Optio expands political violence & terrorism offering

Specialty MGA  Optio Group has expanded its political violence & terrorism (PVT) proposition with the addition of active assailant cover for hospitals and medical facilities.

Fatal shootings at hospitals in Tulsa and Ohio on the same day in June served to highlight the inherent vulnerabilities of such facilities, the company said, which rely on the government’s Terrorism Risk Insurance Program, which does not provide active assailant cover.

Optio’s crisis management product offers comprehensive cover for physical damage, lost revenue, bodily injury, third-party liability, defence and settlement costs for any litigation and costs for public relations to repair any reputational damage.

A third-party crisis management team will also liaise with insureds and first responders following an incident, providing a range of support, from staff retraining and psychiatric care to finding alternative premises. Employee screening, pre-event surveys and risk management advice will help further minimise the effects of active shooter events before they occur, Optio noted.

Chris Kirby (pictured), global head of political violence & terrorism, said: “Recent tragic events are sadly indicative of the general increase in active assailant incidents at medical facilities, which already suffer the highest frequency of workplace violence in the United States. The product launched today draws together elements from Optio’s broad PVT experience, not only to provide indemnity but a crisis response team that actively works with insureds pre and post event to dramatically reduce the risk to patients, staff and premises.”

Did you get value from this story?  Sign up to our free daily newsletters and get stories like this sent straight to your inbox.