Every commercial property submission starts the same way. The broker gathers the basics: property address, construction type, floor area, occupancy. The underwriter receives the submission and, more often than not, asks for more. A survey is requested. The process stalls.
The information gap between what brokers typically submit and what underwriters actually need to make a decision is where most of the friction in commercial property placement lives. This article covers exactly what underwriters want to see and how brokers can close that gap before the submission even lands.
Occupancy classification matters more than most brokers realise
SANS 10400 defines 22 occupancy classes from A1 entertainment venues through to J3 low risk storage. The classification determines what fire detection system is required by law, what the extinguisher minimum count is, and how the risk profile is scored. Submitting a restaurant under the wrong class does not just affect the risk assessment. It affects the validity of the compliance finding.
Construction type is underwritten differently
A thatch structure carries a fundamentally different fire risk profile to a brick and mortar building. Underwriters need to know not just that thatch is present, but whether it has been fire retardant treated, when treatment was last renewed, and whether a lightning protection system is in place. These are not optional details. They are conditions of cover for most insurers.
Location data should come from verified sources
Crime risk, flood exposure, and fire station proximity all affect the underwriting position. Brokers who can provide this data from verified sources rather than relying on the client's self assessment give underwriters a stronger foundation for the decision.
RiskScope generates all of this automatically from a 10 minute digital assessment. The result is a structured, insurer ready report that closes the information gap before the submission is made, not after.