Business insurance broker threatens to pull the plug...
 

A close friend of ours who runs an adult/fetish retail store in the local area contacted us to ask that we take down the links page on her website (we designed and maintain her site for her) - after she'd been contacted by her insurance people who threatened to cancel her policy on the store.

They cited the links page on the website for their concern - calling it "too risky." All she has links for are a few adult sites, some escort services, and a couple of adult photographers (ourselves included). All links are for adult services/products fully legal in Canada.

So rather than risk losing her insurance coverage, she's being forced to remove the links page entirely.

What discriminatory bullshit is this?



See anything that justifies this attitude from the insurance dicks?


http://www.sassiniagara.com/link.htm

I believe that's called the right to refuse service to anyone.

Just as soon as pornographers become a protected minority, we'll be covered by discimination laws! :winkwink:

like everyone else in the financial sector, insurance companies are trying to lower their risks..

insurers look at liability risks in terms of potential lawsuits among other things...

you are also going to see insurance companies start dropping auto insurance policies on people that may only have 1 ticket and people that have more than 1 homeowner claim in last year or two..

welcome to worldwide financial crisis...

Maybe you could look at it from an extreme view and the insurance company thinks is someone visits that site, clicks one of those links and has something bad happen from one of those services offered there (as an example say they go to an escort and she shoots and robs them) they may then come back and file a suit against this site and their company trying to argue that linking to them is like recommending them and so they just recommend them to someone who hurt them.

That might be a little far fetched, but a jury did give a woman that poured hot coffee on herself a million dollars.

Not so far-fetched.

That's fairly much how she told me they explained it to her over the phone.

So following that principle - technically any business with a public corkboard on the wall where people can pin their business cards would fall under the same perceived 'liability' excuse.

Any way its sliced - it still sounds to me like some prudish, anal-retent, Victorian-minded asshole at the insurance company has a beef with aspects of the adult industry.

Yep. If their argument is that a links page is a liability you are correct any store with a corkboard is a liability. You are also probably right in that they just have a thing against adult sites/businesses and are looking for reasons to get out of the relationship.

Sounds to me like a lawsuit is in order and there is alot of money to be made.

If these people you know work right they can be wealthy for the rest of thier lives without having the store at all.

if insurance law in canada is similar to insurance law in the US, then there is no lawsuit. an insurer can cancel you at will with 30 day notice..

the only stipulation is they have to payout any current claims..

You're fucking ridiculous. You just say stupid shit when you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

Pornographers are not a protected group in Canada. In the United states either, but since SK is in Canada let's go ahead and assume that so is his friend.

You can't force someone to do business with you if they don't like you. I can't discrimiate against you based on race, religion, disability, etc etc. I can however say I don't like what you do, don't like you and don't want to do business with you.

I dunno, if they had a contract in place already and agreements made... WHich was what SK said.
The insurance company chose to do business with them.

So pulling insurance over a website with a couple links on it being deemed to "Risky"... I would say good enough for the courts to decide on discrimination. Define "Risky" and in what capacity does the Insurance company have a problem with?

I am no expert on Insurance let alone Canadian Insurance but here in the states there might be some recourse for the insured. I do not see why not.

i dont know about canada, but i know i most US states, it says in the contract that the insurer has the right to cancel with 30 day notice..

in fact, the insured has the right to cancel at anytime as well...

Yes but concerning buidlings and business places in the states insurance is not just a service it is a requirement for a business. State law requires it and therefore an insurance company must accomodate the requirements ( for a price that is ).

So I dunno about all this shit really just the basics. I would tell SK have those clients contact an attorney to see if what is happening is legal. Doesnt seem right for an insurance company to break a contract for a location when regarding a website on the internet that is not a physical place of business.

Here in the US even the legal brothel's are required to carry insurance and insurance companies are obligated to service them, same with strip clubs, casino's and everything else that goes with adult life styles...

Comply and collaborate .


Otherwise, they will cancel you. Once cancelled, the only available insurance will be " high risk " and will cost like 5 to 10 times as much... with specialized insurers.

Been there ...

The rest of your post is just fluff.

lowering risks means lowering revenues..lol

genius

something to do with AIG?

That sucks... but at least she gets to keep the insurance.

Why do you even waste your time with him?

You know, when you're right you're right. What can I say? Momentary lapse of judgement.

I appreciate all the input from everyone.

I'll suggest to her she might want to run the issue by her attorney just for some basic advice. Whether she has a case worth pursuing I'd leave to the lawyer to ascertain.

Insurance companies have deep pockets to fund legal defenses and its unlikely she could financially sustain any sort of legal attack anyway.

If I were her, I'd be tempted to contact Consumer and Corporate Affairs and talk with someone in that gov't department. They may also have some useful advice to offer.

I brought this to GFY hoping someone else had encountered a similiar situation and to hear how they handled it.

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:thumbsup