UK Supreme Court issues ruling on controversial asbestos liability case

The United Kingdom Supreme Court has issued a ruling on a controversial case concerning asbestos in workplaces. The issue arose in 2008, when a number of people came forward to seek reparations after being diagnosed with mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer connected with inhaling asbestos and other fibrous materials. The country’s appeals courts struggled to determine whether liability lied with employers for exposing workers to dangerous conditions or if liability began when a victim started exhibiting symptoms of illness. Despite the conflict, the High Court ruled in 2008 that…

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Lloyd’s of London reports second largest loss from 2011’s insurance market swing

The insurance market of Lloyd’s of London LOL.UL has reported that it experienced its second largest losses in 2011, following the absorption of record breaking claim costs resulting from the natural catastrophes that included the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, as well as the flooding in Thailand. This statement was made on March 28, as it compared its last year’s loss of £516 million with the profit that it made in 2010, of £2.2 billion. The reported loss included the combined financial performance of the eighty insurance syndicate competitors which…

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Total SA natural gas leak births insurance nightmare as the industry tackles yet another man-made environmental disaster

Trouble is brewing in the North Sea where a major natural gas leak is causing problems for Total SA, a multinational oil company. The leak began at one of the companies abandoned platforms, dubbed the “well of hell” by environmentalists. Total is claiming that it will take at least six months to shut off the flow of natural gas due to high pressures within the reservoir beneath the platform. The company now faces serious backlash from the insurance industry for being at the heart of yet another man-made environmental disaster.…

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Facebook clashes with employers over passwords and user accounts

Facebook is a majorly successful social network. Hundreds of thousands of people use the network each day to share information with their friends and participate in various online communities. The network is also popular amongst businesses, though not in the same way as it is with consumers. To many businesses, Facebook is a tool for social media marketing. It can be used to market to a specific demographic, or to investigate a potential hire. The latter purpose is becoming more commonplace, and Facebook is looking to put an end to…

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Insurance brokers benefit from recovering economy and rising prices

The economic recovery and the increases in prices have helped to boost the largest publicly traded insurance brokers as a whole throughout 2011 when compared to the year before. According to the director at Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. Inc., Meyer Shields, these two factors were very helpful to the collective fortune of these insurance brokers. He stated that “It’s not the strongest recovery we’ve ever seen. It’s not the strongest rate cycle we’ve ever seen. But it’s helping.” The industry has discovered that as there is not as much income…

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