Business insurance news - Lawyer advises swine flu liability cover check

A top London lawyer has warned employers that they should ensure their business insurance covers workers in the event of swine flu outbreaks in the workplace.

James Wilders, a partner with the firm Dickson Dees, told the Daily Mail, "Employers have a duty of care to their employees and that means providing reasonable protection for their staff from swine flu."

He also gave a chilling example of how a swine flu-inclusive business insurance policy might be necessary to cope with the pandemic. "In the most tragic instance, if someone died from swine flu and their relatives could show they probably contracted the disease at work because of lax health and safety procedures, it could be potentially very costly for the employer," he said.

Wilders also advised all employers to ensure they were fully equipped to deal with outbreaks by providing ample soap in washrooms, sending infected workers home and, where possible, asking those affected to work out of the office.

The lawyer also indicated that he felt it inevitable employees would seek to make swine flu claims on their employers' business insurance, "We live in a litigious society and if people think they have a chance of winning, they will try."