Insurers refuse to cover damaged satellites
Published: 08 Aug 2003 09:05 BST
Insurers won't pay to repair problems threatening XM Satellite Radio's constellation of satellites, XM executives disclosed on Thursday.
XM and several other satellite radio providers use Boeing 702 satellites, which have a well-known problem with solar arrays that supply their power. XM stressed on Thursday that the problems haven't yet affected the company's 700,000 subscribers.
But they have been the source of several financial headaches, including Thursday's disclosure that insurers won't let XM draw from a $400m policy on the satellites, XM chief executive Hugh Panero said on Thursday.
An XM representative did not disclose the insurers' names. According to an XM statement, the insurance companies believe "the satellites are still performing above the insured levels."
"We've said all along this will be a protracted type of process," Panero said during a conference call with analysts. He vowed "litigation if necessary" to resolve the insurance dispute.
XM's insurance problems are not isolated. Other Boeing 702 owners, including first-ever commercial satellite operator PanAmSat, are going through the same insurance hassles, Panero said. A PanAmSat representative could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.
The insurance policy problems were disclosed in a conference call to discuss XM's second-quarter loss of $161.9m (£100m), or $1.38 per share. That compares with a $117.2m loss reported from the same period a year ago.
XM sells a variety of subscriptions, including a $10-a-month plan for unlimited access to 101 radio stations and exclusive musical content.
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