Car insurance is completely different. The general liability policies are cheaper because people and companies almost always have other insurance policies that cover the more common claims.

You know, auto liability insurance for when you crash into someone's house, or homeowner's insurance for when someone slips and falls on your icy sidewalk, that sort of thing.

This is why it's best to actually speak to people about theoretical problems rather than going off in a forum about it.

I don't like it much, but I can understand Nokia's lawyer's concerns. If you manage to slip some malware into the store, they don't want Nokia to be the ones on the hook for the damages when you don't carry liability insurance to make it right.

I think a coop would be a great idea. The vetting process might be annoying, though. You can't just let any geek off the street in, or you end up footing the bill for someone else's misdeeds. A referral system would be required, as would monthly or yearly dues, legal agreements, and god only knows what else.