IN THE KNOW
Baltimore Bridge bust, dodgy dog danger, Tesla toddler terror
It’s surprising how interesting the world of insurance can be. Almost every aspect of life touches insurance in one way or another, at some time or another, as these stories show. Here’s the news, from our world to yours.
Baltimore Bridge heartbreak – it’s complicated
As a marine insurance company we were horrified to see people killed, the Francis Scott Key Bridge destroyed, and the Port of Baltimore’s vital work interrupted.
The port used to be the biggest handler in the entire USA for cars and light trucks, and it earned Maryland a huge amount of money. The accident has affected people’s jobs, impacted the national and international economy, and made it hard for people to travel from A to B. Once 9th in the list of US harbours for foreign cargo and dollar value, Baltimore’s loss is going to resonate for years to come.
At least 30,000 local people use the bridge daily. Baltimore used to handle more cars and more farm equipment than any other US port. It managed a whopping 52.3 million tons of international cargo a year, which was worth about $80.8 billion in 2023 alone. More than 15,000 people worked there and the loss indirectly affects at least 139,000 people. This isn’t just an accident, it’s a social and financial catastrophe.
Insurance is designed to step in under circumstances like this, but it’s going to be a long and complicated job involving reinsurers as well as insurers, and there’s a multitude of policies to claim on. The cargo insurance claim procedure alone will take time and expertise. The legal expenses will probably be sky high. The bridge will have to be repaired.
The latest news, as we write, involves a third temporary channel being opened in the Port to help the traffic flow around the collapsed bridge, created by a Unified Command consisting of the US Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, and various State agencies. The Baltimore Mayor and city council want to sue the people behind the crashed Dali ship, saying they’re fully liable for the collapse. They filed a legal claim on Monday 22nd April. The claim apparently says the Dali left port despite ‘indications’ of an inconsistent power supply. Earlier in April Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine filed a petition in federal court asking for a $43.6 million limit on potential liability payouts.
64 years ago there was a similar accident on the UK’s River Severn, whose huge estuary takes shipping into Bristol, one of the world’s most challenging port routes to navigate. On 25th October 1960 two tanker barges collided in heavy fog near to Sharpness, lost control in the strong tide, and crashed into the Severn Railway Bridge. It partly collapsed and the two boats, one carrying petrol and the other oil, caught fire. One exploded. Five people were killed. It’s interesting to see new research showing the dangerous current could have caused the disaster, along with one of the captains whose handling of his vessel was described as ‘inept’. And it’s fascinating that the accident is still being talked about so many years later.
Dodgy dog danger
Dogs are our best furry friends but they can be lethal. In the USA dog bite insurance claims soared to over a billion dollars in 2023, a shocking $1.1 billion paid out over 19,062 claims, 8% more than 2022 and 110% more than ten years ago. The average claim paid was $58,545.
New and dangerous dog breeds are causing problems the world over. The Pit Bull, Chow Chow, Dogo Argentino and Akita breeds are all known for their aggression and bite power, and there are many more. The Pit Bull, for example, caused 66% of all US dog related deaths from 2005 to 2017, killing 284 people. Dog attacks are rising in India, and China’s already-strict rules on dog ownership have become stricter after attacks on toddlers. Experts say a lack of doggie socialisation from an early age, defending territory and natural instincts are mainly to blame.
While dog attacks are often covered by pet insurance, the insurer might take legal action against the owner of the dog that attacked you or your dog. Whether you own a dog or not, it’s wise to familiarise yourself with the signs a dog might attack, so you’ll know when to make a quick escape before things get nasty.
Tesla toddler terror
American woman Mallory Harcourt was delighted with her brand new car, a Tesla Model X that, in 2018, was being billed as one of the safest SUVs on the market. Then her two-year-old son climbed in and started the car, it lurched forwards, and it hit her. She was eight and a half months pregnant and the accident left her with a broken pelvis and an extremely painful birth. Five years later she’s still suffering.
The accident has resulted in a civil negligence court case and the jury is being asked to decide if Tesla is to blame for the crash. Tesla says the mom was to blame and the car’s design saved her life. If they’re found liable they’ll have to pay significant damages. It’s looking likely the courts will rule in Mallory Harcourt’s favour, since nobody would expect a two year old to be able to start a car that’s set in parking mode with the brake on. But he managed to shift the car out of Park and into Drive, and move the car all by himself.
Elsewhere in the world, children as young as eight have been caught driving. In the UK, for example, the youngest person prosecuted in 2021 was an 11 year old boy. In 2018 and 2019 ten eight year old boys were caught driving, along with five eight year old girls caught in 2019.
So many things in life have insurance implications. We’re official agents for a respected marine insurance company but we also insure all sorts of other things, from your business to your home, vehicles and more. Contact us for insurance to cover every eventuality, sourced professionally at a great price.
Sources
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/baltimore-files-legal-claim-against-owner-and-operator-of-cargo-ship-that-rammed-bridge/ar-AA1nuB2H
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/gloucestershire/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_9107000/9107528.stm
https://thesmartcanine.com/most-dangerous-dogs/
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-27/china-cracks-down-on-dogs-after-child-mauled/103021492
https://www.petplan.co.uk/pet-information/blog/dealing-with-dog-attacks-what-you-should-do-and-how-third-party-dog-insurance-can-help/
https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2024/04/12/toddler-was-able-to-start-defective-tesla-and-crashed-into-pregnant-mom-us-lawsuit-says
https://www.selectcarleasing.co.uk/news/article/underage-drivers-uk-roads
https://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/woman-sues-tesla-toddler-starts-130438844.html