A Shooting Occurred at a Client's Company – Quick, What Coverage Applies?

It's the call, text, or email that you hope to never receive. A shooting occurred at a client’s business and they want to know what coverage is available to help – right now. How do you answer? You do not want to shuffle through policy language while your client waits anxiously for a response. You do not want to relay that maybe the Commercial General Liability (CGL), Business Owners Policy (BOP), or Workers’ Compensation policies might offer some coverage but will likely have coverage gaps….

Instead, differentiate yourself by being proactive. Find out what is likely not covered under common policies and offer your clients solutions now. Whether at renewal, initial placement, or after a widely publicized mass shooting, talk to your clients about workplace violence. It is not an easy conversation, but it is valuable for you and your clients to talk about it now rather than wait until something occurs.

Existing Coverage

Traditional business policies such as a BOP, a CGL, a commercial package, and workers’ compensation may offer some coverage if a violent event happens at the workplace. Liability policies may cover third parties, such as guests on the client's premises when an event occurs. Workers’ compensation may offer some benefits to workers who are physically injured by a violent event.

Workplace Violence Specific Coverage

Semsee offers Workplace Violence insurance coverage from Berkley Program Specialists. The focus of workplace violence coverage is first party recovery.

Crisis Management, Public Relations and Rewards

In the immediate aftermath, clients will have access to a crisis management consultant who is experienced in handling workplace violence events. Being able to speak to someone with this experience and get direction on what to do next can be invaluable during this time.

Clients are likely to need assistance dealing with the media after a workplace violence event. A public relations consultant and coverage for public relations expenses are available to help with media attention in the aftermath of a workplace violence event. PR expenses include ads or other messaging, which may prove especially valuable to help get customers to return to the business.

If an assailant is not captured during a workplace violence event, the policy covers a reward. Up to $10,000 is available for information leading to the detection, arrest, and conviction of a perpetrator. The availability of a reward can help with an overall PR strategy, and as a separate coverage, it does not deplete the PR benefit.

Business Interruption

If there is a downturn in business from the workplace violence event that leads to a loss of net income, then business interruption coverage is available. The important distinction with this business interruption coverage is that physical damage to the premises is not required. This coverage could be vital to your client's ability to recover after a workplace violence event.

Temporary Location, Biohazard Clean-Up and Security

After a workplace violence event occurs, the client's office, manufacturing plant, retail location or other business type may need biohazard clean-up. This is a specialized type of cleaning to disinfect, decontaminate and dispose of biohazards. The policy covers this type of cleaning along with providing a temporary location if the client’s premises is untenantable after a workplace violence event.

An important aspect of recovery is security. The policy provides coverage for temporary security guards for a client’s business. This gives more reassurance for employees and guests than generic increased security in an area.

People Care – Temporary Employees, Mental Health Counseling, Travel Expenses and Burial and Funeral Expenses

In some situations, employees are not ready to return to work even when the all clear is given. The policy provides for temporary employees, so a client can keep its operations going when its employees are unavailable.

Employees and guests who witnessed the workplace violence event are eligible for mental health counseling, even if they were not physically injured. If an injury does occur due to an event, the family of employees and guests are eligible for travel expenses, so loved ones can be with the injured person and not worry about the cost of travel and accommodations.

Some workplace violence events result in the deaths of employees or guests. The policy provides up to $10,000 per employee or guest who dies during or as a result of the workplace violence event for transportation of the body, funeral, and burial expenses.

Risk Management

Workplace Violence coverage also comes with access to a risk management portal aimed at prevention. The portal can be filtered, for example, by buildings or manufacturing, and it also contains a search function. There are videos, documentation samples, and links covering topics including workplace violence training, security plans, employee red flags, mitigating risk, early warning signs, and more.

Lastly, the workplace violence policy allows clients to retain the full limits of their other insurance policies. For example, a client can use the burial expenses in the workplace violence policy, up to $10,000 per guest. As part of an overall risk management plan, this can help protect your clients against costly liability claims by covering expenses under a separate workplace violence policy.

Coverage Applies

Have a conversation with your clients about how their current coverage may have gaps if a workplace violence event happens. Help your clients understand how a workplace violence policy, with preventative risk management resources and first party recovery benefits, can help provide more peace of mind if something happens. It will also provide more peace of mind for you, too – because you will know how to respond if you ever get that call, text, or email….

Get a Workplace Violence Insurance quote from Berkley Program Specialists →