Active Shooting Incidents Are Rising - Are You Protected?
Active shooting incidents are rising. The average number of such shooting attacks increased from about one every two months to more than one a month, or 16.4 annually, from 2007 to 2013, according to a study by the FBI and Texas State University. The FBI defines an “active shooter event” as “individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in populated areas (excluding shootings related to gang or drug violence.)”
The toll thus far
160 shootings nationwide between 2000 and 2013 leaving 486 dead and 557 wounded, not including the shooters.
Despite the mounting violence, many employers haven’t taken steps to prepare their workers, experts say. The business world isn’t alone. Federal facilities tend to drill more for fires or tornadoes than for shooters, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Experts say workplaces often don’t plan for shootings partly because they think “it won’t happen here.” With busy work schedules and constrained budgets, drafting a well-thought-out policy, fitting in the training and incurring the expense of drills are often perceived as things that can wait or be avoided. According to Ty Moeder, a former police tactical supervisor and instructor and founding partner of Mitigation Dynamics in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, “I believe you have a moral obligation, and I would put it further – you have a legal obligation, including liability.”
Mr. Moeder is right. When an employer gets things wrong, the liability on the owners and management can be significant which is why businesses should consider insurance solutions that focus on helping prevent, prepare for and effectively respond to attacks, as well as protect against lawsuits arising from active shooter events.
ASR offers active shooter insurance, including the following:
Primary liability coverage for lawsuits arising from harm caused by attacks using deadly weapons
Policy limits up to $20,000,000
Available on a standalone basis or together with other products
Risk assessment of insured locations
Sub-limit for specialist crisis management services
Sub-limit for post event counselling services
24 hour crisis management services to help companies respond immediately by setting up an emergency call center, advising on emergency communications, putting in place a recovery plan and arranging counselling
Includes access to the services of a panel of event responders
Rapid turnaround of underwriting quotes within 24 hours
Security: Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s, London
