Nanomaterials are commonly used in many industrial and consumer products. Aside from their beneficial properties, certain nanomaterials can also pose substantial risks to human health and the environment. Nanomaterials are implicitly covered in insurance policies. Liability insurers should therefore check their portfolios and investigate whether and what kind of nano-related risks are covered in their policies. 

At the same time, insurers must stay abreast of new scientific data about potential risks of specific nanomaterials and regulatory developments, which must be followed continuously. Unexpected losses in liability lines of business could be avoided, if appropriate underwriting options are developed timely. 

Increasing Nano Product Sales  
From self-cleaning windows and scratch-resistant colors and lacquers, to transparent sunscreens, antimicrobial plastering, packaging materials and textiles, an array of nano products are available. There are a fast-growing number of industry and consumer products which contain nanomaterials (NM). According to the European Commission, “nanomaterial” refers to a natural, incidental or manufactured material containing particles, in an unbound state or as an aggregate or as an agglomerate and where, for 50 percent or more of the particles in the number size distribution, one or more external dimensions is in the size range of 1-100 nm (1 nm = 10-9 m).” Compared to corresponding bulk materials, nanomaterials often show new physical and chemical properties. Therefore they are often used in nanotechnologically improved products and applications.