Uncover the Hidden RisksBeyond the Checklist:
Forensic Intelligence for Better Underwriting
By Daniel Scott H., Managing Partner, Datum Point Services
A Hidden Crisis in Risk Assessment
Walk into almost any commercial property, and you’ll find the same story: fire alarms in place, sprinklers installed, inspection tags checked off.
From a checklist perspective, everything looks compliant. But what if that system hasn’t been communicating for months?
What if corrosion has silently blocked half the piping behind the walls?
What if that blinking panel is flashing warnings no one is reading?
Underwriting based on visual inspection alone is a dangerous illusion.
At Datum Point Services, we’re helping insurers, adjusters, and forensic teams uncover the data-backed truth that standard inspections often miss—and the consequences of not doing so are escalating fast.
The Risk Landscape Has Changed
In 2023, the insurance industry absorbed over $118 billion in global insured losses from catastrophic events.
Materials like structural steel have seen 65%+ cost increases, while only 43% of properties are believed to be accurately valued.
That means every underwriting decision today is made with shrinking margins, rising risk, and growing exposure.
Yet most risk validation still relies on simplified checklists and visual confirmation of system presence—when what’s actually needed is proof of performance, condition, and readiness.
The Information Gap: What Standard Inspections Miss
Let’s break it down.
Standard property audits often capture:
- Presence of life safety systems
- Visual hazards or blocked egress
- Tag dates from prior inspections
- Simple test results (e.g., alarm sounds)
But they routinely miss:
- Internal corrosion and obstruction
- Supervisory signals that went ignored
- Non-communicating fire panels
- Painted-over or capped sprinkler heads
- Recurring “trouble” faults, sometimes for months
What results is a false sense of security—compliance that exists only on paper.
The Role of Forensic Intelligence
This is where forensic intelligence changes the game.
By applying data analytics, AI, and systems analysis, we unlock the objective truth hidden within fire alarm control units (FACUs), historical system logs, and event signal chains.
Imagine having access to:
- A waterflow alarm at 2:15 AM, pinpointing the exact fire origin
- A sprinkler valve found closed days before a loss—potentially voiding claim coverage
- Months of “ground fault” signals, proving system neglect long before an incident occurred
This data doesn’t just help adjusters after the fact—it strengthens underwriting decisions before the policy is bound.
Strategic Value for Underwriters
Forensic intelligence supports:
✅ Pricing precision – Rate based on real system condition, not assumptions
✅ Claims defense – Provide irrefutable event history when litigation strikes
✅ Fraud deterrence – Deter staged losses and falsified system maintenance
It’s not just about risk avoidance. It’s about smarter capital allocation, portfolio protection, and operational confidence.
Real-World ROI: When Data Speaks Louder Than Assumptions
💡 A $137K unnecessary replacement was avoided when forensic logs showed the system didn’t cause the water loss
🔥 A $25M residential fire loss could have been prevented had attic detection gaps been discovered pre-binding
🧯 Corrosion blocked 50% of a pipe system, invisible to visual inspection—caught only by a deeper forensic review
These aren’t hypotheticals—they’re the hard-dollar impact of forensic diligence.
Go Beyond the Checklist
Insurance professionals are under immense pressure to improve loss ratios, validate risk accurately, and avoid claim surprises.
But the tools to do this already exist in fire, life safety, and security systems—it’s just a matter of using them.
If you’re underwriting based on system presence and paper inspections, you’re not seeing the whole picture.
And that gap could cost you millions.
So here’s the question:
Are your underwriting decisions based on proof… or just assumption?
About Datum Point Services
Datum Point Services supports underwriting, claims, and risk management teams with advanced forensic insight into fire protection, security, and life safety systems.
We don’t perform the investigations—we shape the message, structure the data, and provide the intelligence behind the evidence.
One missed fault voids everything.
We help you find the fault before it finds you.