AIG vs 
Zurich U.S.: How Do They Compare for Builders Risk Insurance?
What Is AIG?
AIG is the marketing name for American International Group, Inc.; AIG says its insurance products are written or provided by subsidiaries or affiliates. Its U.S. business pages list commercial casualty, property, cyber, management and professional liability, and specialty programs, but a brand-level page does not identify the insurer for a particular policy. 1,2
Zurich U.S. Business Insurance: Products, Access, and Claims
Zurich U.S. serves Middle Market businesses and large or national accounts with commercial property-casualty and specialty insurance. Buyers can explore product lines and work through an agent or broker; the insurer named on a quote or policy identifies which Zurich company underwrites that coverage. 4,5
What Is Builders Risk Insurance?
Builders risk protects the project you are building, including materials meant for it, against physical loss until construction ends. The gaps that cost owners money are materials in storage or transit, the existing building in a renovation, and coverage ending when you occupy early. 7,8,9,10
Key Differences in Builders Risk Insurance
Project Type and Eligibility
AIG describes builders risk arrangements across small, mid-sized, and complex construction projects, including customized wood-frame options. Zurich specifically lists water and sewer pipeline work within appetite while excluding oil and gas pipelines; it also names tunnels, dams, and historic structures among ineligible projects. A pipeline or infrastructure buyer should resolve the exact project classification before comparing premium or limits. 3 6
Options and Schedule Changes
AIG’s page illustrates a standstill and extension through the remaining expected project term. Zurich lists possible options such as flood, earth movement, soft costs, business income, and building-systems testing. These are not necessarily included automatically. Ask Zurich which options are available for the site and AIG to put any schedule extension under consideration into its proposed wording. 3 6
What to Confirm in Builders Risk Insurance Quotes
- Ask Zurich to reconcile its published project-value descriptions, which refer both to projects up to $75 million and projects of any value. 3 6
- Confirm with Zurich whether your exact pipeline or infrastructure class is eligible and which listed options can be quoted. 3 6
- Ask AIG how its standstill example applies to your completion schedule and compare both actual forms. 3 6
Review Scores
These averages can combine ratings for different products, locations, and customer groups, including approximate BBB grade conversions. Read each review for the sources, scope, and calculation.
AIG
Review Score
2 rated sources
Customer ratings for AIG are low: Trustpilot shows 1.9 out of 5 from 252 reviews, and NerdWallet gives 2.5 stars and notes more claims complaints than expected. These pages cover many AIG products and countries, so they only loosely describe business insurance.[1][2]
Read AIG reviewsZurich U.S.
Review Score
The available Zurich review evidence is mixed and comes from distinct populations: a car-rental-business editorial rating, broad global and U.S. review-platform snapshots, and a BBB business-profile grade. These are not a representative measure of every Zurich commercial policy or claim.[1][4][5][6][7]
Read Zurich U.S. reviewsOffering Details
AIG vs Zurich U.S.: Builders Risk Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | AIG Builders Risk | Zurich Commercial Builders Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | AIG markets Builders Risk as a construction property insurance solution for single projects and master programs. AIG is the marketing name; the page says products are written or provided by AIG subsidiaries or affiliates and does not identify the issuing company for a particular policy. 3Company-reported. AIG’s U.S. Builders Risk product page and its general legal footer. This establishes AIG’s marketed product and issuer structure, not the insurer on an individual quote, binder or policy. | Confirm in your quote. |
| Who It’s For | The page describes solutions for a range of construction projects, including small, mid-sized and complex projects, and says AIG develops domestic, multinational and multi-year arrangements. It also describes customized options for wood-frame structures. These are marketed capabilities, not eligibility guarantees. 3Company-reported. Project types and program configurations stated on AIG’s U.S. Builders Risk page. The page does not provide a complete underwriting appetite or state-by-state availability schedule. | Zurich lists water and sewer pipeline projects within Commercial Builders Risk appetite and explicitly excludes oil and gas pipelines. 6Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; issuing company is not specified on this program summary; Zurich Commercial Builders Risk for commercial construction projects; United States. Company-reported target appetite; each application remains subject to underwriting. Do not imply every risk or class is accepted. Zurich’s live Commercial Builders Risk page gives conflicting project-value descriptions: the overview and FAQ describe projects up to $75 million, while the Appetite section says commercial projects of any size and value. The page does not resolve the scope conflict; confirm eligibility with Zurich. These statements describe project values, not policy limits. 6Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; issuing company is not specified on this program summary; Zurich Commercial Builders Risk; United States. The official page contains an unresolved conflict about project-value eligibility. Obtain current Zurich clarification before relying on a boundary. The statements concern project values and do not establish a policy limit; issued terms and underwriting govern. Zurich lists the Commercial Builders Risk program as nationwide. 6Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; underlying issuing legal entity is not identified on this page; Zurich Commercial Builders Risk program; United States, company-reported nationwide program availability. Company-reported program geography does not establish issuer authority or coverage for a specific risk; confirm jurisdiction and policy with the quote. Zurich lists registered historic structures, tunnels, dams, structures built over water, and manufacturing including testing/equipment among ineligible Commercial Builders Risk projects. 6Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; issuing company is not specified on this program summary; Zurich Commercial Builders Risk; United States. Company-reported appetite; not a full policy exclusion list. Actual terms govern. |
| Coverage Features | AIG describes tailoring project coverage to construction risks and gives an example of arranging coverage for a project standstill and an extension for the expected remaining project term. These examples do not establish that any buyer is entitled to a standstill extension or that it is included in a policy. 3Company-reported. AIG’s illustrative Builders Risk marketing examples. The page directs interested buyers to the actual policy for coverage scope, limitations, terms, conditions and exclusions. | Zurich says its Commercial Builders Risk program protects commercial projects against physical loss or damage during construction, renovation or installation. 6Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; issuing company is not specified on this program summary; Zurich Commercial Builders Risk; United States. Company product summary, not a policy form; actual covered property, causes, exclusions, limits and conditions depend on issued terms and underwriting. Zurich lists potential Commercial Builders Risk options including earth movement, flood, Ordinance or Law, soft costs, business income/extra expense, waiver of coinsurance and building-systems testing. 6Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; issuing company is not specified on this program summary; Zurich Commercial Builders Risk; United States. Options may depend on project/underwriting and issued policy terms; page is not the policy form. |
| Limits and Retentions | The reviewed product page does not state a standard policy limit, deductible or retention. AIG says coverage depends on the actual policy language; confirm the applicable amounts and conditions in the quote and issued policy. 3Not publicly disclosed. AIG’s U.S. Builders Risk marketing page as reviewed on 2026-09-30. No buyer-specific quote, declarations or policy form was reviewed; this is not a finding that such terms are unavailable from AIG. | Confirm in your quote. |
| Risk Services | AIG says its risk engineers can work with clients on loss-prevention improvements and customized service plans, including loss-control reports. The page describes these as risk services and does not make them policy coverage or a guaranteed loss outcome. 3Company-reported. Company-described services on the U.S. Builders Risk page; availability for a particular account is not specified. | Zurich states the commercial Builders Risk program offers direct access to a dedicated team of more than 50 specialists. 6Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; issuing company is not specified on this program summary; Zurich Commercial Builders Risk; United States. Company-reported program service statement; it does not promise response times or claims outcomes. |
| How to Apply | Confirm in your quote. | Zurich says agents can register online for program access and submit an online or paper application to underwriting; no premium commitment is required to register. 6Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; distribution through agents/brokers; Zurich Commercial Builders Risk; United States. Application process description; submission is not binding coverage or evidence of acceptance. |
| Claims Support | AIG states that, after property-damage coverage is confirmed, it promises working funds equal to 50% of its share of the agreed property-damage estimate within seven days. This is AIG’s stated claim-funding service condition; the page does not make it a general claim-payment deadline or establish policy entitlement for every loss. 3Company-reported. Conditional company statement on the Builders Risk page. It applies only as described there and remains subject to the actual policy and claim circumstances. | Confirm in your quote. |
Full Comparison
More AIG vs Zurich U.S. Comparisons
Other Builders Risk Insurance Comparisons
Sources
AIG
- Investor Relations. American International Group, Inc. (AIG); About AIG and legal footer; lines 244–246 and 327–331. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Business. AIG US; Surplus Lines heading and paragraph, lines 357–359. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Builders Risk Insurance. AIG US; ‘Why choose AIG Builders Risk Insurance?’ and ‘AIG Advantage’: lines 242–280, including project scope, tailored solutions, risk engineering and conditional claim-funding statement; policy-language and coverage caveat lines 365–366; legal footer lines 411–415. Accessed 2026-09-30.
Zurich U.S.
- About Us | Zurich U.S. | Commercial Insurance. Zurich U.S.; About Zurich U.S.; customer and industry description; FAQ on U.S. product focus. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Agents and Brokers | Zurich U.S. Zurich U.S.; Agent/broker route and locator. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Commercial Builders Risk Program | Zurich Insurance. Zurich U.S.; Builders Risk - Commercial; direct product overview and FAQ: coverage, appetite, ineligible projects, options, limits, application, geography, admission and program highlights (HTML lines 270–411). Accessed 2026-09-28.
Builders Risk Insurance Guide
- Glossary of Insurance Terms. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Builders’ Risk Policies; Ocean Marine; Auto Physical Damage; All-Risk. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Commercial Insurance Guide. California Department of Insurance; Commercial Property; Inland Marine; What Should I Expect from a Broker-Agent. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Builders Risk Coverage Form. Insurance Services Office, Inc.; hosted by Touchpoint Markets; A.1–3 p.1; B.3.c p.11; C,D,E p.12. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Builders Risk Application Tip Sheet. US Assure; General policy application tips p.1; Remodeling tips p.2. Accessed 2026-09-16.
