Pitney Bowes MapInfo, a provider of location intelligence,introduced the Risk Data Suite for underwriting, rating, andportfolio risk management. Based on historical information (updatedannually) on weather and natural disaster-related occurrences, theproduct offers data that enables property/casualty underwriters,actuaries, and risk managers to make better decisions in areas suchas: underwriting policy analyses and rating; custom ratingterritory creation and maintenance; credit and risk scoring;portfolio risk aggregation and realistic disaster scenarioanalysis; and claims planning and preparedness.

The database consists of four individual bundles withhigh-definition data and aggregate exposure grids. The four bundlesinclude:

Earthquake Bundle--provides a historical record of earthquakessince 1492, enabling insurers to calculate rates based on proximityto fault lines. Data includes information on fault lines, faultzones, earthquake epicenters and aggregate exposure grids.

Weather Bundle--includes geographic data on occurrences ofhurricanes, hail storms, tornados, windstorms and lightning basedon the location, movement and exposure of a single event, enablingusers to more realistically model portfolio disaster scenarios orto evaluate individual policy exposures.

Windpool Bundle--three layers of data feature maps of Floridawind speed and wind-borne debris regions, as well as State WindpoolEligibility Zones to help insurers make property, wind, or hailinsurance available to qualified applicants who are unable tosecure such insurance in the normal insurance marketplace.

Mass Movement Bundle--the initial release of Risk Data Suitefeatures maps of volcanic hazard zones for Hawaii, dividing it intozones based on the probability of coverage by lava flows.

"While weather-related disasters can happen at any time and areunavoidable, it is essential that insurance companies are armedwith a complete and accurate picture of potential weather perilsbased on past occurrences," says Craig Bedell, director of globalinsurance for Pitney Bowes MapInfo. "This data set provides apowerful analytical tool for critical insurance decisions inunderwriting, portfolio risk and realistic disaster scenarioanalysis, and claims planning and preparedness."