About
NDIRF provides coverage, claims support, and risk management to nearly 2,600 North Dakota political subdivisions as a member-owned, non-profit risk pool.
Location
Bismarck, North Dakota
Products and Services
For nearly 40 years, the North Dakota Insurance Reserve Fund (NDIRF) has provided locally controlled coverage to protect the people and properties at the heart of the state’s cities, counties, schools, and townships.
In 2019, NDIRF assumed administration of the North Dakota Fire and Tornado Fund (NDFT), a statewide program that covers municipal and state-owned properties.
With this new responsibility came a significant challenge: maintaining accurate, up-to-date property data for more than 11,000 public buildings across North Dakota.
NDIRF relies on a statewide network of local insurance agents to collect and update property data for its members. While these agents bring valuable local insight, their differing valuation methods mean it’s difficult to maintain consistent property records across more than 11,000 buildings.
With a small but mighty in-house risk management team and a rapidly expanding property dataset, NDIRF saw an opportunity to streamline how agents submit and update property information.
As Corey Olson, Director of Member Services at NDIRF put it, “Accuracy isn’t just an operational goal; it’s a public responsibility. At the end of the day, this is taxpayer money. We want to keep losses low and make sure our public entities, employees, and citizens are properly protected.”
RiskStar, the centralized property risk management system from Centurisk, which the Fund already used, provided NDIRF with a strong foundation to build upon. The team recognized the need for an added layer of valuation support to ensure precision and consistency.
To enhance data uniformity and simplify valuation workflows, NDIRF expanded its existing RiskStar system with Centurisk’s Valuation Estimator module. The module uses a custom-built matrix to calculate estimated replacement costs directly from RiskStar’s property data. By pairing localized cost information with building characteristics—such as occupancy type, construction class, and condition—the Valuation Estimator helps trend building values, determine accurate total insurable values, and prevent underinsurance.
Working closely with Centurisk’s customer success team, NDIRF customized the Valuation Estimator to reflect the most common property types across its membership. Input screens were streamlined to capture only essential building details, using terminology familiar to agents.
Agents receive secure access to RiskStar with region-specific permissions, allowing them to enter and review data only within their assigned territories. Centurisk supported this rollout with guided training and live webinars, while NDIRF’s team created their own step-by-step process and guide for their agents.
“The Centurisk team has the expertise and willingness to educate, and that really sets them apart. The team worked with our vision, made adjustments on the fly, and kept the process simple for our agents. You can tell they care about what they’re doing, and that goes a long way.”
NDIRF reduced their agents’ administrative workload and provided them with the tools necessary to validate property data with confidence. What was once a time-consuming task is now an accessible, repeatable process that improves accuracy across the NDFT’s entire property portfolio.
Now that agents can update valuations independently and with greater accuracy, NDIRF’s internal team has gained more time to focus on analysis and quality control, instead of manual reviews. The organization also introduced a structured five-year audit cycle to verify property data and ensure values stay current and defensible.
“Now our agents have the tools they need to keep property values current, and our members can trust that their coverage reflects real costs. After using the Valuation Estimator, one agent told me it’s intuitive and gives her exactly the information she needs,” Olson said.
24 Billion in Total Insurable Value in RiskStar
36+ agents using Valuation Estimator statewide
11,000+ properties actively managed within RiskStar
Reduced underinsurance risk
Enhanced confidence in property coverage accuracy
Lower administrative workload for internal staff
The success of the Valuation Estimator, along with Centurisk’s dedicated customer support, has inspired Olson and his team to explore new ways to expand the partnership.
From leveraging Centurisk’s appraisal services for complex properties to exploring asset inventory tracking, NDIRF continues to find innovative ways to strengthen member services.
“RiskStar is a great product, but it’s the people that make it even better,” Olson said. “Centurisk’s customer service is exceptional. They’re responsive, willing to collaborate, and they genuinely care about helping us succeed.”
Together with Centurisk, NDIRF continues to advance its mission to provide reliable, data-driven protection for North Dakota’s state and local governmental entities.
“RiskStar is a great product, but it’s the people that make it even better. Centurisk’s customer service is exceptional. They’re responsive, willing to collaborate, and they genuinely care about helping us succeed.”
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