Managing catastrophe: An economist and a lawyer give insights into topical issues arising from the Canterbury earthquakes 
(Conferences / Symposia)
14 May 2012
4pm - 6pm
Venue: Case Room 1, Level 0, Owen G Glenn Building, 12 Grafton Road
Contact info: Phone Pam Kam on +64 9 923 1286
Contact email: p.kam@auckland.ac.nz
Department of Commercial Law and New Zealand Governance Centre Symposium.
Presenters: Professor Paul Fenn (The University of Nottingham Business School) and Professor Robert Merkin (University of Southhampton).
Planning for and managing significant natural catastrophes will become even more important in Zealand and internationally. The purpose of this symposium is to identify legal and commercial issues that commonly arise when a natural disaster strikes. It is hoped that this will lead to collaboration and publication.
The Canterbury earthquakes portend a significant increase in insurance premiums. Professor Fenn will provide insights into why this is likely to happen drawing on evidence relating to the impact of “loss shocks” on the UK property insurance and reinsurance markets. Professor Merkin will consider a number of legal problems and issues including the response of business interruption policies in circumstances of depopulation, reinstatement, in particular, where a higher standard of building is required, and the role of compulsory insurance.
Paul Fenn is the Aviva Chair of Insurance Studies at the University of Nottingham’s Centre for Risk and Insurance Studies. His background is in applied microeconomics, particularly in relation to the interaction between law, health and insurance. He has written books and numerous journal articles on the general themes of liability insurance, medical negligence and the economics of the legal services market.
He has coordinated research projects on these issues for the Department of Health and the Ministry of Justice and has recently completed a research project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council’s Public Services Quality programme on Liability, Risk-Pooling and Health Care Quality.
Robert Merkin is Research Professor of Commercial Law at the University of Southampton and a consultant to international law firm Norton Rose. He is currently Sir Eric Hotung Visiting Fellow at the University of Canterbury School of Law. He has a wealth of experience in the legal arena and teaches, writes about and advises on insurance, marine insurance, reinsurance and arbitration.
He has published over 40 books and numerous articles, and is co-editor of the Lloyd’s Law Reports and editor of the Journal of Business Law.
Robert is a consultant for the English and Scottish Law Commissions for their project on insurance contract law reform and is President of the British Insurance Law Association and Vice-President of the International Association of Insurance Law.
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Light refreshments will be served after the seminar.
