High Times in the Early Stages of a New Industry

Liability and legal marijuana products Washington state recently passed a law legalizing the possession and sale of recreational and medicinal marijuana. Residents over the age of 21 may possess up to an ounce of pot, one pound of a solid…

Product Liability Insurance 101

Understanding the basics of a Product Liability Insurance policy Product Liability Insurance coverage protects manufacturers, distributors, importers, retailers, etc. if a product results in bodily injury or property damage. It can be purchased as part of a General Liability policy or…

Sociological Impact of 3D Printing

Is an open-source file and 3D printing free-for-all ahead? I have a fascination with technology, particularly nano technology and the growth of 3D printing.  I am especially intrigued from a sociological standpoint. What impact will these new technologies have on our future…

Is Cadmium as serious as Lead?

Children are most likely to be at risk Cadmium is a carcinogen known for causing lung, breast and kidney cancers.  However, because of its recent discovery in consumer products, only scant research results exist to help determine the long-term health effects in…

Advances in 3D bioprinters

Progress in medical technology mean better quality of life   “Hey, Doc, I need a tune-up.” This may be a common request doctors receive from athletes and arthritic patients in the near future. What is a 3D bioprinter? 3D bioprinters…

“How much coverage do I need? I’m just a distributor”

How the products you distribute define you “I’m just a distributor. I shouldn’t have to pay much for my insurance.”  Not so fast! You’re probably much more than a distributor. To find out, take this quiz: Do you import your…

Product Liability Risk For Engineers, Inventors and Licensors

The last step in selling your product Sadler is an insurance agency that specializes in helping start-up businesses with their Product Liability insurance needs. We speak to numerous of inventors and engineering firms. Most think their primary goal is to…

3D Printers and Foreseeable Misuse

A college student, a 3D printer and a gun A law student came up with the kind of idea I was referring to in my March, 2011, blog post “3D Printers Will Change the World as We Know It.” Cody…

Inspections Reveal Serious Problems in Dietary Supplement Industry

Basic manufacturing standards not being met My post “Retailers Will Pump You Up with Undeclared Steroids”  referenced a 2009 study claiming 25% of all supplements on the market contain undeclared substances. Unfortunately for the dietary supplement industry, I believe the…

How will surge in product recalls impact small businesses?

Recall-weary consumers ignoring recall notices increases liability risks In 2011, there an average of 6.5 recalls a day.  This is a 42.5 percent increase in recalls from 2007. U.S. regulators, manufacturers, distributors and product liability insurance carriers are concerned the recall-weary public are tuning them…