Abstract
Tort law and liability insurance have a complex interaction in which each shapes the evolution and effects of the other. This interaction and its many forms and facets in different international contexts must be comprehended to understand fully the ethical responsibilities of liability insurers. This essay builds on previous scholarship on the tort law–liability insurance interaction through a series of observations from the perspective of a global reinsurer. It seeks in part to extend previous analyses of this interaction by also considering issues in the developing world. It seeks to make some normative questions and stances explicit concerning this interaction, as well as to identify some empirical questions that still need to be answered. The responsibility of liability insurers includes ethically shaping the responsibility of others in interaction with tort law in countless diverse situations.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abraham, K. S. (2008). The liability century: Insurance and tort law from the progressive era to 9/11. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Baker, T. (2003). Insurance law and policy: Cases, materials and problems. Aspen, CO: Aspen Business Law.
Baker, T. (2005). The view of an American insurance law scholar: Six ways that liability insurance shapes tort law. In G. Wagner (Ed.), Tort law and liability insurance. New York: Springer.
Baker, T., & Griffiths, S. J. (2007). The missing monitor in corporate governance: The directors’ & officers’ liability insurer. Georgetown Law Journal, 95, 1795–1842.
Clarke, M. (2005). Policies and perceptions of insurance law in the twenty-first century. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Cousy, H. (2002). Tort liability and liability insurance: A difficult relationship. In H. Koziol & B. Steininger (Eds.), Yearbook European tort law 2001 (pp. 18–55). Wien: Springer.
Hapke, U. (1999). Umwelthaftung, Versicherung und Prävention. Möglichkeiten und Grenzen haftungsinduzierter Prävention unter den Bedingungen von Wissen und Nichtwissen. Zeitschrift für Rechtssoziologie, 20/1, 55–81.
Lahnstein, C. (2005). The view of a reinsurer: On the relationship between liability insurance and tort law. In G. Wagner (Ed.), Tort law and liability insurance. New York: Springer.
Lewis, R. (2005). The relationship between tort law and insurance in England and Wales. In G. Wagner (Ed.), Tort law and liability insurance. New York: Springer.
Luhmann, N. (1995). Das Recht der Gesellschaft. Frankfurt: Suhrkamp.
Luhmann, N. (1997). Risk and causality. In Munich Re (Ed.), 1st International Liability Forum. Munich: Munich Re.
Magnus, U. (2003). Comparative report. In U. Magnus (Ed.), The impact of social security law on tort law. Wien: Springer.
Murer, E. (2004). Die verfehlte rechtliche Behandlung der “Versicherungsfälle unklarer Kausalität” und ihre Auswirkungen auf die Rentenexplosion in der IV. In E. Murer, et al. (Eds.), Die 5. IVG-Revision: Kann sie die Renten explosion stoppen?
Spier, J. (2005). The need for more and detailed information—The Netherlands. In G. Wagner (Ed.), Tort law and liability insurance. New York: Springer.
Takala, J. (1999). Global estimates of fatal occupational accidents. Epidemiology, 10(5), 640–646.
Vairo, G. (2010). A tale of two cases: The Ecuador/Chevron litigation; the BP Gulf oil litigation. In: 7th Annual Liability Regimes Conference, London, 19 Oct 2010.
Wagner, G. (2005a). Tort law and liability insurance. New York: Springer.
Wagner, G. (2005b). Comparative report and final conclusions. In G. Wagner (Ed.), Tort law and liability insurance. New York: Springer.
Weyers, H. L. (1971). Unfallschäden: Praxis und Ziele von Haftpflicht- und Versorgungssystemen. Frankfurt a. M: Athenäum.
World Health Organization. (2009). Global status report on road safety. Geneva: World Health Organization.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lahnstein, C. Tort Law and the Ethical Responsibilities of Liability Insurers: Comments from a Reinsurer’s Perspective. J Bus Ethics 103 (Suppl 1), 87–94 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1225-6
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1225-6