Soon the liability crisis will be blamed on us, says Andy Cook

At last, the business community is waking up to the crisis of liability insurance. While brokers have been complaining for a few months now, the rest of the world has largely ignored the warnings.

What's worse is that companies who are being driven out of business or out of profit are not shouting loud enough. Why are the Confederation of British Industry and the Federation of Small Businesses so unconcerned? Sure, there are other worries. But for many small companies, it is not the worry of falling equities or accounting procedures that is affecting their operation.

It is to the credit of the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and now the British Insurance Brokers' Association (Biba) that the issue is being raised with government. But the issue needs to be pushed harder. Much harder. As the liability crisis takes hold of the national media, it won't take too long before the finger of blame points at the risk carriers. OK, so underwriters have been guilty of under-pricing policies, but it has not been entirely their fault. How could they have predicted the severity of recently discovered industrial diseases or the advent of a claims culture?

There are many more worthy culprits and now is the time to campaign for changes. How about improving health and safety in the workplace?

Employers should take on more of the responsibility for workplace risks because prevention is so much more efficient to UK plc than cure. How about a look at the compensation crazy culture that has seen schools banning handstands in the playgrounds of schools because accidents might be blamed on them?

Support Biba and the ABI in their efforts. Make your local MP aware of the problem and the reasons.

And do it now, before we get the blame again.

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