When an industry claims that its operations are ‘safe’, it is often useful to know how the insurance industry assesses the risks of accidents and damage. For example, despite the stance of climate change deniers, insurance companies are being asked how they are planning for a very likely increase in extreme weather events due to climate change. In the case of shale gas drilling, on July 12 Nationwide Mutual became the first company to announce that it will not cover damages from shale gas drilling in Ohio. As pointed out by reporter Eric Schwartzel, other states require that insurance be secured before any dirt is moved for a rig, but such Pennsylvania does not require such protection.