The First Internet Liability Insurance Policy

(designed and placed by Nancy P. James)In 1997 there was no insurance to protect against internet related business errors. All kinds of new legal issues were arising as people hopped on the web to promote business and products. Name confusion (whoever confused Delta Airlines with Delta Faucets until "delta.com?") and rights to URL identity became the first cases to be brought to court. Attorneys at TestaHurwitz asked me to craft an internet liability policy for a client providing broad internet content as well as commentary.When technology insurers turned me down, I looked to media insurers, crafting a peril by peril policy. A "war game" was played to try to break the site, identified perils rated, and the first internet liability policy in the country (likely the world) was placed.Newsletter March 2011