Lebanese insurance companies these days marvel that theyhave fared better than feared in the past 18 months, butknow that nearly a year of economic paralysis has not passedthem by. The woes range from corporate clients that reduceor renegotiate their policies to individuals who stop payingtheir premiums because they are leaving the country. Thisbrain drain of the best talent is also affecting insurancecompanies directly, putting strain on their human resources. Sector results for 2006 were respectable because the firsthalf of last year was a bumper period and the optimistictime immediately after Israel’s summer war against Lebanonalso brought good business for insurers. With the recentseries of bomb attacks against commercial areas aroundBeirut, demand for war and terrorism covers has kept thephones ringing — although many companies looking for theprotection quickly drop their inquiries as soon as the firstshock from a bomb wears off and, more importantly, when thehigh costs for those special
