Architects, Engineers & Contractors

Our program delivers specialized professional liability coverage for a diverse range of architects, engineers, and contractors across the U.S. Coverage is available for firms engaged in design-build, machinery & equipment design, land surveying, interior design, non-destructive testing, construction management, product design, and system integration. Insureds also include architects, engineers and contractors spanning multiple disciplines, such as acoustical, chemical, civil, communications, electrical, environmental, fire protection, HVAC, landscape, mechanical, process, and structural engineering, as well as construction inspection specialists and crane inspectors.

With policy limits extending up to $10,000,000, our primary and excess products are equipped to evaluate and insure firms of all sizes, providing flexibility in coverage structure. Policies feature competitive minimum deductibles. Coverage enhancements include contractors’ pollution liability, advertising personal injury, and worldwide protection. Available policy options include First Dollar Defense, Rectification Expense Coverage, Faulty Workmanship (for contractors), Punitive Damages*, and Specific Project Excess, ensuring that insureds receive customized protection to address the unique risks of their profession. Exceptional underwriting expertise and expert claims support further reinforce our program’s commitment to serving the specialized needs of design professionals, engineers, and contractors.

Architects & Engineers

Insurer:  Insurance written by carriers rated “A+” by A.M. Best

Jurisdiction:  All U.S. states and D.C.

Limits:  Up to $10,000,000 (primary and excess)

Appetite: 

  • Architects – General, landscape 
  • Construction Inspection
  • Engineers – Acoustical, chemical, civil, communications, electrical, environmental, forensic, HVAC, mechanical, process, structural, traffic
  • (At-Risk) Construction Management
  • Forensic Lab Testing
  • Interior Designers
  • Land Surveyors
  • Machine & Equipment Design
  • Non-Destructive Testing
  • Product Designers 
  • System Integrators

Coverage Features:

  • Worldwide coverage
  • Environmental Liability Coverage
  • Contractors Pollution Liability Coverage
  • Technology Services & Multimedia Liability Coverage
  • Mold Liability Coverage - $1M Sublimit
  • Named Insured-chosen Legal Counsel
  • Faulty Workmanship
  • Drone Endorsement
  • 50/50 Settlement

Contractors

Insurer:  Insurance written by carriers rated “A+” by A.M. Best

Jurisdiction:  All U.S. states and D.C.

Limits: Up to $10,000,000 (primary and excess)

Appetite

  • Contractors
  • Commercial
  • Concrete
  • Design build
  • Electrical
  • General
  • HVAC
  • Roofing
  • Residential
  • Steel fabricator
  • Telecommunications
  • Artisan – Appliance installation, carpentry, drywall, electrical, interior decoration, miscellaneous, painting, plumbing, telecommunications, tile

Coverage Features:

  • Worldwide coverage
  • Environmental Liability Coverage
  • Contractors Pollution Liability Coverage
  • Technology Services & Multimedia Liability Coverage
  • Mold Liability Coverage - $1M Sublimit
  • Named Insured-chosen Legal Counsel
  • Soften Hammer Clause available
  • Faulty Workmanship
  • Drone Endorsement
  • 50/50 Settlement
Freberg Environmental, LLC, is a Delaware limited liability company based in Colorado. Freberg Environmental, LLC, is an indirect subsidiary of Ryan Specialty, LLC. Freberg Environmental, LLC, works directly with brokers, agents and insurance carriers, and as such does not solicit insurance from the public. Some products may only be available in certain states, and some products may only be available from surplus lines insurers. In California: FEI Insurance Services, LLC (License #0G89298).
©2025 Ryan Specialty, LLC

Rich Sheldon

Chief Growth Officer
Rich has over 35 years of environmental and insurance industry experience. He joined Freberg in 2025 to assist with new product development and marketing/distribution strategy.

He began his career as an environmental project manager, performing sampling investigations of potential Superfund Sites under the direction of the USEPA. Rich moved into the environmental insurance field, first as a risk control consultant, and then as an underwriter, focused on alternative risk options for environmental exposures. He was recruited as a founding member and PLL underwriting manager for Kemper Environmental, overseeing a staff of underwriting, loss control and claims management personnel; and ultimately growing its PLL business to over $100M in GWP.

After 12 years on the underwriting side of the business, he shifted into specialty broking. Rich spent the majority of his broking career with WTW, where he served over the years as a Producer and Regional Manager, Environmental Practice Leader, Head of Specialty Broking, and Senior Director of Carrier Relations. As a part of the Carrier Relations team, he was responsible for leading governance reviews with clients and carriers, addressing escalation matters, developing products and cross-selling across the enterprise, and complex claims intervention and resolution strategies.

Education & Affiliations

Rich holds a Bachelors in Geology / Physics from Bloomsburg University of PA, and a Masters in Business / Environmental Health from West Chester University of PA. He has also received his Associates in Risk Management from the Insurance Institute of America. Rich serves as a Board Member for the Pennsylvania Organization of Watersheds and Rivers (POWR).

Brandon Turner

Program Manager - Environmental Engineers, Consultants, & Contractors
Brandon brings 10 years of environmental underwriting insurance experience to Freberg Environmental and is currently the ECC Program Manager. Prior to joining Freberg, Brandon was employed by Argo Group, where his most recent position was Assistant Vice President of Environmental. As an environmental underwriter, he has underwritten environmental General Liability, Contractor Pollution Liability, Professional Liability, Premises Pollution Liability, Auto Liability, Workers Compensation, Follow Form Excess Liability, and Unsupported Excess Liability. ​

Prior to Brandon’s 10 years of experience in underwriting, he worked in other areas of insurance, such as claims and personal lines. He initially started working in the personal lines sector of insurance at a local insurance agency while he was attending college. After he graduated from the University of Kansas, Brandon wanted to continue his insurance career and took a position working in claims. After 4 years of working in the claims department he wanted to find a new challenge. Brandon found an opportunity to continue to grow his insurance career in underwriting and has been underwriting ever since.

Education & Affiliations

Brandon earned his BGS in economics with a minor in business from the University of Kansas and his MBA with an international business concentration from Baker University.

Penny Baker

Program Manager - Hazmat Commercial Auto
Penny Baker has a track record of building successful underwriting teams and strong agency relationships, which aligns with the goals for the hazmat trucking division. Acting as program manager, Penny leads a team of experienced underwriters and support staff while providing agent support and carrier program management.​

Education & Affiliations

Penny has insurance licenses in property, casualty, life, health and surplus lines since 1996 in multiple states. She received her degree in business management from Western Washington University.​

David Brereton

Program Manager - Environmental Impairment Liability
David Brereton joined Freberg Environmental (FEI) in 2004 as an
Environmental Impairment Liability (EIL) underwriter. He was promoted to Program Manager of the EIL program in 2010. In his role, David oversees and manages the underwriting of fixed-site pollution and associated package business. ​

David brings over 20 years of experience in environmental consulting, environmental regulation, and environmental insurance. His experience includes nine years as a senior consultant at Advanced Analytical Solutions, Inc. where he consulted primarily on questions of cost allocation at federal and state cleanup sites. David also worked as an Industrial Waste Survey Technician at Metro Wastewater District in Denver, Colorado. Prior to joining FEI, he was an underwriter for AIG Environmental in Denver, Colorado. At AIG, David focused primarily on secured creditor fixed-site pollution coverage.

Education & Affiliations

David earned his B.A. in Political Science as well as M.S. in Environmental Policy and Management from the University of Denver.

Jeff Miller

Head of Claims
Jeff Miller joined Freberg Environmental (FEI) in 2022 as Head of Claims. Jeff, who is a U.S. Navy submarine veteran, brings over 20 years of claim experience in health, dental professional liability, supplemental and workers’ compensation as well as asbestos and environmental insurance and reinsurance. Prior to joining FEI, he was a claims analyst for Old Republic International Corporation responsible for treaty and facultative run-off claims involving asbestos, environmental, workers’ compensation and personal injury protection claims.

Education & Affiliations

Jeff earned his B.S. in finance with a minor in management from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago.

Julia Burns

Head of Operations & Systems
With over a decade of experience in insurance operations and business systems, Julia Burns currently serves as Head of Operations & Systems at Freberg Environmental. In this role, she leads strategic initiatives to streamline workflows, optimize technology platforms, and drive operational efficiency. Her background includes deep expertise in underwriting operations, systems management, and process improvement—consistently solving complex challenges at the intersection of insurance and technology. Prior to her current position, Julia held progressive leadership roles at both Freberg Environmental and ICAT, building a strong track record of delivering scalable solutions and operational excellence.

Education & Affiliations

Julia has a B.S. in environmental science from Simmons College.​

Reneé Miller

Chief Underwriting Officer
Reneé Miller joined Freberg Environmental (FEI) in 2015 as the Program Manager for FEI’s Environmental Engineers, Consultants and Contractors (ECC) lines of business. In 2016, Reneé was promoted to the role of Chief Underwriting Officer. In this position, Reneé leads all FEI programs, including environmental consultants, contractors, site pollution, commercial auto and professional liability lines.​

Reneé has over 20 years of experience in environmental insurance, environmental consulting, and hazardous waste management. Prior to joining FEI, Reneé was employed at Zurich North America where she held the position of environmental underwriter for 13 years, and international construction underwriter (including international environmental contracting) for three years.​

As an environmental underwriter, Reneé has underwritten operational exposures associated with environmental contractors, professional liability of environmental consultants, professional liability of architects and engineers, environmental impairment liability coverage and associated commercial general liability. Prior to underwriting, Reneé worked for a national Hazardous Waste Disposal company, at which she provided technical assistance as to the proper treatment and management of waste and supported the customer base through thorough knowledge of hazardous waste regulations. Prior to the hazardous waste industry, she worked for a national environmental consulting firm.​

Education & Affiliations

Reneé has a B.S. in Natural Resource and Environmental Science from the University of Illinois.

Stacy Brown

President & CEO
Stacy brings over 28 years of experience in the insurance and environmental consulting industry to this role. He joined Freberg in 1998 and has served as president for the past nine years. ​

Stacy was hired to develop FEI’s site-specific pollution (EIL) program. Since program inception in 2001, the EIL program has developed into one of FEI’s most profitable programs. Additionally, Stacy has developed and brought to market several new insurance programs, including architects and engineers’ professional liability, site specific pollution, petroleum storage tank, products pollution and excess auto liability. Stacy is the co-author (with FEI's founder, Mike Hill) of an award- winning loss control book, Understanding and Managing Risk: A Handbook for Environmental Consultants and Contractors.​

He has brought a wide range of insurance, environmental and construction experiences to FEI. Stacy’s career includes work with a NYSE-listed engineering firm, the U.S. Forest Service and a municipal
waste authority. Prior to joining FEI in 1998, he spent eight years as an environmental scientist and project manager for Dames & Moore (now URS), a large multi-national environmental and engineering firm.

Education & Affiliations

Stacy has a B.S. in Environmental Science from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY and he received his M.B.A from the University of Phoenix in Denver, CO.