If you store research or pharmaceutical materials in a temperature-controlled unit, it is imperative that you take action to prevent losses due to equipment malfunctions, power outages, etc. U Risk & Insurance Services provides loss prevention protocols to help you address best practices and work to mitigate the risk of losing valuable contents from your unit(s). As you establish plans for dealing with disruptive scenarios, please consider such things as alarm response protocols-including distance and time for response, technology and communications failure backup, loss of trained staff, availability of backup units, cross-training and so forth. If you find there are protocols that are effective for your department or lab, please share this with others.

In order for unit contents to be insured, temperature-controlled units must be listed and/or reviewed in the PULSE database during the annual inventory period, which opened on Oct. 1, 2026, and closes on Nov. 24, 2026. The annual inventory process also allows departments to confirm they are meeting the current protocols required for insurance coverage. If your department or lab has unit(s) with contents you want insured, please access the Pulse database prior to the close of this period to complete the annual inventory process.

Please be aware that having your unit(s) listed on the University of Utah (UU) property insurance policy and following all the Loss Prevention Protocols is not a guarantee that all claims will be covered for reimbursement under the policy. Insurance coverage on a claim is contingent upon the cause of damage meeting certain criteria and not falling under the UU property policy standard exclusions.

Thank you for your time and effort to prevent the loss of your valuable research and pharmaceuticals.

Click here to complete the annual inventory for new temperature-controlled unit contents and to review unit contents currently listed in Pulse.