Asbestos
In series - Lloyd's & London Market: An eye on the future
Lloyd’s and the London market has a fantastic reputation and its inherent creativity and principle of continuous self-improvement should be feared by its competitors.
European insurers and US Asbestos, Pollution and Health liabilities
European insurers may not currently be focused on US Asbestos, Pollution and Health liabilities but according to John Winter they need to act now to avoid problems as Solvency II is implemented.
Asbestos families campaign against compensation reform
More than 400 families affected by asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma have written to the Forum condemning the planned reforms to the way compensation claims for industrial diseases are funded.
European insurers with US APH liabilities face solvency scrutiny
European insurers that hold US Asbestos Pollution and Health Hazard liabilities will be subject to greater scrutiny of their financial accounting according to new research.
Risk update - Asbestos: Kept safe from harm
With the European Commission ordering the UK to amend legislation to ensure maintenance and repair workers are fully protected from asbestos, John Toms investigates the implications for the insurance industry.
Post history - 20 years ago: US blamed for Lloyd's record losses
Looking back through Post’s back catalogue paints a unique picture of more than 150 years of insurance news, as this highlight from 20 years ago reveals.
News analysis - Regulation: The more things change
With detail emerging on what life under the Prudential Regulation Authority will look like, Mathew Rutter analyses the similarity of themes to the current approach and pinpoints potential problem areas.
Interview - David Bott: In the Apil hotseat
With claimant lawyers facing radical change over the next year following the Jackson Review, David Bott has a turbulent introduction to his tenancy as the new Apil president. Leigh Jackson talks to the man whose job it is to steady the ship through these…
Law report: Parent company responsible for subsidiary action in asbestos case
This law report has been contributed by national law firm Berrymans Lace Mawer.
View from the top: invest in the long term
"It's tough out there" is probably the most overused phrase of the last year.
Editor's comment: The only way is up
Amanda Blanc's radical restructure of Axa's commercial lines business is undoubtedly a bold one. Not only does it leave more than 100 head office staff staring down the barrel of redundancy but her self-imposed deadline to devolve power to regional pens…
Pleural plaques fight set to continue vow insurers
The insurance industry has vowed to continue battling the Scottish government's decision to compensate pleural plaques, despite losing a judicial review in Edinburgh.
Insurers fail in pleural plaques bid
Insurers Axa, Aviva, RSA and Zurich have failed in their efforts to overturn Scottish legislation allowing claims to be brought for asbestos-related conditions, such as pleural plaques.
Post history - 10 years ago: Government issues stark EL warning
Looking through Post’s back catalogue paints a unique picture of more than 150 years of insurance news, as this article from 10 years ago reveals.
The Claimant's View: Health & safety gone mad
Health & safety has gone mad. I never thought I would say those words, associated as they are with sections of the media that love to blame health & safety regulations for everything that is wrong with society today.
News analysis - mesothelioma: getting the right guidance
In light of a recent Supreme Court judgment, which failed to produce the sought after clarity, Brian Goodwin argues that defendants should continue to strive for authoritative guidance on mesothelioma cases.
Post history - 10 years ago: TUC blasts ABI over asbestos
Looking through Post's back catalogue paints a unique picture of more than 150 years of insurance news, as this highlight from 10 years ago reveals.
Councils face prospect of speculative asbestos claims
A local authority has failed in its bid to secure clarity over what constitutes a 'material increase' in risk where a mesothelioma claimant's exposure to asbestos is relatively low, arguably leaving councils vulnerable to higher numbers of speculative…
Liability findings more "likely" after asbestos ruling
Law firm Beachcroft has claimed that findings of liability in mesothelioma cases are more “likely” following the Supreme Court judgement in Willmore v Knowsley MBC and Sienkiewicz v Greif last week.
Disease claims - mesothelioma: minimising costs while maximising speed
Mesothelioma claims are not set to peak until at least 2015. David Wynn details what insurers should be doing now to minimise their cost burden, while maximising speed of settlement.
Keoghs appoints duo to senior roles
Keoghs has appointed two senior personnel to its team – a new partner specialising in disease claims, Carrie Hoey, and a new commercial director, Andrew Spice.
AIG to strengthen Chartis balance sheet by $4.1bn after loss reserve review
Following completion of its annual comprehensive loss reserve review, AIG said today it expects to record a $4.1bn charge, net of $446m in discount and loss sensitive business premium adjustments, for the fourth quarter of 2010 to strengthen loss…
North of the Border: Update on Pleural Plaques and Forum Shopping
The eagerly awaited decision of Scotland's Inner House of the Court of Session, in the judicial review of the Damages (Asbestos-Related Conditions) (Scotland) Act 2009 is anticipated later this month.
Scottish courts see tenfold rise in pleural plaque cases
New pleural plaques cases brought in front of the Scottish courts increased almost tenfold last year, government statistics have shown.