Excess to Primary: Shepherd Binds $635M Highway Expansion in California for Flatiron–Myers JV

The project

The I-105 Expressway expansion in Los Angeles represents $635M of heavy civil construction running through one of the densest interchange corridors in California across 3 project phases. 

The project includes a direct connector to the existing I-110 ExpressLanes and aims to improve multi-modal travel options, which is expected to reduce commute times by up to 50% compared to standard carpool lanes during peak hours. The initial segments are targeted for completion just ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. 

Projects like this require an exceptionally high bar of client experience, loss control, and program alignment for Shepherd to lean in. This expressway expansion is being delivered by a joint venture of FlatironDragados and Myers & Sons, two contractors with sophisticated operations and mature loss control programs, which gave Shepherd confidence in underwriting this risk. 

The Casualty Placement Challenge

Building in three distinct phases, with distinct CIPs, requires a coordination of programs with the required outcome being continuity of coverage across each phase. With the start of Phase 2 and Phase 3 on this multi-phase civil build, Will Arpin of Marsh was focused on continuity across markets, pricing, and terms. Phase 2’s coverage also required a short turnaround with a preference for markets who understood the nature of the project and insured’s operations. 

How Shepherd & Marsh brought Phase 2 and 3 Primary & Excess Together

Arpin had bound a $10M excess layer with Shepherd on Phase 1. That first placement did two things that paid off later. It put Shepherd's underwriters in front of the project, the JV, and the loss controls, and it showed the broker team what Shepherd's underwriting cadence really looked like (the Phase 1 quote turned around in less than 24 hours).

When Arpin and the Marsh team took Phases 2 and 3 to market, they brought it to a selective group of carriers. Shepherd was on that list because trust had already been earned.

Broker relationships are built over time through consistent execution. The 24-hour turnaround on Phase 1 was a signal about how Shepherd operates and what brokers can count on when they bring Shepherd a complex opportunity. When a new phase of the same program came to market, they were already a proven fit. 

From there, the case for Shepherd wrote itself. The team had existing familiarity with the insured and the project from Phase 1 of the program, which made it natural to carry that relationship into Phase 2 and 3 coverage. The Flatiron-Myers joint venture had confidence in the Shepherd team to provide the right coverage and service the account with care. The Marsh team had the confidence to advocate for Shepherd because of a strong track record of execution. The result was a full-program placement across primary and excess on one of the most significant infrastructure projects in California.

The Shepherd Placement Solution

Shepherd wrote the Primary GL of $2M / $4M / $4M and included a ventilated excess layer for Phases 2 and 3. 

What gave the Shepherd underwriting team confidence was the strength of the joint venture’s loss control program. This account carries a robust, multi-layered loss control framework. Contractor standards are set at or above a longstanding LA Metro safety program, with the joint venture's own policies built to exceed those baselines. The program is anchored in proactive hazard identification at every level. Execution is the result of robust planning: pre-task risk assessments before every operation, recurring crew-led safety briefings, and a layered audit regimen from frontline self-assessments to formal jobsite reviews. 

With respect to operations, incidents are reported immediately, recordable events investigated within a day, and injury logs kept available for review without notice. The program targets the site's highest-severity exposures through dedicated controls and preconstruction coordination, and embeds independent safety professionals and regulatory consulting resources throughout, reinforcing the depth of oversight and the owner's commitment to a well-governed safety culture.

The Outcome

The Flatiron-Myers JV unified their Construction Casualty needs with Shepherd, adding primary coverage to the existing Shepherd excess layers. 

"Shepherd was a clear choice for phases 2 and 3 of this I-105 Expansion. They had been a great partner to us, turning their Phase 1 quote in under 24 hours, they already knew the project, and they deeply understood how the Flatiron-Myers joint venture operates. On a $635M build with two sophisticated contractor partners, that continuity matters. The Shepherd team did not need to be brought up to speed and allowed us to keep moving forward."

Will Arpin, SVP, Marsh

‍