The Christchurch Earthquakes: Insurance and Reinsurance Issues

Date: Wednesday 9 May 2012
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Location: School of Law
Contact: For further information regarding this event, please contact Fiona Saunders by sending email to fiona.saunders@canterbury.ac.nz or by calling 03 3642987 ext 3142
RSVP: Please RSVP for this event by contacting: ariana.wetere@canterbury.ac.nz Audience: The general public

The School of Law is delighted to host Professor Robert Merkin as the third Sir Eric Hotung Visiting Fellow.

"The Christchurch Earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 have thrown into sharp focus both the public and private insurance arrangements in place to protect homeowners and businesses against earthquake losses. They have raised a series of issues, some flowing from poorly thought-out policy wordings and some flowing from the uncertainties in fundamental issues in the law, notably the application of causation principles to business interruption claims where losses are the result of both insured (earthquake) and uninsured (depopulation) perils.

For New Zealand insurers one of the most important considerations will be recoverability from their reinsurers, raising issues of the binding effect of settlements and whether an earthquake is an “event”. The lecture will consider the issues which have arisen and possible alternative models for dealing with earthquake losses.”

Drinks and nibbles will be served prior to the lecture at 5.30pm. Please RSVP by 1 May.