Rank: Forum user 
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What are liability audits and what are you looking for when you conduct the audit
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Rank: Super forum user
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The only liability audit I have ever heard of is in relation to a companies insurance policy.
I believe it is when an insurance company audits a companies financial records to determine if the policy they have accurately represents the level of their exposure to liability.
Could be wrong though.
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Rank: Super forum user
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As described in the previous post, insurance companies or their representatives may carry out a 'defence liability survey' to see to what extent the insured may be in a position to defend a civil claim.
Common elements that are audited are;
previous claim history, accident record, the ability to investigate accidents, near miss data, return to work programs, risk assessment and a check to see if staff have been informed of the assessment findings, safe systems of work, health and safety training to staff, supervision levels etc...
I tend to find that these audits are concerned with the defence of a civil claim and not necessity being compliant with the law, or how effective your safety management system is.
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Rank: Super forum user
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this can be done for H&S areas as a stand alone area although insurance has the term these days
ID what you have - ID what U should have - then close any gaps. And then evaluate each item as to your liability for each subject e.g. if one subject is managed to best practice your liability risk of failure is well managed as you are complying with the law and vice versa where subjects are poorly managed as the liability is there but liability risk is high
Generally people [employers, managers etc.] do not think of H&S in the same way as insurance but they should do as well managed H&S automatically allows for well managed insurance situations but that said I have yet to see premiums referencing H&S drop whereas I have seen premiums drop for well managed environmental areas
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Rank: Super forum user
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I do liability surveys for a large insurer. My actual job title is Casualty Surveyor but this is to distinguish the role from a insurance property surveyors who consider fire, flood, security and business interruption.
We carry out audits on policyholders but do not call them audits. Survey is a bit more customer friendly.
We look at compliance with legal obligations, scope of operations, safety culture, accident investigation procedures, emergency procedures, asbestos, legionella, fire safety and so on. A report is produced for the underwriter to give them a greater understanding of what they are insuring and how they perform in terms of H&S management.
An insurers liability is the claims made against the policyholders and my job should help the underwriter to select and manage the risks (policyholders) that, through sound management, should produce a lower number of claims. An insurer will wish to retain good business and so premiums may well reduce. Poor risks will be either cancelled mid term or at renewal, or an improvement programme will be agreed to bring the risk to an acceptable standard.
In the wider scale, you can view a liability as anything that will or might cost your organisation money. You will consider the risks of such a liability and either accept the risk, transfer the risk (by purchasing insurance usually) or avoid the risk, e.g. choosing not to enter a risky venture. All comes under the heading of Risk Management. Look up AIRMIC for some more info.
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