When MIS responds to an event, analysts publish intelligence layers onto GEO. Each layer represents a different stage of the response — from the initial footprint through to confirmed damage at building level. This article explains what each layer contains, when to expect it, and how to use the Layers panel to show and hide them.

[SCREENSHOT: GEO event report with the Layers panel open on the right, showing Exposure, Claims, and Imagery layers]

The Exposure Layer is MIS's first assessment of the event footprint. It shows the geographic area where damage is likely to have occurred, based on available data in the first 24 hours. Think of it as the initial boundary — useful for a fast first look at which areas are in scope.

Grid sizes vary by peril: 5km for hurricanes, 500m for flooding, 1km for tornadoes, hail, and winter storms.

[SCREENSHOT: Exposure Layer Assessment]
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The Claims Layer follows within 48 hours of the Exposure Layer. It reflects confirmed damage based on field data, imagery, and intelligence sources. It is more precise than the Exposure Layer and is updated continuously for large events as new data arrives.

Grid sizes are typically 1km, reducing to 200m where a Building Level Assessment exists.

[SCREENSHOT: Claims Layer Assessment]
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The Building Level Assessment is the most granular layer MIS produces — it shows damage assessed at individual property level. For smaller, more localised events such as tornadoes and wildfires, MIS may release a BLA as the first iteration of the Claims Layer. For larger events, a 1km Claims Layer comes first, followed by BLA in the highest-priority areas.

BLA data is aggregated to a 200m grid on the map because property geocoding is rarely at rooftop precision. Use the [Location Search] feature alongside BLA to find specific addresses accurately.
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[SCREENSHOT: Building Level Assessment]
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The Intelligence Picture is MIS's recommended starting point for every event. It combines all available MIS layers — Exposure, Claims, and Building Level Assessment — into a single unified footprint, always showing the most granular data available at any given location on the map.

[SCREENSHOT: Intelligence Picture layer active on a hurricane event, showing the colour gradient across the event footprint]

What it does

Rather than switching between the Exposure Layer, Claims Layer, and Building Level Assessment separately, the Intelligence Picture does the work for you. At each point on the map, it displays the most detailed and most recently updated assessment MIS has for that location.

For example, on a large hurricane event you might see:

The Intelligence Picture updates automatically as MIS adds new data. You don't need to reload or switch layers — it reflects the latest position at all times.
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[SCREENSHOT: Intelligence Picture legend showing the data resolution levels visible across the map]

How to access it

The Intelligence Picture is available as a Quickview on every event that has reached the Claims stage of the MIS response.

You can also find it in the Layers panel — it appears as a single layer that you can toggle on and off like any other.

Why use it instead of individual layers?

Individual layers are still available and useful for specific purposes — for example, downloading the raw Exposure Layer to run in your cat model, or comparing the Claims Layer against the Exposure Layer to see how the assessment evolved. But for general portfolio review and a fast read of the current damage picture, the Intelligence Picture is more efficient. It removes the need to decide which layer to look at and ensures you're always seeing the most accurate data available.

Click the Layers icon in the right-hand toolbar to open the Layers panel. Each layer group can be expanded to show its sub-layers. Toggle individual sub-layers on or off by clicking the visibility icon next to each one.

To focus on a single layer, turn off all others using the collapse controls at the top of the panel.

To jump the map to the extent of a specific layer, click the ... and click Go To button on that layer.

[SCREENSHOT: Layers panel showing Exposure, Claims, and Imagery groups with toggle controls]

Click on any grid cell or feature on the map to see the MIS assessment for that location. A pop-up appears showing the assessment category and any additional data for that grid. The results also appear in the right-hand panel.

Layers you can click on include: Exposure grids, Claims grids, Flood depth grids, Infrastructure icons, and Insights location points (if you have portfolio data loaded).

Operational Layers are added to events where on-the-ground context is relevant. They include:

These layers do not show damage — they show situational context that supports response decisions.

What's the difference between the Exposure Layer and the Claims Layer?
The Exposure Layer is the early footprint — it shows where damage is likely. The Claims Layer is the confirmed damage picture, built from verified data. Use the Exposure Layer for speed; use the Claims Layer for accuracy.

Why does the grid size change within the same event?
Different areas of an event have different data quality. Where MIS has detailed imagery and building-level data, the grid is finer (200m). Where only broad meteorological data is available, the grid is coarser (5km). For specific event types such as flood where the damage is more localised we look to give a more granualar response.

When will the Claims Layer be available?
Typically within 72 hours of the Exposure Layer. See [Our Response Timelines] for the full schedule.

Can I download any of these layers?
Yes — all layers are downloadable as shapefile and GeoJSON from the Downloads section. See [Downloading Layers].

Does the Intelligence Picture replace the other layers?
No. All layers remain available individually. The Intelligence Picture is an additional view that combines them. Use individual layers when you need to download a specific dataset or compare assessments at different stages.

How often is the Intelligence Picture updated?
It updates whenever MIS publishes new data to any of the underlying layers. For active events, this can be multiple times per day.

Is the Intelligence Picture available for all events?
It becomes available once MIS has published at least a Claims Layer. It is not available on Exposure-only events where the response is still in its early stages.

Can I download the Intelligence Picture as a single file?
Yes as a single combined file — the underlying layers (Exposure, Claims, Building) are each downloadable separately. See [Downloading Layers].