Remember Larry Silverstein, the New York developer who was leasing the World Trade Centre towers? He wants Swiss Re to pay for the attack/s as though they were two events, which would raise his claim by billions. Swiss Re and other members of its consortium believe – not surprisingly – that it was one event.

Now Swiss Re has told the New York court dealing with the case that, the insurance brokers who negotiated the coverage used a too narrow definition of “occurrence”.

In another WTC-related issue, the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund is trying to deal with the claim of the same-sex partner of Aon broker Eugene Clark. The claimant, Larry Courtney, and Mr Clark had been partners for 14 years. Victims’ spouses are receiving $400 a week under New York’s workers’ compensation system, which provides 66% of the victim’s salary to a surviving spouse.

But New York law does not give legal status to same-sex couples, so they are not recognised under New York worker’s compensation ruling. The matter is attracting media attention in the US, where Mr Courtney is being supported by the gay right group Lamba.