In a vital discussion on that which may prove to be a devastating source of loss to many businesses, Mr. Denis Riley draws on years of experience as a Consequential Loss Superintendant. This new edition of Consequential Loss and Insurance Claims, the first for 10 years, has been completely revised to embrace the many significant changes in this field.

The book follows a clear and logical progression from a discourse on the basic principles of measuring consequential loss to claims procedure. Individual chapters deal specifically with points of particular importance: wages insurance; special perils; extended cover for business dependency and the breakdown of plant and machinery. Special attention is given to a misfortune which may often be the Achilles’ heel of a company—the loss of ledgers and other accounting records.

Apologies are made by Mr. Riley for some essential generalisations. As he so rightly says, it is impossible to predict all the effects of a loss or deal with every conceivable industrial and commercial circumstance or accountancy practice. This will in no way, however, prevent the book from being invaluable to all those concerned with this particular sphere of insurance. It is in fact of universal interest due to the similarity between the British system and that employed in many overseas countries. Further, the growing economic integration of Western Europe will demand a greater understanding of British insurance principles in consequential loss matters.

To a newcomer to this specialised field of insurance, the book reveals qualities of readability and clarity. The publishers have excelled themselves in the presentation of Mr. Riley’s work, particularly with regard to the specimen forms and specifications in the appendices. One very small criticism lies in the absence of page numbers which are often helpful for the reader’s own reference in addition to the system of numbered paragraphs.