Best-Laid Plans Preparing for the Man-Made Disaster

As spring and summer roll around, insurers the world over are bracing for the inevitable onslaught of windstorm, hurricane and hail claims which invariably accompany the change in the seasons. Insurers, governmental agencies and communities prone to storm damage spend millions each year preparing for nature‘s fury. But, even as significant a risk as natural disasters pose, those same entities must also spend an ever-increasing portion of their time and effort in preparation for man-made disasters, which unfortunately aren‘t season-specific. To err is, indeed, human--a fact that becomes more and more apparent with each passing year. Man-made disasters, which can take many forms, including plane crashes, arson fires, explosions, common carrier accidents, incidental releases of hazardous materials and structural collapses, are giving Mother Nature a run for her money