The right protection in uncertain times

According to International SOS, a provider of security and healthcare services, the world is becoming increasingly unsafe. This is according to the annually published Risk Map 2023. A good 64 percent of the members of the Ipsos Reputation Council (senior communicators from some of the world's leading companies) believe that the world has become more dangerous in the last twelve months - the highest percentage ever measured. It is therefore time to ensure that employees and volunteers on foreign assignments and business trips are protected against particular risks.

In times of increasing crises, companies need to protect employees in unstable regions even more. Why is insurance against life-threatening risks a good investment?

Nina Schaefer: Basically, you have to look at the issue of an employer's duty of care. Employers have a number of obligations to fulfil when they send employees abroad. As a minimum, they must be informed about what to expect in a country. This ranges from cultural customs and behaviour to political threats or natural disasters. However, employees should also know that they will be looked after. This is now very important to many companies - the keyword here is employee retention. In addition, if the duty of care is breached, the company must deal with the consequences. The employee can refuse to travel abroad. Furthermore, the company may be liable for damages and, in the event of personal injury, claims for compensation for pain and suffering may even be asserted. 

Taking precautions through appropriate insurance cover is therefore definitely a good investment. At Ecclesia, it always starts with risk advice and only then do we provide the right solution for the best possible protection. Certain risks can be identified, minimised or even completely eliminated. Unfortunately, some risks remain, but can be covered in the best possible way just in case, such as an evacuation in the event of an incipient civil war or interruptions to production and work processes that jeopardise the company. 

Which professional groups is the Ecclesia offer aimed at?

Basically everyone whose employees work abroad. And especially to companies or institutions that are increasingly active in unstable, totalitarian countries or countries characterised by unrest or natural disasters. Managers or fitters can be just as affected as employees of NGOs, as an example from China illustrates. A manager of a large German company living there had business negotiations to conduct. On the way to his office, he was surrounded by other cars on a bridge, dragged out of the car and held over the railing. According to the perpetrators, if the negotiations did not go according to the client's wishes after massive pressure, the manager would be thrown off the bridge. After active crisis management, it was decided to remove him and his family from China. 

Of course, not all critical events can be prevented - but at least they can be insured against. This is exactly what we guarantee with our insurance solutions and our global network of partners and service providers. This includes an emergency hotline that I can contact at any time, as well as a coordinating crisis team that takes action in the event of a kidnapping, for example. Ecclesia does not leave its customers on their own, but supports and networks them if necessary - quickly and effectively.