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Builders Risk in Hawaii

Hawaii's state flood viewer is informational and may not show every area a county regulates. On the Island of Hawaii, USGS maps approximate lava-flow hazard zones that can affect buildings, roads and utilities; neither map determines what a policy covers. 1,3,2

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 Hawaii

  • Treat the state flood viewer as a first screen

    DLNR says its Flood Hazard Assessment Tool displays FEMA's GIS version of the FIRM, but the tool is informational, does not identify every potentially hazardous area, and county rules may reach outside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area. Verify the parcel and applicable requirements with the county floodplain manager and official FEMA map products. 1,3

  • Use the lava map only for Hawaii Island

    USGS divides the Island of Hawaii into nine approximate lava-flow hazard zones based chiefly on historic and prehistoric flows and topography. The boundaries change gradually and are not parcel-level guarantees; for a project on that island, check the site's location and access/utilities against current local information. 2

  • Include access and utility dependencies in planning

    USGS notes that lava can destroy buildings, roads, utility and communication systems. For sites in Hawaii Island's mapped hazard areas, identify alternate access and critical utility dependencies in the project plan, then ask the broker how the actual form treats physical damage, access interruption and delay. 2

Who Regulates Insurance in Hawaii

Hawaiʻi Insurance Division

The Insurance Division oversees insurance companies and producers, examines Hawaiʻi-based insurers, reviews rate and policy filings, and investigates insurance complaints. It is part of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. 4,5,6

Surplus-lines tax and stamping office

Reported tax rate: 4.68% of premium when Hawaiʻi is the home state Hawaiʻi applies a 4.68% tax when it is the insured’s home state. Surplus-lines coverage is placed with an unauthorized insurer, so do not assume the Hawaiʻi Insurance Guaranty Association protects the policy; confirm the insurer’s status and policy terms with your broker. 7,8

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 Hawaii

  1. Which effective FEMA map, county floodplain requirements and any preliminary or map-change materials apply to the parcel?
  2. If the site is on Hawaii Island, what lava-zone and access information did the underwriter use, and are roads, utilities, stored materials and temporary works within the project schedule?
  3. Does the proposed policy address the specific volcanic, flood, earth-movement and interruption exposures we have identified, and what exclusions, waiting periods or sublimits apply?

Builders Risk in Hawaii: FAQ

Is the Hawaii Flood Hazard Assessment Tool the official flood map record? 1,3

DLNR describes FHAT as an informational viewer of FEMA GIS map data and points users to FEMA's Map Service Center for official NFIP mapping products. County verification may still be needed for local requirements. 1,3

Do USGS lava-flow hazard zones cover every Hawaiian island? 2

The nine-zone lava-flow map described by USGS is for the Island of Hawaii. Its boundaries are approximate and based on past flows and topography. 2

Builders Risk in Other States

Other Coverage in Hawaii

Sources

  1. Flood Maps. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Engineering Division; What is a flood map; FHAT and official FEMA Map Service Center; lines 11–37. Companion FHAT disclaimer and county-manager direction at https://fhat.hawaii.gov/, lines 8–12. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  2. Lava Flow Hazards Zones and Flow Forecast Methods, Island of Hawai‘i. U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory; Overview of infrastructure damage, nine zones and approximate boundaries: lines 13–31; limits and map scope: lines 97–102. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  3. Hawaii Flood Hazard Assessment Tool. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources; Tool's informational-use limitation, potential unmapped hazards and county floodplain-manager referral; lines 8–12. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  4. Insurance Division. Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Official division homepage; scope, license search, complaints, contact information. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  5. Insurance Licenses and Registrations. Hawaiʻi Insurance Division; Insurance license information; links to state-based system for license applications and status. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  6. Filing a Complaint. Hawaiʻi Insurance Division; Online complaint form and published consumer phone. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  7. Surplus Lines Tax. Hawaiʻi Insurance Division; 4.68% rate and home-state application under HRS § 431:8-315. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  8. HRS § 431:16-105: Definitions. Hawaiʻi Legislature; Defines a member insurer as an insurer licensed or holding a certificate of authority in Hawaiʻi; cross-read with HRS § 431:8-102 and § 431:8-301 for unauthorized surplus-lines placements. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  9. Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. 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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