Increased Interest in Life Insurance Due to Swine Flu

Apparently life insurance has increased in demand in the US due to the swine flu.

Dr. Steven Weisbart, the author of a 2006 study based on recent epidemics in the US, studies plagues, pandemics and terrorism for the Insurance Information Institute. He has said that the life insurance industry could endure a swine flu surge, even in the remote likelihood of an outbreak comparable to the 1918 Spanish influenza epidemic that killed two million people.

Swine Flu and the World Economy

As if investors didn't have enough to worry about we now have concerns about another flu pandemic - swine flu. This is causing concern in global markets following deaths in Mexico and its spread to various parts of the world.

Global sharemarkets have been nervous by concerns about its economic impact. And the impact on economic and financial markets of the world would be significant. Coming at a time when the global economy is already weakened, pandemic fears have already caused nervousness in sharemarkets making more weakness possible. BUT, following the experience with SARS and bird flu the world is now better prepared for a viral pandemic. The advice from some economists is to be alert, but not alarmed.