Wheaton, Illinois, Dec. 13, 2006 — The American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) has added access to a third online property valuation service provided by e2Value, Inc., Stamford, Conn.
As of now, companies affiliated with AAIS for its Agricultural Output, Businessowners, Commercial Output, and Commercial Properties programs can have access to e2Value’s “Commercial” property valuation program through the AAISdirect Internet service.
Among other things, the Commercial valuation service provides data for all major construction specification items (HVAC; wall, roof finishes; plumbing and fire protection) plus the ability to value multiple structures, with photos, within one valuation.
“AAIS is pleased to expand our business relationship with e2Value, a leading provider of online property valuation applications, and to offer this service to our commercial lines customers,” says Paul Baiocchi, AAIS president.
“As with the residential and farm valuation services currently available through AAISdirect, this additional service will be accessed through our online portal to AAIS products and complementary risk information services developed by other organizations,” Baiocchi adds.
AAIS is a national advisory organization that develops policy forms and rating information used by more than 600 property/casualty companies throughout the U.S. Its AAISdirect service provides online access to AAIS’s forms, manuals, bulletins, and other materials, plus access to other services.
Users of AAIS personal lines programs currently have access through AAISdirect to e2Value’s “Residential” property valuation application, and AAIS farm program affiliates that use AAISdirect can access e2Value’s “Farm & Ranch Estimator.”
Also, all insurers that use AAISdirect for any line of insurance have access to the “Risk Meter” risk mapping service developed by CDS Business Mapping, Boston, Mass.
Risk Meter provides online access to more than 30 categories of geographic information related to hazards at a location. The information provided specifies a location’s distance from coastlines, fault lines, and flood zones, as well.
Of particular importance to companies that use AAIS programs is Risk Meter’s information on the distance from an insured location to the nearest fire station. That distance is a determining factor in the application of AAIS’s simplified fire protection definitions (“protected,” “partially protected,” and “unprotected”). Having the distance available automatically through Risk Meter saves time and improves accuracy.
Companies affiliated with AAIS that do not use AAISdirect can sign up for a free trial of the service, including access to applicable valuation services and the “Risk Meter” risk mapping software, through the end of 2006.
For information on affiliating with AAIS or starting a free trial of AAISdirect, contact Rick Maka, director of marketing, atrickm@AAISonline.com or by calling 800/564-AAIS.