Loss run
Also called Loss runs, loss history report or claims history report
Definition
A loss run is a report from your insurer listing the claims filed under your policies over a set period, with dates, amounts paid and whether each is still open.
A loss run is your business’s insurance claims history, in writing. New insurers ask for one when you apply, because past claims are one of the clearest signals of future ones.
What a loss run shows
A loss run usually covers several years of policies, and insurers often ask for three to five. For each policy, it typically lists:
- the insurer, policy number and policy period
- each claim’s date of loss and a short description
- amounts paid so far
- reserves, which are amounts set aside for what the insurer expects to pay on open claims
- whether each claim is open or closed
A clean history counts too. A loss run showing no claims confirms what you put on your application.
How to get one and how it’s used
You request loss runs from each carrier that insured you, or through the agent or broker who placed the policy. They aren’t always ready the same day, so ask as soon as you start shopping.
During underwriting, the new insurer looks at how often you’ve had claims, how large they were, whether open claims are still growing and what you’ve changed since. One small claim usually reads differently from a pattern of similar ones. For workers’ comp, claims history can also feed into your experience modification rate if your business qualifies for experience rating.