What do life sciences companies worry about most when it comes to losses for which there is some kind of liability? A new survey of execs from BIO and the Medical Device Manufacturers Association finds that over the past three years, 46 percent experienced a loss due to product injuries to third parties, followed by 32 percent that suffered ingredients spoiled due to temperature changes and 25 percent cited employment practices.

And so if the past is prologue, it’s not surprising that 64 percent of the execs surveyed by the Chubb Group of Insurance, which is trying to drum up business, believe third-party injuries remain a major concern. And 67 percent worry about employment practices liability, while 74 percent fret over spoilage or a change in temperature to perishable items. And 58 percent cite loss of income due to property loss at a key supplier, reflecting the fact that one in four import chemicals or raw materials.

Meanwhile, the top threats cited - 42 percent named intellectual property theft; 41 percent pointed to supply chain failures; 38 percent worry over government regulation and investigations; 37 percent are concerned about credit; 31 percent identified political instability (see this about Greece as just one example), and 30 percent listed product recalls, tampering and lawsuits.