Over the past few years, several new and different exposures have developed that have unique or unusual insurance needs. Coverages for some of these have been developed over time. For some, exclusions have been created for use until the risk becomes better quantifiable, while other emerging risks are still developing, so coverage needs are not yet clear.

Cannabis legalization

Marijuana was first legalized in a few states for medicinal purposes for certain illnesses. Many states followed, and by 2016, states were beginning to legalize it for recreational use. This raised a host of issues; many employers had restrictions against the use of drugs while working, and patients using marijuana could test positive for weeks afterwards even though they hadn't used the product during working hours. Workers' compensation, product liability, general liability, and even homeowners coverages could all be affected. Since marijuana is still federally illegal, this creates significant complications to the marijuana industry as a whole.