PFAS Liability: The Next Major Event?

They go by a fairly innocuous name: Per-And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, or PFAS. Found in many items from food packaging to firefighting foam, PFAS chemicals have been used for decades.

They even have a (much less innocuous) nickname—"forever chemicals’—so called because they resist breaking down and can persist in an environment for a long time.
Indeed, just how long PFAS lingers in the environment is still an open question.

This persistence has led to a more urgent question—are PFAS dangerous? Growing evidence suggests they may be.

PFAS manufacturers have already paid out more than $1 billion in settlements and damages stemming from related lawsuits.

With more suits on the horizon, it’s worth exploring whether PFAS has the makings of a significant liability event that could affect property/casualty insurers.