Tony Ondrusek, Publisher

Health insurance, travel insurance, business interruption coverage, even workers comp: Could these be affected by a widespread outbreak of swine flu?

While the outbreak of swine flu has reached an epidemic (and thankfully not a pandemic) stage, everyone should at least be knowledgeable about how it could affect the U.S.

Several local schools in my area are closing because of the outbreak, and state agencies are preparing in th event of a widespread outbreak among state workers.

While the sickness is relatively mild and lethal only to the vulnerable or those with pre-existing conditions, at least one expert says that insurance agents should be prepared for concerns from their policyholders. Read his comments in this story posted at IFAwebnews.com.

In addition, the CPCU Society has scheduled a ‘webninar’ to address what should be done from a human resources perspective if it does turn into a pandemic, meaning that from 25-75 percent of the world’s workforce could be absent. What does that mean for business, the supply chain, and the insurance industry’s responsibilities? To read more or register for the May 7 online event, click here.