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Alaska Builders Risk Insurance

Alaska’s state geologic survey identifies seismic hazards to buildings and infrastructure, while commercial plan review is handled by the State Fire Marshal except in listed deferred jurisdictions. Give the broker the site, approved plans and reviewing authority; neither source sets builders risk coverage. 1,2

What Is Builders Risk?

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. Read the national Builders risk guide.

What to Watch for in Alaska

  • Include site-specific seismic information

    Alaska DGGS evaluates geologic hazards to buildings and infrastructure, and the state is highly seismically active. For a project in Alaska, provide the site’s geotechnical and structural design information and ask whether earthquake damage and resulting construction delays are included, excluded or separately limited in the proposed form. 1

  • Confirm who reviews the plans

    Before commercial construction begins, Alaska’s Division of Fire and Life Safety requires plan review for fire and life safety; its published process lists communities that handle review locally. Verify the project’s reviewing authority and approval status, then send the same approved plans to the underwriter. The state review expressly does not cover structural considerations. 2

  • Keep code approval separate from insurance scope

    The Alaska review covers construction, repair, remodels and additions, but is limited to fire and life safety. A plan approval therefore does not resolve seismic engineering or policy terms. Ask the broker to confirm how the quote treats the project’s actual structural work, materials and any planned remodel or addition. 2,1

Who Regulates Insurance in Alaska

Alaska Division of Insurance

The Alaska Division of Insurance regulates insurers and insurance licensees, provides company and licensee searches, and investigates insurance complaints within its authority. Its consumer-services section handles disputes involving claims, cancellations, premium refunds, agents, and insurers. 3,4,5

Surplus-lines tax and stamping office

Reported tax rate: 2.7% of gross premium less returns plus 1% filing fee; wet marine: 0.75%, no fee For covered property and casualty surplus-lines risks, Alaska lists a 2.7% tax and a separate 1% filing fee on gross premium less returned premium. Qualifying wet-marine and transportation policies instead carry a 0.75% tax on gross premium and no filing fee; risks of state or local government and certain interstate aircraft are exempt from both tax and fee. A multistate placement is regulated under the insured’s home-state rules, and Alaska says to evaluate each policy’s home state separately. 7,6,8,9

  • Alaska has a placement-list exception: If a risk appears on Alaska’s surplus-lines placement list, the Division says the broker does not have to canvass admitted insurers for declinations before placement; the broker must document the applicable list entry. 6
  • Alaska has limited tax and search exceptions: The Division says qualifying wet-marine and transportation policies need no diligent search and pay no 1% filing fee. Tax and filing fees also do not apply to state or political-subdivision risks or qualifying interstate aircraft, although other placement requirements remain. 10

Providers With Documented State Licenses

No provider in Spot’s research documents both a state license record and this coverage line. This does not establish that providers are unlicensed. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm availability with a provider when requesting a quote.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy in Alaska

  1. Is the job in a jurisdiction reviewed by the Alaska State Fire Marshal or a deferred local authority?
  2. What earthquake wording, deductible and limits apply to the site, and what documentation does the carrier need?
  3. When does protection begin, and how does it change during construction, testing and occupancy?

Builders Risk in Alaska: FAQ

Who reviews a commercial construction plan in Alaska? 2

The state Division of Fire and Life Safety is the State Building Official for its plan-review program, but it lists deferred communities that handle review locally. Confirm the project address with the appropriate authority. 2

Does Alaska’s seismic hazard information guarantee earthquake coverage? 1

No. DGGS provides geologic hazard information, not insurance terms. Ask for the actual policy language on earthquake damage, limits and deductibles. 1

Builders Risk in Other States

Other Coverage in Alaska

Sources

  1. Earthquake and Tsunami Hazards Program. Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys; Program overview; seismic hazard to buildings, roads, bridges and infrastructure. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  2. Building Plan Review. Alaska Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire and Life Safety; Plan review scope, commercial construction timing and deferred jurisdictions. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  3. Division of Insurance. Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development; Official Division homepage; publishes general contact number (907) 269-7900 and qualifies 1-800-INSURAK for callers in state outside Anchorage. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  4. Research a Company or Agent. Alaska Division of Insurance; Company and licensee search for entities licensed in Alaska. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  5. Complaints. Alaska Division of Insurance; Official complaint filing instructions and matters the Division can investigate. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  6. Surplus Lines. Alaska Division of Insurance; Current surplus-lines guidance on tax reporting, placement-list diligent-search exception, and required policyholder notice. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  7. Alaska Statutes, Chapter 21.34: Surplus Lines Insurance. Alaska Legislature; AS 21.34.180/.190 rates; the Division's accessible current Surplus Lines FAQ reproduces the wet-marine and public-risk exceptions and filing-fee treatment. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  8. Bulletin B 12-05: Alaska Policyholder Notice. Alaska Division of Insurance; Required nonadmitted-insurer notice says claims are not covered by the Alaska Insurance Guaranty Association Act. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  9. 15 U.S.C. § 8202: Regulation of nonadmitted insurance by insured's home State. U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Law Revision Counsel; § 8202(a): nonadmitted placement is subject solely to insured's home-State requirements, except as otherwise provided; § 8201 addresses exclusive home-State tax authority. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  10. Surplus Lines. Alaska Division of Insurance; Full current FAQ: rates, wet marine tax/fee/search exceptions, government and qualifying aircraft tax/fee exceptions, home-state determination, and placement-list search rules (lines 92–159). Accessed 2026-09-28.
  11. Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
  12. Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
  13. Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  14. About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  15. Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  16. Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  17. Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

Updated .

This guide is informational and does not determine whether a policy is available or meets your needs. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with a supporting source.

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