Turning complexity into clarity

Loss prevention is at the heart of sound risk management, but even the most experienced underwriting teams can face hurdles when technical details stand in the way.

That challenge is common with sprinkler inspection reports. Underwriters recognize their importance, but interpreting what truly matters can be difficult. Packed with acronyms, technical terms, and detailed observations, these reports often raise tough questions. Uncertainty can slow decision-making, complicate risk conversations, or influence whether certain risks are pursued at all.

FM Boiler Re’s customized training can help underwriters cut through the complexity of sprinkler inspection reports. By meeting underwriting teams where they are and building practical understanding step-by-step, training helps transform technical complexity into usable insight, strengthening how teams evaluate sprinklered properties in real-world situations.

For Erie & Niagara Insurance Association, this approach led to a measurable shift in how their underwriters engage with sprinkler system information and how confidently they apply it.

Building confidence through practical training

FM Boiler Re sprinkler system training begins with a shared foundation, and the flexibility to reflect the priorities of each partner company. For Erie & Niagara Insurance Association, this meant shaping the training around sprinkler reports.

Rather than simply explaining what underwriters see in a report, the training emphasized how to interpret findings, identify what warrants attention, and understand the potential significance of deficiencies. Real-world examples, informed by Erie & Niagara’s own portfolio and underwriting considerations, help ground the discussion and connect technical detail to day-to-day decision-making.

This practical, tailored approach changed how Erie & Niagara’s team engaged with sprinkler inspection reports.

“In less than a year, our team advanced its expertise in sprinkler systems and is now better positioned to mitigate losses and support risk management with both our agency partners and policyholders,” said Joe Zinni, commercial lines specialist at Erie & Niagara Insurance Association.

For Erie & Niagara, one of the most valuable aspects of the training was how closely it reflected their specific portfolio and experience. Instead of a generic curriculum, the sessions were shaped around the types of risks they write and the challenges their team encounters.

“Not everybody writes the same type of business, and not everybody experiences the same level of loss,” Zinni said. “Creating a specialized training environment for each company is important.”

Why FM Boiler Re learning solutions stand apart

Erie & Niagara’s experience reflects how FM Boiler Re approaches training more broadly where solutions are built around relevance, collaboration, and application. Each program is developed in close partnership based on each partner company’s priorities, starting with an understanding of their underwriting goals, challenges, and loss experience. From there, training is structured to support how teams actually work.

Designed for impact

• Customized focus: Sessions are shaped around partner priorities, such as interpreting sprinkler system ITM records within a specific underwriting context.
• Practical application: Real-world examples and clear guidance help teams immediately apply what they learn.
• Sustained support: Learning extends beyond the session, supporting underwriters as questions arise in day-to-day work.

Support that continues beyond the session

Effective training lays the foundation, but ongoing access to expertise helps reinforce confidence over time. After a session, partner company teams can reach out as questions arise during report review or when encountering unfamiliar situations. FM Boiler Re’s property loss prevention team provides guidance, and when deeper expertise is needed, partners are connected directly with FM subject matter experts in standards and research.

Partners also benefit from a broader learning ecosystem, including the FM Client Training Center, which offers on-demand courses and live webinars addressing emerging risks and best practices.

This ongoing support reinforces training as part of a collaborative partnership, rather than a one-time event.

A capability that strengthens decision-making

“The education of the staff is important because now they're going to make better educated decisions with more resources available to them,” said Zinni.

Customized training delivers its greatest value when it builds confidence that lasts. By pairing tailored instruction with practical application and continued access to resources, FM Boiler Re supports underwriting teams as they work with complex technical information over time.

Contact us to learn more about our training capabilities.

Additional resources:

• FM resources: Explore data sheets, the NatHaz Toolkit, webinars, and additional loss prevention tools.
• Property loss prevention training: Learn more about FM Boiler Re’s customized training programs.