Presenters: Alistair Sandilands (Director and Principal Underwriter at Collaboration Underwriting) & Richard Hancock (Regional Director APAC at Crisis24)

Active assailant risk is not limited to the incidents that make headlines around the world.

Some incidents arise from workplace grievances, disgruntled employees or former employees, domestic or family violence entering the workplace, personal disputes, fixation, mental distress, or other non-terrorism motivations. These are the events businesses may not hear much about, but which can still cause serious disruption, trauma and loss.

Then there are the major public incidents — Bondi Junction, the Sydney Lindt Café siege, Bourke Street Mall and Easts Leagues Club — that many insureds look at and say, “that would never happen here”.

The business exposure can be immediate and severe. Premises may be locked down or inaccessible, trade may stop without warning, staff and customers may need trauma support, and businesses may face crisis communications, security, relocation and recovery costs.

These consequences can arise even where the insured was not directly targeted and has suffered little or no physical damage.

While some violent incidents may be declared terrorism events for insurance purposes, many active assailant events are not deemed terrorism. This session will focus on the practical business exposures that can follow a violent incident, the crisis response and recovery support that may be required, and why specialist Active Assailant cover deserves greater attention from brokers and insureds.

The session will be led primarily by Crisis24, with Collaboration Underwriting aka “CoLab” providing the insurance market context and broker placement perspective.

Learning Objectives

• Understand that active assailant risk is not limited to terrorism or high-profile public attacks.
• Identify how active assailant incidents can arise from a range of motivations, including workplace grievances, domestic or family violence entering the workplace, personal disputes, fixation, mental distress or other non-terrorism causes.
• Recognise the business exposures that may follow an active assailant incident, including denial of access, loss of trade, trauma support, crisis communications, security, relocation and recovery costs.
• Understand that business loss can occur even where the insured was not directly targeted and has suffered little or no physical damage.
• Understand the role of specialist crisis response support in the immediate aftermath of an incident and during the recovery phase.
• Identify the types of insureds and business sectors where Active Assailant cover may warrant specific discussion.
• Explain to clients why standard insurance programmes may not always provide a complete response to the practical consequences of an active assailant event.

Registrations: Active Assailant Risk: Business Exposure, Crisis Response and Recovery