SCHAUMBURG, Ill., May 10, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Recent court rulings have shown that businesses can be found "vicariously liable" for accidents occurring when employees drive distracted, said Zurich, one of the largest property and casualty insurance providers globally and in North America.
To help businesses better understand these risks and how such exposures might be mitigated, Zurich will host the webinar "Distracted driving: How much can a call or text really cost your organization?" on Tuesday, May 11 at 11:00 a.m. EDT and on Wednesday, May 12 at 10:00 a.m. EDT.
"Businesses may not be aware that if their employees conduct business while operating automobiles, machinery, or other vehicles or vessels, liability for a resulting accident can--and has--been placed on the shoulders of the company," said Armand Fernandez, Chief Risk Engineering Officer in North America for Zurich Services Corporation. "Zurich believes that the safety of a business's employees should always be the top priority. Financial and reputational repercussions can also be substantial if a business is found vicariously liable in a distracted driving accident." Webinar attendees will learn how to: -- Explain the causes, effects, and costs of distracted driving -- Recognize the liability a company faces from mobile communication device (MCD) usage -- Implement best practices to decrease the risk of distracted driving -- Recognize the importance of creating and implementing strong polices and procedures that discourage MCD use "Helping businesses better protect their employees, customers, and themselves from distracted driving exposure is another example of Zurich HelpPoint," said Fernandez.
Members of the media interested in attending the webinar should contact Brett Wood at 847.605.8826 or brett.wood@zurichna.com. Space is extremely limited, so please RSVP at your earliest convenience.
About Zurich Zurich in North America is a part of Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich), an insurance-based financial services provider with a global network of subsidiaries and offices in North America and Europe as well as in Asia Pacific, Latin America and other markets. Founded in 1872, the Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland and employs approximately 60,000 people serving customers in more than 170 countries, including more than 9,500 employees in North America.
Zurich was the first overseas insurer to enter the U.S. market in 1912.
According to Highline Data LLC (NAIC 2008), Zurich in North America (www.zurichna.com) is the second-largest writer of commercial general liability insurance and the fourth-largest commercial property-casualty insurance company, serving the global corporate, large corporate, middle market, specialties and programs sectors. Zurich's risk engineering services in the United States are provided by Zurich Services Corporation.
SOURCE: Zurich CONTACT: Media contact: Brett McKenzie Wood Zurich (847) 605-8826 brett.wood@zurichna.com Copyright Business Wire 2010 -0- KEYWORD: United States
North America
Illinois INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Automotive
Professional Services
Consulting
Insurance
Other Professional Services
General Automotive SUBJECT CODE: Webcast