| Unit name | Insurance Law |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWDM0156 |
| Credit points | 30 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Miss. Kate Bracegirdle |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None. |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None. |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None. |
| School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
Insurance is a backdrop to many of the domestic and commercial situations in which we find ourselves, from the compulsory liability insurance of a driver who crashes into us or the employer who does not keep us safe at work to insurance on our homes, factories, offices and shops. We insure goods in transit, loans and even our lives. In this unit we focus on the law of insurance in a commercial context, although many of the principles and rules we study apply more widely. Insurance is one of the largest global industries, which presents opportunities for lawyers with specialist knowledge and skills. This unit will allow you to gain a sound understanding of the key principles of insurance contract law, learn about and practise applying the technical legal rules, as well as introduce you to some of the relevant regulatory mechanisms.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This is an optional unit which fits comfortably within several of the LLM programmes. Due to the focus primarily on insurance in a commercial context, this unit would be of particular interest to students who enjoy commercial and/or corporate law. As insurance can also be used as a form of investment, and insurance companies play an important role in the financial markets, the unit may also interest students studying finance law. In addition, studying this unit opens up opportunities to write a dissertation on a contemporary research question of practical commercial importance.
An overview of content
Topics studied on the unit include: what it means to say that an insurance contract is one of utmost good faith and how the related duties have been changed by recent law reform; the operation of distinctive contractual terms in insurance; determination of whether a loss was legally caused by an insured risk; the response to fraudulent claims and the role of insurance brokers and the duties they owe to their clients.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
Students will acquire knowledge and understanding of a dynamic legal specialism which plays an essential role in underpinning domestic and international commercial activity. You will develop new skills for legal practice by participating in realistic transaction scenarios, learning how legal doctrines and statutory provisions apply in practice. You will also enhance your key skills of communication and critical analysis by analysing complex fact situations and applying the relevant law to provide precise, nuanced advice.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the unit, a successful student will be able to:
The unit will be taught by means of 2 hour lectures, other large group sessions and 2 hour seminars. These activities will typically take place on campus.
You will be directed to the study materials you will need, which may comprise narrated videos, extracts from academic textbooks, case law and academic articles. This preparation is self-directed.
Seminar teaching is based around discussion and critical analysis of the study materials, with students engaging in practical transaction-based exercises in which you will apply your analyses of the law and your understanding of wider commercial considerations. This method of learning is particularly suited to the subject of this unit and will allow you the opportunity to develop both your knowledge and skills in a realistic context.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Your seminars will engage with both the substantive content and the skills required to analyse problem scenarios and provide advice. You will be asked to prepare and discuss answers to questions similar in style and content to those in the summative assessment. You will have immediate feedback through peer discussion and oral feedback from academic staff.
A formative assessment will take place midway through the unit which will be based on prior seminar work and which will enable you to practise the skills required for the summative assessment (600 words). Each submission will receive individual written feedback, alongside cohort feedback (the latter typically during a lecture).
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
The unit will be assessed by means of a summative assessment at the end of Teaching Block 1. The assessment will comprise a coursework (4,000 words), which will require completion of one answer, in the form of an extended letter of advice based on a choice of two realistic problem scenarios. This assessment will cover all Intended Learning Outcomes for this unit.
When assessment does not go to plan:
When a student fails the unit and is eligible to resubmit, the unit will be reassessed on a like-for-like basis with new assessment questions.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. LAWDM0156).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
