Skyrocketing premiums, shrinking carrier capacity, and $10M+ verdicts are no longer rare—they're reshaping the landscape of construction insurance. If you're operating in Texas, you're already feeling the pressure. Property rates have surged as much as 30% in CAT-exposed regions, while auto liability and excess lines continue to harden under the weight of nuclear verdicts and growing social inflation. Meanwhile, claims are taking 18% longer to resolve and are becoming more expensive across the board. What’s driving these rising costs? How is the current market truly affecting construction in Texas? Most importantly, what can you do to regain control, and are you handling claims effectively enough to protect your business?

Todd Burns, SVP National Construction Practice- Todd brings over 25 years of risk management and financial services expertise to Newfront’s Construction Team. He specializes in construction and specialty trades contracting risk management, with deep knowledge of Highway/Heavy Contractors and recognized expertise in Workers’ Compensation. Prior to Newfront, Todd led sales at a regional brokerage and served as Vice President of Business Development at Willis Towers Watson. He holds a BS and MS in Agricultural Economics and Business from Texas Tech University.

Kyle Duke, SVP Practice Lead Loss Control- Kyle leads loss control efforts across all construction projects, supporting contractors, subcontractors, and specialty trades. He began his career as Risk/Safety Director for a major DFW-based utilities contractor before spending over a decade as a Senior Risk Control Specialist at Willis Towers Watson and Marsh. Kyle has served on the National AGC Safety Award panel and is highly regarded within the insurance carrier loss control community. He holds a BS in Organizational Management and an MS in Legal Studies from the University of West Virginia.

Chelsea Wilfong, JD., Claims and Contract Specialist – Chelsea helps lead Newfront’s Property and Casualty Claims Team with a focus on the Construction and Real Estate sectors.  Prior to joining Newfront, Chelsea was an attorney at an insurance defense firm in Wisconsin where she handled a variety of negligence and professional liability matters, including construction.  In her role at Newfront, Chelsea works with clients to help them better understand the coverages available to them when claims arise and assist them throughout the claims process, advocating for the best possible coverage outcomes. She holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Wisconsin Law School.