Questionnaire on the feasibility of creating a fund to cover

environmental liabilities

(insurance representative)

Positions of stakeholders in the insurance sector towards the idea of the development of a fund or
a risk-pooling scheme to address liabilities resulting from major industrial operations and accidents
*Mandatory

Chapter 1: Introduction
This questionnaire has been prepared within the framework of a study carried out for the European
Commission (DG Environment) on the feasibility of establishing a fund or risk pooling scheme to
address liabilities for traditional damage and environmental damage resulting from major industrial
accidents involving pollution. The aim of this questionnaire is to obtain the views of stakeholders in
the insurance sector on the idea and the optimal design elements of such a fund or risk pooling
scheme. We recognise that you will not necessarily be able to answer all questions but would
appreciate if you could answer as fully as possible.

Chapter 2: State of risk coverage

1. Do you consider that public liability policies provide cover for TRADITIONAL damage liabilities
that could result from an accident involving pollution?
Yes
No

2. Do you consider that public liability policies provide cover for ENVIRONMENTAL damage
liabilities that could result from an accident involving pollution?
Yes
No

3. If you answered "No" to the preceding questions, how do companies ensure they have cover for
potential environmental liabilities resulting from an accident involving pollution
Another financial security instrument

A level of net worth considered adequate

Other :

4. Do you consider that insurers in your area offer adequate cover to companies for all their
potential environmental liabilities?
Yes
No

5. If not, which liabilities are not covered?

6. If all of a companys liabilities from an accident involving pollution are not covered, do you
consider that they have sought full coverage or decided not to do so?

7. In your experience, what is the level of costs claimed by insured companies for traditional
damage from an accident involving pollution?

8. In your experience, what is the level of costs claimed by insured companies for environmental
damage from an accident involving pollution?

9. What do you consider to be the level of public awareness of the Environmental Liability
Directive?And what do you consider could be done to increase this awareness?

10. What do you consider to be the level of brokers' awareness of the Environmental Liability
Directive?And what do you consider could be done to increase this awareness?

11. What do you consider to be the level of insurers' awareness of the Environmental Liability
Directive?And what do you consider could be done to increase this awareness?

Chapter 3: Demand for a fund / risk pooling scheme

12. Do you consider that a fund or risk pooling scheme could assist in covering environmental (and
other) damage and losses resulting from an accident involving pollution?
Yes
No

13. Do you consider that such a fund / risk pooling scheme should be voluntary or mandatory?
Mandatory
Voluntary

14. Do you believe such a voluntary or mandatory scheme would increase the likelihood that
companies would carry out actions to prevent pollution?
Yes
No

Chapter 4: Requirements for the design and development of such a

fund / scheme

15. Do you believe that a fund, if it was to be established, should be sector-specific or should it be
wider in nature?
Sector-specific
General

16. Do you believe such a fund, again if it was to be established:

should be EU-wide?

should there be several regional funds which would together cover the whole EU?

should there be sectoral funds?

17. What do you consider should be the threshold level at which such a fund or risk pooling
scheme responded to an accident involving pollution?
1 million

10 million

100 million

Other :

18. Who do you believe should manage such a fund or risk pooling scheme if it was to be
established?
the EU

Member States

Other :

19. What would be the most efficient way of raising resources?

contributions to a fund depending on risk indicators

voluntary contribution to the fund

mandatory contribution to the fund

Other :

20. Which liabilities should be covered by a fund or risk pooling scheme if it was to be established?
environmental damage liabilities

traditional damage liabilities

both environmental and traditional damage liabilities

Other :

21. If you have any further suggestions or comments on development of a fund or a risk-pooling
scheme to address environmental liabilities, please use the field below to explain your views.

Chapter 5: Your contact information

Please would you complete your contact details below (this is for the project team to keep track of
respondes and will not be published in the report):
Name *

Organisation *

Function *

Short description of the organisation *(e.g. type of activity, sector, size, geographical location)

Email address *

Telephone *

Thank you for your contribution!