Buncefield claimants may be forced to wait until 2008 to be fully compen-sated, experts have predicted.
Insurance Times has learned that Hertfordshire Oil Storage (HOSL), the joint venture between oil companies Total and Texaco, which controlled the depot, has been reluctant to "fully engage" in negotiations over cash settlements for both private and commercial companies.
It will be forced into court in May 2007 in an attempt to establish the extent of the oil company's liability in the explosion, which occurred a year ago.
"It is fair to say their [HOSL] approach has been one point of frustration," said Norwich Union property claims manager, Paul Redington.
"They haven't been forthcoming, the process is slow and frustrating. It is difficult to see why there are denying liability when they owned a site full of volatile substances and those substances caused the damage."
Andrew King, head of claims practice for Marsh said: "We are now a year on and we have had some engagement from HOSL but they are careful not to get too involved."
He warned that it could up to another year for liability to be settled. He speculated that HOSL would be forced into a position where it has to pay claims without prejudice ahead of its court case.
