Liability law is rapidly changing in quite a number of countries. This is due to various
factors which are interrelated to a large extent: changing case law and legislation as well as
increased and still increasing technical and medical knowledge. As a result various
occupational diseases can for example be attributed to working conditions or personal injury
to specific products. From the very moment that causation can be proven the question arises of
whether or not liability can be established with far-reaching economic consequences for all
parties involved. The rise of phenomena such as mass torts multiple causation joint and
several liability or various heads of damages (like ecological damage and several diseases and
affections) rapidly increases the interest in tort law. In the context of the interrelation
between liability and insurance attention must be paid to the question of whether certain
liabilities are still coverable or not and if they are to what amounts. (The question of
jurisdictions is of growing importance as is the question of whether a specific liability can
be covered by insurance. In this context one should bear in mind that the affordability of
tort law also requires safe and sound insurers. The recent past has shown that there is a limit
to their financial stability.)
