Page 38 - 2019 Mid Year Newsletter

Insurance!
A topic most people find incredibly boring until it
is needed. For Hill International, with an expanse
of projects in the inherently risky industry of
construction, the safety net of insurance is ever-
present, thanks to Erin Leschak.
“I don’t know how interesting insurance is, but
there is no denying how important it is for our
company that we have the proper insurance with
the specific coverages needed for our business,”
said Ms. Leschak, Vice President of Insurance and
Risk Management. Ms. Leschak recently celebrated
her 30-year anniversary with Hill and has handled
insurance for the last decade.
“The process of researching the various coverages,
selecting the ones we need to protect our company,
and securing coverage in the most fiscally
responsible manner is crucial,” she says. “Without
the right coverage, we could find ourselves
in serious trouble. It’s certainly applicable to
the everyday person who maintains their own
insurance. You know it’s important and you know
it’s there if needed, but you hope to never have to
utilize it.”
Hill maintains numerous insurance policies,
including a global professional liability policy
and umbrella liability policy, as well as separate
U.S. and International general liability, workers’
compensation/employer’s liability, automobile, and
property policies, all of which are standard for the
industry. The key is making sure the coverage and
language is applicable to our services. We bind a
master global program and issue local international
Hill International Newsletter 2019 | Page 35
policies where needed through the master, so if
something were to happen, we’d have the backdrop
of the global program.”
Several other policies are also placed for Hill’s
protection. For example, Hill has cyber liability,
directors’ and officers’ liability policies, and others.
The entire insurance program runs from May 1st
to April 30th of each year with the renewal process
beginning January 1st. The program takes a lot of
coordination and involvement from Hill’s Finance
and HR Departments.
“The goal is simple – get the lowest rates for the
coverages we need,” said Ms. Leschak. “It’s a
negotiation dance between us, the brokers, and the
insurance providers to meet our needs.”
“One significant factor is the limited number
of carriers and brokers who can meet all of our
requirements. Other variables we consider when
making our choice include the continuity between
the general liability carrier and professional liability
carrier, which firm serves us best, what is the best
price point, and what additional or extra services or
benefits might be available besides just the policies
that can benefit the firm.”
Speaking of help, Ms. Leschak says, “It’s crucial
for our employees to let us know when an
opportunity calls for special terms or a project-
specific insurance policy. Too frequently, project-
specific requests are raised in the 11th hour and
that puts us in a difficult spot and the company at a
disadvantage. Without the proper amount of time,
it’s difficult to get an accurate quote.”