On 11-Jan-06, at 12:31 PM, David Shaffer wrote:

> Andrew Catton wrote:
>
>>
>> Perhaps, though FWIW, when getting liability insurance in Canada, if
>> you do a high enough percentage of business in the US, the rates go
>> up.. And those insurance types tend to do the math..
>
>
> Wow...I'm afraid if I don't say "Squeak" a couple times here we  
> might be
> considered off-topic.  Squeak Squeak Squeak.
>
> FWIW I pay higher insurance for doing business with customers in
> Malaysia but that has nothing to do with chances litigation.  How  
> about
> you find the basis of that "math" and report back.

Of course, at least part of the "math" is figuring that with the  
perception of the US as it is, they can get away with higher  
premiums, regardless of any underlying statistics.  That said, I  
would be curious to see the numbers myself..

> I have no doubt that
> chances of being sued are higher in the U.S. but that says nothing of
> the chances of being sued friviously.

Well, OK, but I think part of the issue is (at least the perception)  
that in the US less issues are considered frivolous.  One country's  
frivolity is another country's multi-million(billion?)-dollar  
industry :)

I haven't considered the question enough to be willing to say  
anything about which definition works better overall.

> Finally our country has several
> organizations whose sole purpose is tort reform so there is hope.
> Things seem to be getting worse instead of better with U.S.  
> corporations
> getting in on the game.  Same problem everywhere I've been though.
> We're just better at it :-)
>
> Anyway I'm happy to hear that you are well insured since I'm  
> starting to
> feel that this conversation is personally  
> damaging. :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

I've been informed that our premiums have already gone up as a result..

Oh my, I just realized the subject for this thread has "squeak  
license" in it.. I guess I deserve whatever I get..

======================

Andrew Catton
Smallthought Systems Inc.
andrew at smallthought.com