Biogas and AD Claims Investigation for Loss Adjusters
When an anaerobic digestion (AD) or biogas plant suffers a loss, loss adjusters can instruct BIOCON Technical Services directly for the engineering opinion the claim needs. We investigate causation, validate the repair scope and give outage and recovery input for business interruption, while coverage, liability and quantum stay with you and the appointed forensic accountant.
Why do AD and biogas claims need a specialist engineer?
An AD plant is a connected biological and mechanical process, so a failure rarely stays in one component. A mixer defect can lead to poor mixing, sedimentation, falling gas production and a tank-entry outage. Establishing causation, the right repair and a credible outage period means understanding that chain, not only the failed part.
The outage is usually where the money is. In one case study published by HSB Engineering Insurance, rebuilding a failed digester, repairing damage to the CHP plant and covering lost revenue came to close to £5 million
What engineering opinion does BIOCON provide on a claim?
We provide the four engineering opinions an AD machinery breakdown or business interruption claim usually needs: what caused the loss, what the right repair is, how long the plant will be down and whether the reinstatement matches what was agreed.
Causation
Root-cause investigation of the failed asset, with findings set out in a form you can use for coverage and liability decisions.
Repair scope and cost
A repair-versus-replace opinion and a costed, engineering-led scope of works.
Outage and recovery
Realistic outage duration and recovery scenarios, including lead times and biological restart, to support the BI quantum.
Repair oversight & close-out
Technical monitoring of the repair against the agreed scope, and independent verification before final sign-off.
How does BIOCON handle a claim instruction?
From instruction to final sign-off, a claim follows seven stages. You can instruct us for the whole process or for the stages you need, such as causation only or close-out only.
A named engineer, not a rotating panel
When a policyholder or portfolio is surveyed over successive renewals, we aim to keep the same engineer and the same scoring method. Risk improvement is then measured against a consistent baseline, and site knowledge carries forward instead of being rebuilt at every survey.
For an underwriter, that means a renewal report that explains what has changed, not a fresh report that has to be read from scratch. For a broker, it means a technical contact who already knows the client's plant when a question comes up mid-term.
Dealing with a loss?
Tell us the site, what has failed and what you need from the engineer, and we'll confirm who will attend and when.
Planning ahead?
Talk to us about ADRisk360
How does BIOCON work within the adjuster's process?
We provide the technical engineering opinion: on causation, on repair scope and on business-interruption-relevant outage and recovery timescales. Coverage, liability and loss quantification stay with the loss adjuster and the appointed forensic accountant. Our findings are prepared to support that process, not to replace it.
In practice, that means we report to you, on the questions you set, in a format you can use. We don't discuss coverage with the policyholder, and we don't put a value on the claim.
How can insurers and brokers instruct BIOCON?
Ad-hoc instruction
A single survey or technical question, instructed as needed. A good way to start, or to test the method on one site
Panel or framework appointment
An ongoing appointment as a named technical partner for a defined book of AD or biomethane business, with the same engineer and reporting format across renewals.
What to send us
The site name and location, the operator, the renewal date, the insured values or cover in place if you can share them, any previous survey reports and recommendations, and the level of survey you have in mind. If you are not sure of the level, tell us the purpose and we'll recommend one.
Frequently asked questions
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A biogas risk engineer surveys an AD or biogas plant and explains the risk in underwriting terms. That means identifying what could fail, how a failure would affect gas production and the rest of the process, how long recovery would take and which improvements matter most. BIOCON presents this as a risk score, prioritised actions and a business interruption assessment.
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A pre-renewal risk survey is an engineering review of an AD plant carried out before the policy renews. It gives the insurer an up-to-date view of the site's condition, hazards and business interruption exposure, and gives the policyholder time to act on the priority recommendations. At BIOCON this is an ADRisk360 Level 1 Insurance Risk Survey.
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A broker can commission a pre-renewal risk review so the client goes to market with independent engineering evidence, not just a completed proposal form. The review shows the site's risk score, what has already been improved and a costed plan for what is outstanding, which helps underwriters understand the risk and reduces the questions that slow a placement down.
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Yes, if every site is surveyed the same way. ADRisk360 uses the same five risk categories, scoring and outputs on every site, so insurers can compare risk site to site across a book of AD and biomethane business, and year to year at each renewal. Keeping the same engineer across cycles makes the comparison more reliable.
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A general surveyor checks whether individual items are compliant. An AD specialist also traces how a fault moves through the process, from a failed mixer to falling gas production, a long outage and a business interruption loss. BIOCON Group builds, operates and maintains AD plants, so we assess risk in the context the plant actually runs in.
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Book the survey early enough for the report to reach the underwriter before renewal terms are set, and ideally early enough for the policyholder to act on the top risk actions first. Tell us the renewal date when you get in touch and we'll plan the survey timing around it.
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No. Statutory examinations under PSSR, LOLER and similar regimes confirm whether individual items are compliant, and they are still required. BIOCON's risk engineering reviews that compliance as one input, then assesses how the whole plant could fail, how long recovery would take and which actions reduce the risk most. We complement statutory inspection networks.
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BIOCON Technical Services can verify close-out of risk recommendations. If BioContractors carries out the work, Technical Services verifies it. Where an insurer's governance requires separation between the party doing the work and the party verifying it, Technical Services operates independently of the rest of BIOCON Group.
Connect with us
Give your AD book a consistent technical view
Whether you are pricing a renewal, presenting a client to market or reviewing a whole portfolio, we'll give you one method, one score and a clear list of what to fix first. Tell us about the sites and the renewal date, and we'll recommend where to start.