March 2006 Municipalities Face More Equipment Risks New Technology, Service Demands Increase Breakdown Exposures Would a few broken bolts kill millions of anaerobic bacteria? The possibility worried the operators of a city's wastewater facility when the dome over a 1 million-gallon concrete tank came loose and lifted up. The accident released heat that kept the bugs alive as they treated sewage and produced methane to help power the plant. BUGS, BOLTS AND BIOFUELS The pressure of the gas snapped the bolts that held the dome to the primary digester. Scaling back the process relieved the stress and closed the gap, keeping the temperature at a safe 98 degrees. HSB paid $61,960 for repairs and expenses, including $31,484 for natural gas to replace the lost supply of recycled methane. "GOING GREEN" "Green technology" can be expensive, making quality equipment breakdown coverage and claim service more important than ever. A growing demand for new public services has municipalities investing in more types of machinery and electrical gear. A breakdown can put your clients on the spot when they can't deliver what people expect. HSB HELPS YOU KEEP UP HSB offers broad coverage for today's exposures. We paid for improvements to the sewage plant's digester to help prevent future loss. HSB can cover electrical surge damage that results from ice, snow and other storms, and we can even pay to restore computer data lost due to the breakdown of equipment. INSPECTIONS ARE INCLUDED We also provide jurisdictional inspections of boilers and pressure vessels, an important service for cities and towns that is included as a standard part of coverage. And our claim staff is made up of equipment specialists with the knowledge and experience to help your clients restore their operations promptly. YOU CAN COUNT ON US With 140 years of experience, we have insured millions of pieces of equipment, from the earliest coal-fired boilers to the latest computer-controlled systems. HSB inspectors help clients meet codes and regulations in every state in the country. And our A++ ( Superior ) financial strength rating is the highest awarded by A.M. Best Company. For more information contact your nearest HSB office, or call HSB's Customer Solution Center toll-free at 1-800-345-1122. UPS Breakdown Cuts Off Highway Patrol Public entities depend on electrical equipment, machinery and complex systems to keep our communities running smoothly. Breakdowns like these can be expensive and disruptive. When the power went out on Memorial Day, officials lost contact with the state highway patrol for four hours. The command center's uninterruptible power supply (UPS) was improperly installed, causing a surge that damaged wiring and equipment when the backup generators switched on. Total paid loss: $251,833, including $41,000 to rent temporary equipment. The operator of a town's shredding mill was clearing debris from the machine at low load when it suddenly stopped, its motor windings shorted out. The total paid loss of $63,833 included $26,344 in tipping fees to send accumulating bulky waste to a trash-to-energy plant so it could be burned. A short circuit in a buried utility cable damaged a 5-ton air conditioning unit, motors and a 190-ton chiller in a municipal building and civic center. Equipment was rented to cool the city's data center. Total paid loss: $94,320. A power surge at a county courthouse damaged a backup generator, two computers and audio-visual gear. There was no money in the budget to replace the equipment. Total paid loss: $16,395.

Hartford Steam Boiler - One State Street - P.O. Box 5024 - Hartford, CT 06102-5024 Phone: 860-722-1866 - Fax: 860-722-5106

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