South Africa is getting ready for the football World Cup next summer, when the eyes of the world will be upon it, and the football fans of the world will be descending on the country. An estimated 10 million people will visit South Africa in 2010, which has prompted insurance company AIG South Africa to warn that tourist companies in South Africa will become targets for personal injury claims.
Elton Julies of AIG stated:
Not only are we expecting the promulgation of the Consumer Protection Bill this year, which introduces strict liability for suppliers, but people are coming from countries where litigation is far more common.
He added that companies in South Africa need to ensure they have adequate insurance against personal injury claims, such as public liability insurance. He added that personal injury claims in the US range from $7,000 to $25,000 in value for direct costs, with the amounts rising by up to five times when court costs are taken into account.
Most of the personal injury claims in South Africa in the retail sector were for slip and trips, around 40%.
2010 is a huge opportunity to showcase South Africa… but there is a big reputational risk for our hospitality and retail industries, and for the country as a whole, if we do not ensure the safety of our visitors.
