Electrical requirements and Insurance

Recently insurance companies have been using a new underwriting criteria for insuring residential property. They are now frequently asking for 100 ampere service to each unit of multi-unit building(2 or more units). It is quite common to find your typical 2 or 3 unit structure with a 100 0r 200 ampere main service which is then distributed to 2 or 3 - 60 ampere circuit breaker panels servicing the individual units. Depending upon the computed load of the units this generally represents a safe and adequate electrical service. These new insurance guidelines are creating some difficulties for both existing buildings which are not undergoing change (ie one or more of the units being sold) and for prospective purchasers of a condominium or multi-unit building. This situation can represent a unexpected outlay of cash to upgrade the entire main electrical service in order to have an active insurance policy on the property. It is very important that you check with your agent to see if this will effect you.
The longer standing insurance issues are the existence of Knob and Tube wiring or fuse type panels in a building. Both of these situations deserve to be corrected. My personal and professional opinion is that the 100 ampere/unit really should be dealt with in a more professional manner than merely dictating wholesale changes to a property's main electrical service. If a load calculation of a structure indicates that a 60 ampere service to a unit is safe and adequate it seems that should be enough to satisfy an insurance company.
I believe that money spent to correct inadequate or faulty interior wiring of a unit is much wiser that have a bright, new, shiney overkill of a main electrical service.