Category:

Disaster & Management

Insurers anticipated a pandemic but could have responded better,says exec

David Williams, managing director of underwriting and technical services at AXA Insurance UK PLC.said the industry’s response to previous virus outbreaks, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, and the H5N1 avian flu strain, was “why we’ve ended up in a situation where 98% of business interruption policies in the U.K. don’t include the impacts of COVID-19.”

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Wimbledon and other events left more exposed to COVID-19 risk as insurers withdraw pandemic cover: GlobalData

That an event as high-profile as Wimbledon can’t renew its policy suggests it is unlikely that any major event in the UK will be able to have pandemic cover for business interruption in the immediate future, and going ahead with events before a vaccine is rolled out is extremely risky.

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Lloyd’s calls for state-backed ‘Black Swan’ reinsurance

The Black Swan cover could be used to ensure payments after catastrophes such as a cyber attack or solar storm destroying critical infrastructure, as well as for pandemics, Lloyd’s said in a report published on Wednesday.

“Our concern is you solve for pandemic and you don’t solve for the next disaster,” Lloyd’s Chief Executive John Neal told Reuters.

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From Parkinson’s to peanut allergy, pandemic puts brakes on new drugs

Neurocrine Chief Executive Kevin Gorman said in an interview that many neurologists had been redirected to fighting the pandemic, leading to delaying Ongentys until later in 2020. The delay to Palforzia, Aimmune’s sole approved drug, means the company will not generate any revenue until later this year, prompting it to halt new hires in a bid to preserve its $370 million of cash.

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