Are you covered? Active Shooter 360 is not in the insurance business, but we keep finding information, questions, and issues about active shooter insurance coverage.
The Insurance Journal called active shooter coverage a gray area. Insurance concerns arise because the latest FBI statistics are discouraging. The frequency of active shooter and hostile events continues to rise. The latest FBI data indicate that 70% of mass shooting incidents occur in business/commerce and school venues.
There are several emergent questions related to active shooter/active assailant insurance coverage. Does your general liability coverage include active shooter or active assailant attacks? The answer depends on the policy. The key point is, don’t assume your general liability coverage is adequate.
Is property damage covered if the building has to be demolished? For example, buildings at Sandy Hook Elementary School and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School were demolished; Virginia Tech University buildings were remodeled. Currently, some policies include tear down or rebuilding coverage.
What about policy exclusion clauses? Consider that some policies exclude terrorist attacks. There was debate about whether or not the Las Vegas incident was a terrorist attack. The final ruling is the event was a mass shooting because the motive was unclear.
Key Takeaway:
What’s covered and what’s excluded? Risk managers in business/commerce, manufacturing, education, and medical sectors need to re-evaluate their active shooter/hostile event insurance strategy.
What are your thoughts?
