Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to update the Reinsurance (Acts of Terrorism) Act 1993 to enable insurance companies to pay compensation to businesses after terrorism attacks when there is no damage to property.

There is nothing in current legislation in the Reinsurance (Acts of Terrorism) Act 1993 that prevents insurers from offering terrorism insurance beyond property damage to businesses, and indeed such products exist on the market.

That said, I understand the concerns that businesses have raised about terrorism insurance cover for business interruption losses that are not linked to damage to commercial property and want to do everything we can to help. The Treasury remains in discussions with the insurance industry, Pool Re and other interested parties to ensure that the Act continues to enable appropriate terrorism cover to be available for all businesses in the UK.

We are actively exploring options, including legislation, to address this and will confirm our next steps in due course.