Senate renews terrorism insurance program
However, critics of the federal program say it does not go far enough in shifting the risk from taxpayers to the private sector.
Losses should have to be at least $1 billion to trigger the federal backstop, said the R Street Institute, a non-profit research company that advocates limited government. Renewal of the program also could discourage private insurers from offering more terrorism insurance, researchers said.
“The flood of new product offerings we have seen in the past few weeks, both in anticipation of the program’s Dec. 31 expiration and in the days since, is ample evidence that private insurers, reinsurers, brokers and underwriting syndicates are ready and able to do more,” said R.J. Lehmann, a senior fellow at the think tank.