Geocode Addresses

Overview

Geocoding is the process of estimating the global coordinates (latitude and longitude) of a location based on its street address, city, postal code, or other address information. Geocoding software evaluates the address information for completeness and quality using specialized pattern matching algorithms, heuristics, and geographic databases.

Geocoding is the "gateway" to RMS risk analysis and a prerequisite for all catastrophe modelling processes. Geocoding converts the physical address of a location into a spatial reference system that can be recognized by a model. Locations must be geocoded at some level to be compatible with model data. Addresses that do not geocode do not return loss results at all.

Geocoding consists of two related processes:

• Geocoding translates geolocation data (geographic identifier values) into global coordinates (latitude and longitude) that are more amenable to data analysis. Global coordinates facilitate complex spatial operations, such as the calculation of distances.
• Geocoding validates and enriches address data (ZIP codes, cities) so that RMS models can better leverage address databases during the modeling process.

Every geocoding data product accepts a request body that specifies one or more geographic identifier values at different resolution levels. The lower the resolution level, the more accurate the location coordinates returned by the geocoding resource.

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Geocode Lookups

Location Intelligence geocode lookup resources enable you to query geolocation data at different resolution levels.

Data product versions

The Geocoding data product is available in versions 18.0, 18.1, 20.0, 21.0, 22.0. Each data product version corresponds to an RMS data vintage.

Each version of the data product is available through a unique endpoint that specifies the vintage of the geolocation data used to geocode locations. For example, the li/geocode/18.1 endpoint enables you to geocode locations using 18.1 data vintage.

In addition to the version-specific geocoding resources, Location Intelligence also supports the li/geocode/latest endpoint which always uses the most recent data vintage.

Geocode with latest data product

The Geocode latest resource enables you to geocode the address specified in the request using the latest geolocation data. Endpoints that specify 18.0, 18.1, 20.0, 21.0, and 22.0 data also supported.

All request parameters are specified in the request body. The countryScheme and countryCode are required.

{
  "admin1Code": "CA",
  "cityName": "NEWARK",
  "countryCode": "US",
  "countryScheme": "ISO2A",
  "postalCode": "94560",
  "streetAddress": "7575 GATEWAY BLVD"
}

Low resolution geocoding (postal code and lower) is sufficient for Detailed Loss Model (DLM) loss analyses, but high-resolution geocoding produces more realistic, modeled results, and is the desired resolution for analyses in most RMS modeled countries.

A successful request returns a 200 status code and geolocation data in the response body.

{
"id": 0,
    "admin1Code": "CA",
    "admin1Name": "CALIFORNIA",
    "admin2Code": "001",
    "admin2Name": "ALAMEDA COUNTY",
    "admin3Code": "",
    "admin3Name": "",
    "admin4Code": "",
    "admin4Name": "",
    "cityName": "NEWARK",
    "countryCode": "US",
    "countryRmsCode": "US",
    "countryName": "United States",
    "countryFips": "US",
    "countryScheme": "ISO2A",
    "rmsGeocodingResolutionCode": 31,
    "rmsGeoModelResolutionCode": 2,
    "latitude": 37.54120000000001,
    "locationCode": "060014443.01",
    "longitude": -122.06061000000001,
    "postalCode": "94560",
    "streetAddress": "7575 GATEWAY BLVD",
    "zone1Code": "A2",
    "admin1GeoId": 99999106,
    "admin2GeoId": 99999206001,
    "admin3GeoId": 0,
    "locationCodeGeoId": 0,
    "zone1GeoId": 999995062,
    "zone2GeoId": 0,
    "cityGeoId": 999993061080,
    "countryGeoId": 840,
    "postalCodeGeoId": 99999494560,
    "geoMatchCode": "S1-21778160011-S1T1P1A1-S100T100P100A100-T1P1A1-00-AB-N-X",
    "geoDataSourceId": 8,
    "parcelId": 0,
    "ugid": "USS3121778167575",
    "dataVersion": "20.0.0.0"
}

More information

Support Center is a password-protected area for licensees of RMS catastrophe modeling products. It includes a library of technical software documentation and model documentation for RMS peril models.

For information about how geocoding works within RMS software, see Understanding Geocoding in RMS Applications on Moody's RMS Support Center.