The impact of the credit crunch on insurance claims and recent developments in the wake of the Madoff Ponzi scheme fraud will be among some of the key talking points at an insurance seminar held at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute today.

The 7th annual 'Hot Topics Seminar for the Bermuda Insurance Market', which is being run by law firm Sedgwick and starts at 1 p.m., will feature six speakers covering everything from property, energy and general liability to arbitrations and professional lines.

The property and energy segment will be presented by two lawyers from Sedgwick's Texas offices. Mark Tillman, from Sedgwick Dallas, will focus on important lessons from property claims arising from major catastrophes such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. Julia Adams, from Sedgwick Houston, will look at coverage issues affecting the burgeoning energy insurance sector.

Larry Klein, of Sedgwick New York, will discuss difficult coverage issues common to Bermuda's excess insurance market, including the interplay between primary and excess policies.

The arbitration segment - presented by Richard Geddes, of Sedgwick Chicago, and Jolyon Patten, of Sedgwick London, - will focus on English and US arbitration decisions, addressing the overlapping, and sometimes competing, powers of arbitral tribunals and judges - of particular importance for industry professionals with most policies issued in Bermuda containing London or Bermuda arbitration clauses.

Jennifer Broda, of Sedgwick Chicago, will then address the recent rise in employment practices claims and provide insights on key trends that insurers can expect to encounter in the future. Eric Scheiner, also of Sedgwick Chicago, will discuss the impact of the credit crunch on insurance claims and will review developments since the exposure of Madoff's Ponzi scheme fraud last December.

Sedgwick has offices in the US, Europe and Bermuda and provides legal services to the insurance industry, specialising in resolving complex and high value claims affecting the re/insurance sector.

This year's seminar is now fully subscribed, but for more information contact Mark Chudleigh at mark.chudleigh@sdma.com">mark.chudleigh@sdma.com