Insurance Information

Life Insurance Providing Little Protection from Terrorism


Recent statements by the City of London Police Commissioner James Hart that future terrorist attacks in London's financial centre are, "a matter of when, rather than if", will increase already serious concerns over issues of personal and business financial protection.

Mr Hart's statement pointed out that, "if you want to hurt the government, hurt people at the same time, and you want to cause maximum disruption...where better to hit than at the financial centre?"

Mr Hart also echoed a report by the insurer Axa which warned that just under 50% of small firms do not have a plan in place to ensure that their business could survive should they be hit by an emergency or disaster. Axa highlighted that many businesses, especially in the South East danger zone, are not even covered against general risks such as fire and flood, which have a much greater chance of hitting a business than the now high profile terrorism threats.

The research carried out by Axa found that almost one in five small to medium-sized firms had been hit by some form of disaster and about 5% of them took more than a year to get their businesses back on track. Any company that does not have cover against potential future disasters could stand to lose large sums of money, or even go out of business, if the Commissioners warnings go unheeded.

Emergency services workers are also experiencing additional worries about their financial protection in light of the terrorist attacks. Somerset fire-fighters have recently temporarily called off threatened industrial action amid claims they may not be insured for dealing with terrorism. In a postal ballot, Union members had previously overwhelmingly voted in favour of taking some form of industrial action short of a strike, such as refusing to train on specialist equipment which can be used in response to terrorist incidents. The actions have been called off pending a report due next month from a working party which has been set up with the Somerset Fire and Rescue Service to study the fire-fighters' personal insurance.

Adrian Woollaston, of the Somerset branch of the Fire Brigade Union said: "Somerset fire crews want our employers to address our very real concerns and this gives an opportunity for them to do so."

The fears experienced by the fire-fighters revolve around exclusions which added to many group life insurance policies that prevent pay-outs being made should the policy holder be injured or killed as a result of a terrorist attack.

The Association of British Insurers has sought to reassure emergency workers who may die as an indirect consequence of terrorist events by stating, "exclusions do not generally apply on stand-alone life assurance policies, regardless of the occupation of the policyholder", however, they also indicate that "other personal insurance cover" such as personal accident, mortgage protection, income protection and critical illness cover are usually subject to exclusions.

This would mean that many existing insurance policies held by emergency workers to protect their future and that of their family, such as mortgage payment protection, may not provide any cover in the event of a terrorist attack.

Searching through all the available insurance policies using information sites like Moneyfacts or Moneynet can go some way to helping by providing guide information and price comparisons, but more needs to be done.

Sam Oestreicher of Unison said, "We are asking all insurance companies to look at their policies and if they have such exclusion clauses to drop them".

Carefully checking through the various complicated clauses inherent in financial policies is something many consumers prefer to ignore, but as the fire-fighters are currently finding out, it is vitally important in order to ensure the protection is there.

Useful Resources:

Insurance information Association of British Insurers

Insurance comparisons - Moneynet

Bio:

Richard lives in Edinburgh, occasionally writing for the personal finance blog Cashzilla, and reciting Vogon poetry.


MORE RESOURCES:

Tampabay.com

Debates Rage in Tallahassee Over Insurance, Abortion, Prisons
WCTV
Several major issues were up for debate in Tallahassee on Tuesday, including property insurance, prisons and abortion. One of the top political targets in Tallahassee is Citizens Insurance, the state-run insurance company of last resort.
Florida homeowners file suit against Citizens InsuranceWink News
Citizens boosted home values to raise insurance premiums, suit saysTampabay.com
Spiking insurance rates prompts suit against CitizensSarasota Herald-Tribune
Palm Beach Post
all 59 news articles »


Chattanooga Times Free Press

Local Catholic leaders oppose birth control insurance requirement
Chattanooga Times Free Press
Supporters of the ruling point out that 28 states already require insurance plans to cover contraception if they cover other prescription drugs, although many states have broader religious exemptions than the new federal one. Tennessee does not have a ...
Midwest Voices | Catholic objections to birth control insurance benefits ...Kansas City Star
Government gets backlash from imposing birth control in health insurance plansWVLA-TV
Majority of Catholics support health insurance for birth controlOrlando Sentinel (blog)
PR Newswire (press release) -ThinkProgress -my.hsj.org
all 1,219 news articles »


Customers seek access to MF Global insurance sums
Chicago Tribune
(Reuters) - Customers of MF Global's broker-dealer unit say at least $120 million in insurance policies for the company's executives should instead go toward filling a massive hole in their accounts. At least four customer groups on Tuesday objected to ...
MF Had $190 Million of Insurance for Corzine, ProfessionalsBusinessWeek

all 19 news articles »


MSU is requiring freshmen to have health insurance or join its plan
Detroit Free Press
By David Jesse If Michigan State University freshmen don't prove they have health insurance by the end of the month, the university will automatically enroll them in a plan and tack the cost onto their tuition bills. The state's second-largest public ...

and more »


Farm Futures

Crop insurance's growing value
News & Observer
News reports out of USDA's Risk Management Agency underscore that point all too clearly: With some 15 percent of all crop insurance claims yet to be processed, crop insurance companies have paid out a record $9.1 billion so far in indemnity payments to ...
Record Indemnities Underscore Value of Crop Insurance as Key ToolFarm Futures
Farm bill: 'Safety net' for farmers could be reshaped in 2012California Farm Bureau

all 3 news articles »


Long-term care insurance: The long and short of it
Chicago Tribune
Little wonder that older Americans are investing in long-term care insurance. Nursing home costs are often cited when arguing in favor of long-term care insurance. "What long-term care insurance really does is give you choice and options," says Jesse ...
Connecticut Long Term Care Insurance Partnership Information Website LaunchedNewsReleaseWire.com (press release)

all 2 news articles »


Brockton City Council defeats health insurance changes
Wicked Local
The vote in the City Council's Finance Committee Monday night was a foregone conclusion about halfway into the two-hour debate on whether or not to adopt the state's municipal health insurance reform law in Brockton. If adopted, it would have given the ...
Brockton poised to be only third community to reject health insurance lawEnterprise News

all 2 news articles »


Officials say flood insurance important
In-Forum
FARGO – Officials say a decision to not renew flood insurance could have costly implications months before new flood-plain maps come out. FARGO – Officials say a decision to not renew flood insurance could have costly implications months before new ...
FEMA: More Facts About the National Flood Insurance Program (pt. 2)7thSpace Interactive (press release)

all 9 news articles »


County health insurance plan considered
nwitimes.com
VALPARAISO | The head of a Cincinnati-based health care consulting and benefit administration firm said he can save Porter County $4 million a year on its health insurance costs. The claim from Thomas Quigley of ClaimLinx came during a Porter County ...
Porter County Council examines health coverage for employeesPost-Tribune

all 2 news articles »


TomTom in insurance tie-up with Motaquote
Reuters
AMSTERDAM Feb 8 (Reuters) - Dutch navigation systems maker TomTom NV said on Wednesday it has teamed up with UK-based insurance firm Motaquote to offer an insurance product for drivers which links premiums to driver behaviour and safety.
TomTom Announces Ground-Breaking Insurance PartnershipMarketWatch (press release)
TomTom Enters Insurance Telematics Market in the UKGPS Business News

all 8 news articles »

Google News

home | site map | contact | Partners
© 2006 - insurance-information.cliczoom.com