Hartford Steam Boiler and AssetWatch® Prepare Homeowners for Emergencies

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--All too often, homeowners don’t have the personal records they need when a fire, theft, storm damage, or other emergency strikes. The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company (HSB), part of Munich Re, announced today it is partnering with AssetWatch®, a secure online home inventory and information storage service, to help protect policyholders.

“We’ve been helping people prepare for emergencies and loss for more than 100 years”

“We’ve been helping people prepare for emergencies and loss for more than 100 years,” said Anthony J. Trivella, executive vice president for Hartford Steam Boiler. “AssetWatch® will help our customers’ policyholders protect their possessions and better manage their homes and their lives, by documenting their possessions and safeguarding vital personal information so they can recover more quickly in a crisis.”

AssetWatch® is an online source for organizing and storing important records. The company provides a framework for the easy documentation, storage and retrieval of a photographic home inventory of valuable personal assets, room by room, with state-of-the-art security. By keeping important documents, passwords, insurance policies and other information in one place, homeowners can stay organized, help make better financial decisions, and quickly provide an insurance adjuster with a complete list of their possessions in case of a loss.

“We’ve designed our services to help families stay organized, provide evidence of asset ownership and reduce the time it takes to resolve an insurance claim when they have a loss,” said Mike Batesole, chief executive officer of AssetWatch®. “By keeping their important home and financial information in a single, secure place, we help provide homeowners with more peace of mind.”

About HSB

Hartford Steam Boiler, a member of Munich Re’s Risk Solutions family since 2009, provides a range of specialty insurance coverages for business, home and farm. One of the world’s leading equipment breakdown insurers, HSB helps clients reduce risk through a unique combination of specialty coverages, engineering-based risk management strategies and loss reduction services. A.M. Best Company awarded the HSB Group of companies its highest financial rating, A++ (Superior).

About AssetWatch®

AssetWatch® is a home inventory software and storage service which provides a single solution to organize and safeguard evidence of property and possessions, financial records, and medical and insurance documents, all in one place. AssetWatch® makes key documents easily accessible for use in insurance claims, estate planning, medical and dental care, finance, and other personal needs.

About Munich Re

In the U.S., Munich Re provides access to a full range of property and casualty reinsurance and specialty insurance products through Munich Reinsurance America, Inc., American Modern Insurance Group and Hartford Steam Boiler Group. Munich Re stands for exceptional solution-based expertise, consistent risk management, financial stability and client proximity. Munich Re creates value for clients, shareholders and staff alike. In the financial year 2011, the Group – which pursues an integrated business model consisting of insurance and reinsurance – achieved a profit of €0.71bn on premium income of around €50bn. It operates in all lines of insurance, with around 47,000 employees throughout the world. With premium income of around €27bn from reinsurance alone, it is one of the world's leading reinsurers. Especially when clients require solutions for complex risks, Munich Re is a much sought-after risk carrier. Its primary insurance operations are concentrated mainly in the ERGO Insurance Group, one of the major insurance groups in Germany and Europe. ERGO is represented in over 30 countries worldwide and offers a comprehensive range of insurances, provision products and services. In 2011, ERGO posted premium income of €20bn. In international healthcare business, Munich Re pools its insurance and reinsurance operations, as well as related services, under the Munich Health brand. Munich Re's global investments amounting to €202bn are managed by MEAG, which also makes its competence available to private and institutional investors outside the Group.