Though war exclusions are technically nothing new for insurance carriers, they do have ominous implications for what is soon expected.
In the spring of 1937 when German bombs fell on Guernica, Spain, flattening 70 percent of the town's buildings in less than three hours, property insurers were completely unprepared because they were not expecting such a thing to happen.
"They soon realized it wouldn't take many Guernicas to wipe out the balance sheets," CFC says. "They responded by adding exclusions to policies for acts of war – a move reflected in contracts to this day."
"This time the concern is cyber war – specifically, attacks so catastrophic that they cripple a nation’s ability to function," CFC says. "Lloyd's of London have mandated the exclusion of such scenarios from March 31st of this year. Some in the market are resisting the move."