway near a protected watershed. The contractor installs standard erosion-control measures, including silt fencing, sediment basins and stabilized construction entrances. Midway through grading operations, an intense storm system stalls over the region, producing rainfall far exceeding design assumptions. The temporary basin overtops, and several sections of silt fencing fail. Runoff flows into a nearby creek, turning the water visibly murky and depositing material along the streambed. Regulators respond quickly, issuing a stop-work order pending investigation. Water sampling confirms elevated turbidity and suspended solids well above thresholds. The contractor was responsible for the emergency response and clean-up costs, fines for permit violations, natural resource damage assessments, project delays, and third-party claims from downstream property owners and recreational users.  

Climate variability, aging infrastructure and increased humidity events are contributing to a rise in mold-related claims across commercial and residential properties. Consider this…

Mold

A distribution warehouse located in a coastal region experiences severe flooding after a stalled tropical storm drops more than 12 inches of rain in 24 hours. Although the building’s slab is elevated, floodwaters enter through the loading dock and seep into wall cavities, saturating insulation and drywall. The facility manager focuses on restoring power and securing inventory, delaying dehumidification. By the time the mitigation contractors arrive, humidity levels inside the warehouse exceed 80% and visible mold growth has begun on drywall seams, wooden pallets and cardboard packaging. Employees report musty odors and throat irritation. Extensive mold remediation had to be done, including the removal of drywall, insulation and affected inventory. Additionally, the warehouse suffered business interruption costs, HVAC replacement due to spore infiltration, and potential bodily injury claims due to employees and contractors staying on-site. 


Download the Industry Trends Claims Scenarios


The claims scenarios depicted above illustrate the variety of environmental exposures your clients may face. All situations are unique! The terms, conditions, exclusions and limitations in any policy may vary. Our team of experienced underwriters, dedicated claims handling unit and technical support staff understands these unique environmental exposures and can work with you to help tailor a policy to find acceptable coverage and claim solutions for your clients!

To help you address these as well as other environmental exposures with your clients, visit our Claims Scenario Library. You can find more examples illustrating the various environmental exposures that could affect your customers!

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Industry Webpages

Think beyond the obvious. Environmental exposures are lurking in many different kinds of work and industries. We put together our industry webpages to compile all the information relating to your client’s work. Take a look to see the various environmental hazards facing your client’s operations and our streamlined, tailored solutions. 

Product Video Series

Our following product videos illustrate how obtaining a policy from Great American can halt environmental protection concerns by providing a clear, consistent and competitive solution. When you need responsive insurance services, you can count on us to deliver tailored solutions fast—allowing your clients to stay focused on what matters most: the success of their business.

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Riskopolis Series

At Great American, we recognize the challenges that professionals of all kinds face in various lines of work. Whether your clients are operating at a warehouse, waste management facility or construction site, exposures can result in extensive clean-up costs and legal expenses.

Let us help reveal these hidden risks! Great American Environmental’s Riskopolis Series uses an interactive, illustrative platform to provide examples of the variety of exposures, specific to your client’s operations that may be financially threatening to businesses.

Manufacturing and warehouse/distribution facilities face a wide range of risks that can disrupt operations, damage processes, and compromise products. Yet, traditional general liability policies often exclude environmental exposures from coverage. The GLIDER Riskopolis highlights real-world scenarios where GLIDER can deliver comprehensive protection, bridging the gap between general liability and pollution liability.

Multipurpose buildings face a variety of environmental and health risks, from mold and asbestos to chemical spills and vapor intrusions. These scenarios emphasize the importance of proactive safety measures to protect your client’s tenants. Explore our Interior Risks Riskopolis to learn about these hazards.

The services provided by contractors in our local communities are essential for our everyday security and comfort, from maintaining our homes and offices to upholding infrastructure. The Contractors ProProtect Riskopolis showcases some potential pollution and professional liability risks facing small contractors.

Discover What We Cover: A Great American Environmental Podcast

Great American’s Environmental Division has a podcast for environmental brokers! Our episodes cover numerous topics ranging from industry trends to environmental insurance FAQ’s.

Oil container with warning sign

April 21, 2026 - In episode sixteen of Discover What We Cover, we’re joined by Director of Underwriting and Senior Divisional Vice President Eric McCabe, along with Environmental Casualty Practice Leader Becky Biermann, as they explain why companies seeking general liability (GL) coverage should consider a pollution‑focused carrier, especially when seeking a combined GL and pollution form. We discuss how traditional GL policies often exclude pollution exposures, why many companies underestimate their environmental risks, and how a pollution‑led combined GL form delivers more comprehensive solutions in the event of a potentially financially devastating pollution incident.

New Branding Solid Icons_Risk Engineering_Risk Engineering (1)

March 11, 2026 - In episode fifteen of Discover What We Cover, we’re joined by Loss Control Manager, Paul Scian, along with Senior Loss Prevention Consultants, Randy Copenhaver and Sarah Pong, for an inside look at the fast‑paced world of risk control. They break down how our in‑house risk engineering team directly supports our underwriters, which translates into more customized and detailed coverage for our clients.

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November 10, 2025 - In episode fourteen of Discover What We Cover, Divisional Assistant Vice President and Head of Communications, Kelsey Hill, returns for an insightful conversation with Environmental Casualty Practice Leader, Becky Biermann, as they explore our division’s newly launched Commercial General Liability and Environmental Protection Policy and discuss the key distinctions between traditional General Liability coverage and the advantages of a combined General Liability and Pollution policy.

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July 15, 2025 - In episode thirteen of Discover What We Cover, Divisional Assistant Vice President and Head of Communications, Kelsey Hill, and Production Underwriter, Bjorn Gundersen, joins us to cover Great American Environmental’s newest solution for small business contractors—Contractors ProProtect—and explore its fast, user-friendly online quoting platform.

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