Environmental Strategist Podcast: Dirt, Dust, and Environmental Liabilities for Contractors

Contractors face environmental exposures that can lead to costly claims, coverage disputes, project delays, cleanup expenses, legal defense costs, and third-party liability. In this episode of the Environmental Strategist Podcast, presented in partnership with the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance, Brooks Bunbury is joined by Christopher Pell, Senior Underwriting Manager with Intact Insurance, Midwest and Eastern Environmental Division, to explore real-world contractor pollution liability claims and the environmental insurance solutions that can help protect businesses.

The conversation examines current environmental insurance market conditions, growth in contractor pollution liability coverage, and the types of claims carriers are seeing across the construction and contracting space. Examples include mold from an improperly installed HVAC system, asbestos-contaminated demolition debris, underground utility strikes, fuel line leaks, stormwater runoff, liquid asphalt spills, illicit dumping, vapor intrusion, and aging underground storage tanks.

Listeners will also learn how Contractors Pollution Liability (CPL), site pollution coverage, transportation pollution liability, underground storage tank coverage, and related environmental insurance products may respond to exposures that are often excluded or limited under general liability, commercial auto, or property policies. The episode also offers practical underwriting insights for agents and brokers, including why project lists, loss runs, financial stability, health and safety practices, and well-drafted contracts matter when placing environmental coverage.

This episode is ideal for insurance agents, brokers, risk managers, contractors, and environmental insurance professionals who want to better understand contractor pollution exposures, coverage gaps, and the importance of environmental financial assurance.

Key Topics

• Environmental liabilities facing contractors
• Current environmental insurance market conditions
• Growth trends in contractor pollution liability (CPL)
• Mold claims and water intrusion exposures
• Asbestos contamination and demolition risks
• Fuel spills, leaking tanks, and underground utility strikes
• Vapor intrusion, silica, PFAS, and stormwater runoff
• Contractor Pollution Liability (CPL) coverage
• Environmental Impairment Liability (EIL) and site pollution coverage
• Transportation Pollution Liability coverage
• Underground Storage Tank (UST) risks and insurance considerations
• Legal defense costs in environmental claims
• Contractual environmental insurance requirements
• Environmental financial assurance programs
• Underwriting best practices for contractors
• How pollution coverage can provide a competitive bidding advantage

Key Takeaways

• Environmental exposures exist for nearly every contractor, not just environmental specialists.
• Excavation, demolition, HVAC, plumbing, utility installation, roofing, and transportation operations can all trigger costly pollution claims.
• Standard general liability policies often contain pollution exclusions that leave contractors uninsured for significant environmental losses.
• Contractor Pollution Liability (CPL) coverage can address cleanup costs, bodily injury, property damage, business interruption, natural resource damages, and legal defense costs.
• Mold continues to be a major source of environmental claims affecting contractors across multiple trades.
• Underground utility strikes, fuel releases, asbestos discoveries, and stormwater runoff can quickly generate six- and seven-figure losses.
• Transportation Pollution Liability fills important coverage gaps that may not be addressed by commercial auto policies.
• Aging underground storage tan