An insurance claim for a Malaysian satellite that ran out of fuel prematurely remains unsettled more than a year after the incident.
Some underwriters are disputing Malaysian satellite operator Measat's $45 million claim to recover losses from Measat-3, an insurance source said, while others have agreed to pay out.
Although many space insurance claims are settled within months -- after a straightforward rocket explosion, for instance -- it can take years following an incident in orbit when the cause of failure is initially unclear.
'We were sitting there saying, hey, is this legit ... how do you just run out of gas?', an underwriter said.
But while that underwriter said Measat and Boeing, Measat-3's manufacturer, were ultimately able to provide analysis showing a valid insurance claim, other underwriters remain unconvinced.
