The WTBTS has had insurance that possibly includes cover for Child Abuse since 1984

by Listener 5 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  Listener

  This is in a statement made by the Australian Branch Committee member O'Brien, the insurance is held by the WTBTS Pennsylvania. No doubt the cost of that insurance would be astronomical the more claims they are making against it but it would greatly influence the way they deal with Court cases and potential Court cases, including settlement. If they are covered for these claims then their concerns would be more about publicity than the amounts awarded or paid to the victim.

  Although O'Brien states that the cover could possibly include any Australian claims he would not have said so or even thought there was a need to reveal the information if the organization hadn't already made claims under their insurance.

  The following is in O'Briens Statement to the Royal Commission

  I have made further inquiries with the

  Legal Department of the World Headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses in New York since this is

  not information which could be supplied by any member of the Governing Body. I have been

  informed that although Watch Tower Pennsylvania has never had a claim for compensation

  arising from an allegation of child sexual abuse in Australia, it possibly had liability insurance

  coverage for such claims for the following years. The policies which may be relevant for the

  those years are set out below:

  Dates Insurance Company Policy Number

  01.01.1984 - 01.01.1987 Insurance Company of North America 45HF 6670

  01.01.1991- 01.01.1992 Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania 80-213218

  (ICSP)

  01.01.1992 - 01.01.1993 ICSP 80-213297

  01.01.1993 - 01.01.1994 ICSP 80-213297

  01.01.1995 - 01.01.1996 ICSP 80-213297

  01.01.1996- 01.01.1997 Royal Indemnity Company (RIC) RIW 664751

  01.10.1997 - 01.10.1998 RIC RIW 664751

  01.10.1998 - 01.10.1999 RIC RIW 664751

  01.10.1999 - 01.10.2000 ICSP 80-0264446

  01.10.2000 - 01.10.2001 ICSP 80-0265738

  STAT.0592.002.0002

  Statement in the matter of Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of Australia

  Second Statement of Terrence John O'Brien Page 3 of 5

  Dates Insurance Company Policy Number

  01.10.2002 - 01.10.2003 ICSP 80-0266080

  01.10.2003 - 01.10.2004 ICSP 80-0266080

  01.11.2007 - 01.11.2008 ICSP 80-0268549

  01.11.2008 - 01.11.2009 American Insurance Company (ACE) CXCD 37029749

  01.11.2009 - 01.11.2010 ACE CXCD 37030600

  01.11.2010 - 01.11.2011 ACE CXCD 37031367

  01.11.2011- 01.11.2012 ACE CXCD 37032116

  01.11.2012 - 01.11.2013 ACE CXCD 37032761

  01.11.2013 - 01.11.2014 ACE CXCD 37033297

  01.11.2014 - 01.11.2015 ACE CXCD 37033996 001
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  Splash

  I wonder if those contracts and policies were dependent upon the WT giving a full and free disclosure of the risks being insured against, and the known cases at each time the policies were negotiated.

  I would not be surprised if the insurance companies were deceived by withholding information, and can find clauses to exempt themselves if need be.
• 

  Listener

  This was also in the statement from O'Brien

  <<No information relating to the incidence or prevalence of child sexual abuse in Australia,

  including statistical information, is provided by either Watchtower Australia or the Branch

  Office of Jehovah's Witnesses in Australia (Branch Office), which is located in Sydney, to the

  Governing Body, Watch Tower Pennsylvania, or to any other entity outside Australia.>>

  If Australia hasn't reported anything to 'entitles outside of Australia' and this would include Insurance Companies then it would indicate that this information isn't required by the Insurance Company. It is likely that the Insurance Company would base their premiums on 'Industry Norms' and claims already made by the Policy Holder..
• 

  OrphanCrow

  Listener: This is in a statement made by the Australian Branch Committee member O'Brien, the insurance is held by the WTBTS Pennsylvania. No doubt the cost of that insurance would be astronomical the more claims they are making against it but it would greatly influence the way they deal with Court cases and potential Court cases, including settlement. If they are covered for these claims then their concerns would be more about publicity than the amounts awarded or paid to the victim.
  Although O'Brien states that the cover could possibly include any Australian claims he would not have said so or even thought there was a need to reveal the information if the organization hadn't already made claims under their insurance.

  I didn't think that the Australian Branch carried liability insurance for the directors. Maybe I am reading their financial statement wrong. This is what was submitted to the Royal Commission:

  INDEMNITIES AND INSURANCE
  Under the entity's Attic/es of Assodation, Watchtower Bible & Tract Sociery ofAustralia (the "Company") is
  required to indemnify, to the extent permitted by Law, each Officer of the entity against
  • liability to third parties arising out of conduct undertaken in his capacity as an Officer of
  the entity, unless the liability arises out of conduct involving a lack of good faith, willful
  misconduct or reckless behavior; and
  • the costs and expenses of successfully defending legal proceedings arising out of conduct
  undertaken in his capacity as an Officer of the Company.

  
  The Company has not, during or since the end of the financial year, in respect of any person who is or
  has been an officer or auditor of the Company:
  • indemnified, or made any relevant agreement for indemnifying, against a liability that was
  incurred by an officer of the Company, including costs and expenses in defending legal
  proceedings; or
  • paid, or agreed to pay, a premium in respect of a contract insuring against a liability
  incurred by an officer of the Company, for the costs and expenses in defending legal
  proceedings.

  The financial statement says that each director carries $100 in personal liability.

  That doesn't seem like very much. And, the statement says nothing about insurance carried by the parent organization in New York.

  I also don't believe O'brien when he says that no records or stats on child abuse were sent up the line. That would go against everything we know about the WTS control and the need to know about everything that happens in the congregations. The WTS brags about their meticulous record keeping - why woud the child abuse numbers not also be reported?

  The WT guys are trying to cover up one lie with another lie with another lie...their house of cards is tumbling.
• 

  Mattieu

  Good points Listener. Though a question about child abuse, not child sexual abuse. And I don't think I've seen this subject come up anywhere : What about a case where a minor who volunteers at an assembly or quick build or even at a kingdom hall cleaning programme is injured in any way. Lets say hypothetically at a district assembly held at a major auditorium where the witnesses have rigged there own platform and stage. In the dismantling of that stage, untrained and unqualified riggers have felled a major beam which has crashed 3 storeys down onto an unsuspecting crowd of volunteers,

  Its missed a group of elders and other volunteers. Yet spliced open the head of a 15 year old volunteer who is also a pioneer. He lays unconscious in the hands of his best friends and is carried to the first aid room where a witness who is a GP puts 7 stitches in his head and sends him home laying down in the back seat of his friends car.

  Strange, the following year at all assemblies there are new safety measures in place by the city overseer Des Zanker. But no care shown to the 15 year old pioneer who suffers migraines and dizzy spells since as "any sympathy shown may be seen as liability in this case"

  Abuse isn't always sexual.
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  Vidiot

  How's that for a weird question to ask...

  ..."Are your 'Abuse Insurance' premiums fully paid up?"