As of 1 March 2026, Wim Weterings has been appointed as Endowed Professor of Business & Insurance Law at Erasmus School of Law. This chair, in the Department of Law & Business provides the possibility to research the way in which the interaction between businesses and insurance law can contribute to both innovative and responsible business practices.
Weterings is an expert in the field of corporate liability and insurance law. He studied Dutch Law at the Katholieke Universiteit Brabant and obtained his doctorate in 2004 with his dissertation titled: Transaction costs in liability law. With his extensive experience as a lecturer, researcher and lawyer in the field of (international) corporate liability law and his current role as solicitor-cousil at Nysingh Adcovaten & Notarissen, Weterings is well positioned in both science and practice. This enables him to identify relevant developments in practice, incorporate them into education and research, and thus contribute to a strong connection between science and practice.
Risks: to avoid or insure?
In our modern society, companies and their directors are exposed to many different liability and damage risks. This is increasing now that risks such as cyber and climate risks, which were not previously considered, are also coming into play. Few companies have the financial resources to take on major risks entirely. At the same time, it is important for companies to be able to take risks, invest and formulate policy without jeopardising the future of the company. This seemingly contradictory process can take place by having these risks and their consequences (partly) covered by business insurance.
In practice, this means that business insurance policies have a major impact on the behaviour of companies and their directors and play an indispensable (economic) role in risk management in businesses. In addition, they can also fulfil an important preventive function by encouraging companies and directors to take measures to limit these risks of damage and thus prevent damage-causing behaviour.
Insurance as a tool for both innovative as responsible business practice
The new risk areas and modern expectations placed on companies now, more than ever, require a robust and integrated legal basis within which companies can act in an economically progressive and socially responsible manner. Weterings research and education will be aimed at the interplay between business- and insurance law. From a multidisciplinary and international perspective Weterings will research in which way and under what conditions business insurance can not only contribute to successful business operations, but how insurers can also offer protection without shifting risk and thereby reducing responsibility. Climate, ESG and cyber risks, among other things, play a role in his research and education.
Weterings reacts to his appointment: “Insuring large business risks raises interesting and specific questions about their impact on companies (and their directors) after a loss event, but certainly also before. That deserves attention in both research and education, I'm looking forward to be able to focus on that”.
Where Law Meets Business
Weterings multidisciplinary, international and practice oriented perspective on the interplay between companies and business insurance fits seamlessly with Erasmus School of Law’s motto: Were Law Meets Business. In this regard, the development of law is always considered from its social and economic context. Therefore, the chair is also perfectly in line with the EUR 2030 strategy and the research programme Law & Sustainable Business, in which sustainable business practice is an important focus.
The Board of Erasmus School of Law congratulates Weterings on his appointment and wishes him all the best with his activities.
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This chair is made possible in part by Stichting Assurantiebeurs Amsterdam (SAA).
