Axa has called on the insurance industry to help businesses assess their risks more accurately.
Axa chief executive Peter Hubbard said that the industry should strive to "educate consumers" about risk management.
He was responding to comments made by CBI director general Digby Jones who said that many CBI members experienced difficulty in affording insurance cover or getting cover at all.
Jones said: "Many of our members face a choice of operating illegally or closing down."
