Simmlands Extends Base of Expertise

Simmlands is pleased to welcome Paul Best as the primary aviation underwriter for the 11/12 term, replacing Dominique Wilson, who is on maternity leave.

“I am delighted to be part of the Simmland’s team and I look forward to extending its scope of service in the area of aviation general liability and beyond.”

Paul will be underwriting both aviation general liability and hull and liability risks for Simmlands, and he can be reached at (416) 628-6647 or bestp@simmlands.com.  Simmlands Aviation specializes in:

• Aviation General Liability, covering premises, products and hangarkeepers liabilities.
• The Aviation General Liability (AGL) policy can include spares, airport contractors’ liability and non-owned aircraft liability coverage.
• The AGL also includes non-owned automobile (SPF No. 6) and liability for damage to “Hired Automobiles” (SEF 94).
• This year the AGL has been extended to include legal expenses and limited pollution coverage.
• In 2011 we have added capacity for Aircraft Hull and Liability for private and commercial aircraft operators (Private aircraft are subject to a minimum premium of $7,500; for commercial it’s $25,000).

In particular, Paul brings clients 40 years of experience and specialization in aviation insurance as both underwriter and broker.  Over that period he has specialized in all forms of aviation, including airlines, corporate jets, commercial and private aircraft operators, international & regional airports, manufacturers and maintenance organizations, and banks and major leasing companies. Additionally, he serves as a Civil Expert on Aviation Insurance to NATO – Civil Emergency Planning.  Previously, Paul chaired a committee of major insurers to develop a standardized approach to new regulations with the Canadian Transport Commission, acted as a member of a specialized team that responded to the events of 9/11 and associated difficulties in the war risk market and has published articles in various trade publications.

WHY K&R PROTECTION IS NOT JUST FOR CORPORATIONS

It is that time of year when people get ready to steal away from the daily grind and enjoy some time off.  And while conventional travel insurance has become fairly standard, Kidnap, Detention, Extortion and Hijack protection (K&R) is a more peripheral consideration that actually provides value and peace of mind for individuals and families preparing to travel.

With high profile news reports about kidnappings, drug wars and hostage scenarios, in popular vacation destinations like Mexico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and even parts of Europe, travelers are becoming savvier in their planning process.

The repercussions of these unexpected events are devastating to families. Securing the release of a hostage or kidnap victim is an emotional, delicate, sophisticated and costly balancing-act.  The stresses of practical considerations such as raising ransom monies, dealing with local and national law enforcement agencies, relevant governments and the media, mount with each passing hour.  In light of this, the benefit of having a specialist crisis management team, included with insured coverage, is truly invaluable.  ASI Global Response will act independently of the Insurer, with their sole priority being the victim’s safe release while managing the expectations and concerns of the family.

K&R is not merely a corporate product. Families planning vacation travel into high-risk zones may want to consider buying coverage to have peace of mind in the face of an unexpected crisis.  Families with young adult children who plan to take a year off to travel the world during or following their undergraduate studies, would also be good candidates, particularly young women traveling alone or in small groups.

Special coverage extensions speak well to this market including:

• Disappearance Investigation and Expense
• Express Kidnapping
• Child Abduction
• Threat Response
• Hostage Crisis

For more information about K&R coverage for families and individuals, contact Sophie Egnatis at 416.408.5465 or egnatiss@simmlands.com.

DON’T GET LOST IN THE DETAILS – KNOW YOUR HEALTHCARE CONTRACT

Healthcare contracts and agreements are complicated and sophisticated even under the most standard of circumstances. But add outsourced, private service providers to the equation, and an organization’s insurance coverage can be affected in ways that brokers cannot always anticipate.

To preserve the integrity of the coverage, contracts between Allied Health Care organizations and their professional contract services providers need to clarify the intent of responsibility and indemnification in the event that something untoward takes place with one of their patients.

For instance:

• Is it the intention of the Insured to accept responsibility for the contracted service professional’s errors?
• If not, how does the contract address the requirements of contracted service professionals and insurance? Are they required to carry professional liability insurance?
• Is the limit of insurance adequate for the services they are providing? Is the contract professional required to provide proof of adequate insurance to the Insured?
• How do the insurance and indemnification conditions in the contract measure up to the conditions of the Insured’s insurance coverage?
• Does the existing insurance coverage need to be revised to respond to conditions established in the contract?

Brokers don’t always have the time or resources to identify these issues and respond to them effectively. Simmlands offers expertise in this particular niche area of service. The Simmlands healthcare team brings decades of experience with contract reviews and can recognize if healthcare organizations are vulnerable to circumstances that compromise the insurance coverage they maintain. And most importantly, Simmlands can determine how best to resolve these conflicts and fill the gaps strategically and effectively.

For more information, contact Janet Saunders at 416.408.5654 or saundersj@simmlands.com.

LOVE YOUR CLUBS – NO-FAIL STRATEGIES TO ENSURE THEY SURVIVE THE WINTER SEASON

While a golf club or driving range policy may provide comprehensive coverage, there may be certain circumstances that put golf clubs at risk. Especially during the winter season, golf clubs become vulnerable to environmental influences that can have negative impact.

There are preventative steps that golf facilities can undertake to make certain that they are protecting their clubs and guarding against these risks.

Simmlands is pleased to share these constructive suggestions:

• Keep heat levels to a minimum to prevent pipes from freezing.
• Turn off draining pipes in parts of the building that are not visited regularly in the winter months.
• Clear snow off roofs and structures to prevent their collapse.
• Take regular tours to survey the property and ensure its safety and soundness.

If you follow these preemptive steps, then your clubs will be protected through the winter months and ready for game play when the golf season begins!

For more information, contact Connie Vaccaro at 416.408.5461 or vaccaroc@simmlands.com.

CASE STUDY – HOW CANCELLATION POLICIES SPARE YOU GRIEF IN THE FACE OF UNEXPECTED CIRCUMSTANCES

We have all heard those horrible stories of last minute catastrophes and unanticipated mishaps that have forced event planners to cancel major concerts and presentations. The news is riddled with tales of collapsed stages, performer walkouts and last minute weather disruptions.

But when these cancellations occur, the grief and frustration incurred by the organizers and investors could have been spared by the purchase of a simple cancellation policy.

Simmlands’ cancellation products are perfect for event organizers, planners, theatres, performers, tour organizers and venue operators.

Specifically, the policy provides coverage for:

• Cancellation or Abandonment of the Event due to causes beyond the organizer’s control (including adverse weather)
• Loss of the venue as a result of physical damage to the event
• Loss of revenue or costs incurred to re-schedule or reimburse tickets sales
• Non-appearance of the artist as a result of accident or illness

In the case of cancellation, the costs incurred for the loss of income for future concerts planned, loss of deposits to rental locations, and reimbursements to ticketholders, etc. can be easily avoided.

For more information contact Mike McDermott at 416.408.5460 or mcdermottm@simmlands.com.

As many of you know, we acquired Hunter McCorquodale Inc., a Special Risk Accident and Health underwriter, in late 2010, but it may not have been immediately obvious to our customers how this acquisition may enhance our ability to serve our P&C customers. As such, we will endeavour to share with you some coverage ideas where we were recently able to support our broker community. This month’s focus will be on Volunteer Accident Insurance.

Many organizations rely on volunteers to enhance their success, however, need intelligent ways to manage the risk of accidents in their activities without involving their General Liability or Workers’ Compensation policies (where the law allows). Volunteer Accident Insurance covers volunteers while participating in an assignment for an organization and/or traveling to and from the assignment location.

Coverage can include:

• Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
• Accident Medical Expense (Excess of Provincial Medical)
• Accident Dental Expenses
• Payments for catastrophic injuries such as Paralysis or Permanent Total Disablement
• Weekly Accident Indemnity for injuries resulting in total disability

Claims paid under the accident program do not affect an organization’s general liability or workers’ compensation program experience and are provided without individual underwriting and minimal administration.

Let us help you to provide this coverage to your clients’ volunteers and provide the volunteers the comfort of knowing that they will be protected in the event of unforeseen accidents.

For further information, please contact:

Sophie Strezos-Egnatis 
Vice President, Business Development
(416) 408-5465
egnatiss@simmlands.com

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SIMMLANDS ANNOUNCES OUR AIRCRAFT HULL AND LIABILITY POLICY

Both private aircraft owners and companies involved in aircraft operations face the risk of potential loss or damage to a valuable asset as well as litigation involving bodily injury or property damage when one of their aircraft is involved in an accident.

Simmlands is pleased to announce our capability to underwrite Aircraft Hull and Liability risks through Berkley Insurance Company.

Click here to read more about the policy features, target risks, maximum limits, minimum premium, and coverage territory.

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NEW COVERAGE FEATURES FOR SPECIALTY AVIATION GENERAL LIABILITY POLICY

Thanks to continued support from our brokers, we have enjoyed a very productive year for our Specialty Aviation General Liability insurance product since our launch in June 2010.

We are pleased to include 2 updates to our AGL wording going forward:

1. Coverage Extension: Limited Pollution Extension
2. Coverage Extension: Legal Expense Insurance

Click here to read more about these new policy features.

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ATTENTION ONTARIO BROKERS

Simmlands now has a new RIBO accredited Educational Seminar for Professional Liability Insurance. Your brokers can receive two (2) Technical Credits for attendance. The session deals with a number of critical Professional Liability issues including occurrence and claims-made policies, incident and claim reporting matters, and risk management initiatives for both broker and Insureds.

Please contact either Neil McRuer or Janet Saunders for more details and on-site sessions.Simmlands now has a new RIBO accredited Educational Seminar for Professional Liability Insurance. Your brokers can receive two (2) Technical Credits for attendance. The session deals with a number of critical Professional Liability issues including occurrence and claims-made policies, incident and claim reporting matters, and risk management initiatives for both broker and Insureds.

Please contact either Neil McRuer or Janet Saunders for more details and on-site sessions.

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NOTES FROM THE GOLF WORLD… 

Simmlands has long been involved with the Canadian golf industry. Our oldest client is the Canadian Professional Golfer’s Association – soon to be called the PGA of Canada (you heard it here first). Last month yours truly along with John Barclay, Neil McRuer and Suzanne Forgues attended the PGA’s Centennial Celebrations in Ottawa. Two days of golf were highlighted by a Gala Dinner that saw numerous golf luminaries from around the world in attendance. Honored guests included Joe Steranka, the CEO of the PGA of America, immediate past president of the PGA of America, Jim Remy and CEO of the PGA of Great Britain and Ireland Sandy Jones. More importantly we were able to spend time with key directors and staff of the PGA of Canada as well as related Canadian golf associations. It was a memorable experience overall and our 44 year involvement with them was recognized on a number of occasions.

The week following the Centennial Suzanne and her assistant Elaine Viau hosted a dozen of our key brokers in Quebec in a pro-am at Atlantide Golf Club. As the third year sponsor of this successful event we are hopeful of expanding the concept to other provinces over time.

While on the subject of pro-ams we are delighted to report that the 5th Annual Simmlands’ Pro-Am for the PGA of Canada’s Women’s Championship will take place on August 30th and is already a complete sell-out. Proceeds go to WICC and our many brokers and industry partners enjoy a tremendous day in the company of a woman professional who might be an LPGA player, from the Futures Tour or a club professional. The feedback each year is tremendous and all for a good cause.

John Simmonds
Chairman

Document Issuance & Delivery (For Brokers and Advisors who do not have ICS courier):

• All new policies will be issued electronically via email.
• The actual policy will be sent via courier to the Advisor.
• Liability (pink cards) will be provided to policyholders by the broker via a 30 day temporary card.

Cancellations due to Underwriting Reasons

•  Where a policy or coverage should be cancelled by registered letter for underwriting reasons, the cancellation will be processed after the strike is over giving the required notice period.
• In the event more immediate action is required, the 5 day hand delivered cancellation process may be used.
• Policies that do not meet our renewal underwriting criteria will be lapsed after the strike is over and the required notice period will be provided.

Premium Payment

• For HMI Lloyd’s policies, we can have clients pay by Wire Transfer at their banks. (Call us for wire transfer details.)
• For HMI SecureLife policies, we need a Void Cheque and the payment will be taken from the client’s bank account once policy is in force.
• For HMI Transition LTD and Secure DI Advisors can pick up a Cheque for the first premium (along with a completed PAC form) and courier that to Hunter McCorquodale Inc. Subsequent payments will be deducted by PAC from client’s bank account.
• For all other policies, payment can be made via courier or drop your cheque off at Simmlands / Hunter McCorquodale office.

Billing and Rejection Notices

• Brokers to receive broker copies of billing/rejection notices through ICS or email
• Brokers to communicate details of notices to the insured.

Cancellations for Non-Payment Only

• Temporarily placed on hold.
• Registered letters will be issued for all policies pending cancellation once the strike has ended.
• Depending on the duration of the strike, this process will be reviewed and changes communicated as needed to our brokers.

Refunds

• All refunds will be held until the end of the strike.
• Arrangements for pick up or courier delivery can be made for urgent requests can be made.
• Depending on the duration of the strike, this process will be reviewed and changes communicated as needed to our brokers.

Claims Payments

In an effort to minimize any hardships to our clients, we will work with our Insurance Company partners and their Claims staff to obtain a cheque delivery instructions and solutions. Options will include a pick up at Simmlands / Hunter McCorquodale office; the Insurance Company office or via courier (extenuating circumstance only).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR UNDERWRITER.

Because companies working in support of the aviation industry require specialized insurance, they have traditionally not benefited from the same level of competition between insurers as has the general commercial industry. Over the years, price is not the only thing that has suffered. Many coverages which are looked upon as standard in commercial insurance are not even available for purchase through traditional aviation general liability markets, let alone offered as part of a policy wording.

Read more about how Simmlands has incorporated many of the additional coverages available on a CGL wording into our AGL, and how our specialties in other areas will be contributing to making this product even stronger over the coming months … Click Here

CLUBPAC INSURANCE TO VALUE – Knowing the laws of the Game to Keep Your Score

There are several common clauses which form a part of many property insurance policies. These include Co-Insurance, Blanket POED, and Margin Clauses, all three of which form a part of our ClubPac wording. 

In this issue we explain in further detail these three clauses and how they affect the Insured’s coverage, and investigate two precedent setting court cases which have changed the landscape of how property claims are being interpreted and settled … Click Here

LEGAL EXPENSE INSURANCE

In an increasingly litigious society, there is a growing need for Canadian companies, institutions, professionals and individuals to have affordable access to legal services for events that are not anticipated. In partnership with CAN-UK Underwriting Services Ltd., STERLON Underwriting Managers Ltd., and Brit Insurance, Simmlands is pleased to present Legal Expense Insurance for such entities, which include … Click Here or visit our product page.

KIDNAP & RANSOM – 101 SEMINAR

Many thanks to customers and friends of Simmlands Insurance Services, new and old, for attending our Kidnap & Ransom 101 Seminar on April 5, 2011 featuring Mr. David Lattin, North American Specialty Products Manager, Lloyd’s Syndicate 5000 and former Kidnap & Extortion negotiator.

The event was a huge success from 2 perspectives. Firstly, the event was oversold and had to be moved to a larger room which told us this is a topic that is of great interest to our insurance community and we were very pleased to have the opportunity to deliver this information to you. Secondly, the feedback received from our participants regarding content and speaker presentation value was extremely positive. On these two notes, we very much appreciate your support and feedback and look forward to repeating the seminar again in the near future.

For further information on our Lloyd’s Kidnap, Extortion, Detention and Hijack coverage, please visit our product page.

Or contact: Sophie Strezos-Egnatis (416) 408-5465
Vice President, Business Development egnatiss @ simmlands.com

Please also check other products on our web-site:

• Contingency Insurance Products 
• Destination Risks 
• Healthcare Risks 

Click here for more details.

Over the past twenty years or so, we have all seen a significant expansion of the activities of the “Golf Professional”. Some of this has been as a result of cut backs at the Clubs (no one else was there to do it) and some has been a result of the Golf Professional having to expand his/her services to justify his/her continued value and existence at the club.

This movement into other areas of endeavour has been both good and bad. Increased skills and abilities have made today’s Golf Professional more valuable, which of course means greater income, greater opportunity and greater job security.

Unfortunately it has also brought; longer working hours, greater stress, greater responsibility and greater financial risk. It is this last effect that I would like to address because it has a serious impact on insurance.

ACTIVITY RISK as it applies to business insurance is the potential for third party lawsuits against the Golf Professional for either Bodily Injury or Property Damage that results from the individual’s business activities. Obviously from the Professional’s point of view there are two significant issues: Coverage, and the Cost of Coverage.

The Cost of Coverage is going to be primarily effected by two issues:

• One is Social Expectation. We are all aware that the dollar size and frequency of lawsuits in Canada have been increasing every year and this will likely continue.

• The other is the Level and Type of Activity of the business. It would appear obvious that the cost of liability insurance is greater for large businesses (as measured by revenues) than for small and that it is also greater for “riskier” businesses. Whitewater rafting companies pay higher insurance rates than dry cleaners.

Obviously, there is not much that the individual alone can do to change the “cost of insurance”. The greater concern for each Golf Professional is the question of Coverage.

Are you covered by your insurance policy ?

When considering liability insurance coverage there are two key questions. Who is covered, and What activities are covered ?

The first question is the easier of the two. Do you see your name on the policy as the Insured ? Is your company’s name on the policy as the Insured ? Are you described as the Insured on the policy ? (The PGA of Canada’s Master Liability policy covers “….each & every member in good standing…” ). This is Who is covered by a particular policy.

The second question is much more difficult to answer. When an insurance company agrees to cover you for liability insurance, it needs to know exactly what you do that brings “risk” to the insurance pool. It is YOUR legal obligation to properly inform the insurance company of all your business activities. The insurance company then agrees to assume the risk and assesses the amount of premium that it must charge.

If you have not declared an activity, then it is probably not covered by the policy. (Some activities are legally deemed to be obvious. If you say you are a Golf Professional any reasonable insurance company should assume that you play golf from time to time in the normal course of your business activities. Equally it can be reasonably assumed that you do not repair automobiles as part of your business.)

The problems occur in the not so obvious areas.

Take the PGA of Canada’s Master Liability policy as an example. It covers all members in good standing (resident in Canada), which is pretty clear. But it covers those members only for liability for bodily injury or property damage resulting from their duties and activities as a “Golf Professional”.

Over the past twenty years, the PGA of Canada’s official definition of the “usual duties of a golf professional” has been expanded dramatically and the Master Liability insurance policy has been extended each time to include these new and changing duties. This of course increases the risk to the insurance pool and the cost to you, however still not every activity of every PGA of Canada member is fully covered by the policy.

Operating a ProShop, club repairs, club building, teaching a lesson at the club; playing in a Zone tournament; practicing at the range; officiating at a club tournament, supervising the range, managing course marshalls & managing a club under contract; would all appear to be usual activities of a golf professional that any reasonable insurer would be expected to understand when they assume the risk.

But “some” golf professionals have moved into other activity areas too. While some PGA of Canada members might do these things as a normal part of their business, they would not necessarily be automatically considered as “activities usual to a golf professional”.

For example:

• You OWN or LEASE the golf club. A small number of PGA of Canada members are fortunate enough to be in this position, however including CLUB OWNER’s liability insurance in the PGA of Canada’s policy would increase the cost dramatically for the benefit of very few, so this activity has been excluded.
• You operate the restaurant and/or the bar at the club. Liquor server liability is a major issue today and owning a bar or restaurant is clearly not an expected activity of a golf professional. Liquor Liability insurance is NOT INCLUDED in the PGA of Canada’s policy.

Some “usual” activities may be excluded “by choice”.

• You own or lease a power cart fleet. As recent surveys indicate that less than 3%-5% of PGA of Canada members currently own motorized golf carts, the PGA of Canada’s Board of Directors have decided that the cost of this risk activity should not be included in All Members’ annual dues. As of Jan. 1st, 2006, liability resulting from this activity has been excluded from the PGA of Canada’s policy.
• You import &/or wholesale distribute golf equipment. In order to keep down the overall cost to members, the PGA of Canada Board of Directors has decided not to extend the Association’s liability policy to include liability resulting from these activities.

And, more recently changes and limitations to the PGA of Canada’s liability coverage have been made necessary by the adoption of P.A.C.E. Moving forward it will be possible for individuals working within the golf industry to maintain membership in the PGA of Canada even though they are not actively working as a golf professional. For eample, Course Superintendants; Course designers, Equipment Sales Reps. Equipment Manufacturers, etc. For these members only certain activities will be covered:

Coverage will be limited to liability resulting only from “Teaching”;” Playing”; “Practicing” or “Officiating” in a PGA of Canada sponsored or sanctionned event. Liability resulting from the members personal or other business persuits will not automatically be insured.

Each PGA of Canada member must look critically at all of his or her business activities and ask him/herself:

• Is this activity something that a reasonable person would expect most golf professionals to do ?
• Is this an activity recognized by the PGA of Canada as an “Approved” activity of a PGA of Canada member, and
• Is this something that the PGA of Canada has chosen to specifically exclude from its coverage. (These major exclusions are posted on the PGA of Canada and the Simmlands websites).

If your answer to any or all of the above is yes or maybe, then further investigation is needed and supplementary insurance protection might be required.



Jim Hylands
Simmlands Insurance Services Ltd.

There have been a number of developments at Simmlands over the past year – new lines of business and new people.  As this edition of our newsletter highlights – our passion for golf is still as big as ever.  Visit our updated website www.simmlands.com and you will see that we are now much more.

Our business is driven by adhering to our underwriting fundamentals and business process to deliver excellent products and service.  It is through our brokers and advisors that our business thrives.

We are excited about the evolution of Simmlands and look forward to expanding the depth of our relationship with you over the coming years.

GOLF CART RISK MANAGEMENT ARTICLE & TIPS – MAINTAINING YOUR GAME

We are often asked by golf owners and managers if there are insurance industry “requirements” for the operation of power carts.  There are no “industry standards” but there certainly are many good loss control practices that have been developed at golf clubs across the country.

The following are some comments on the most significant issues that we see from the “claims” side and some recommended practices that would go a long way towards protecting clubs from losses or lawsuits…  Plese keep reading

MOTORIZED GOLF CART RISK MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES

Inspection, testing and maintenance:  

• Routine Maintenance
• Brakes, steering, etc. should be checked / tested by staff every time a cart is returned or rented out.
• Any cart with any discovered deficiency should be pulled out of service “immediately”… Please keep reading

CLAIMS – KEEPING YOUR CLUB OUT OF THE ROUGH!

Insurance is a product that we hope we never have to use, however, experience has shown us that claims can and do occur.  Unfortunately when they do happen, we need to make sure that we are provided with as much information as possible to help get your game back into shape!

The following guide is designed to assist in filing a claim when you suffer a loss … Please keep reading

Claims Reporting Form

PROGRAM CHANGES

During the past year we have made a number of small coverage improvements and/or clarifications to the basic coverages. In response to requests, we have also added a number of new “options” and/or moved some basic coverage into the optional categories so that clubs who do not wish to pay for these do not have to do so … Please keep reading

NEW PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT

Destination Insurance

We are pleased to announce the launch of our new multi-line destinations insurance product.

Simmlands Insurance Services Ltd. have been involved with the recreation industry for over 30 years and we have made our name as the leading insurer for Golf Clubs in Canada and now we are expanding our main-line covers to target the following types of risks … Please keep reading

UPCOMING EVENT

On Tuesday, April 5^th we are holding our Kidnap and Ransom Insurance 101 and Incident Management Breakfast Seminar featuring  David Lattin, former Kidnap and Extortion Negotiator and current North American Specialty Products Manager for Lloyd’s Syndicate 5000.  This event being held at the Hilton Toronto, has been moved to the Governor General  room due to overwhelming response.
 
For those of you who have already pre-registered, we thank you for your interest and look forward to seeing you there.  At this time, only a few seats remain available.   Anyone who is  interested in attending, but has not yet registered, please contact Sophie Strezos-Egnatis at 416-408-5465 or via email at egnatiss@simmlands.com by no later than Friday, April 1^st  to reserve your seat.
 
For more information, please follow our link on Canadian Underwriter:
http://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/events/event-details.aspx?id=42476

KIDNAP, DETENTION, EXTORTION AND HIJACK PROTECTION

The repercussions of such insured events are­­e many, affecting not only the victim, but also their families, employers and colleagues.  It is a delicate balancing act trying to secure the release of a victim, coping with the loss of a key employee and maintaining business continuity while managing the emotions of the victim’s family and dealing with local and national law enforcement agencies, relevant governments and the media … Please keep reading

1. Ontario Community Hospitals providing acute and long-term care services.
2. National Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Health Service Provider with over 100 locations nationally including Abuse Coverage.
3. Ophthamology Surgical Centre including Excess Coverage for non-residents.
4. Orthopedic Surgical Centre for all lines of coverage including Property.
5. Physician Partnership Professional Liability coverage within an academic/teaching hospital.

Don’t forget Simmlands on your next Healthcare Risk submission – we can provide both the Casualty and Property Coverages.

Underwriter Contacts: 

Neil McRuer
Vice President
(416) 408-5459
mcruern @ simmlands.com

Janet Saunders
Lead Underwriter, Professional Liability
(416) 408-5654
saundersj @ simmlands.com

KIDNAP, DETENTION, EXTORTION AND HICKJACK PROTECTION 

With the expansion of the global marketplace, the risks associated with international business travel and foreign operations have made the possibility of kidnap or extortion for ransom a very real threat faced by individuals, businesses and organizations around the world. 

The repercussions of such insured events are many and varied, affecting not only the victim, but also their families, employers and colleagues.  All parties are placed under an enormous amount of stress as they try to come to terms with the situation.  It is a delicate balancing act trying to secure the release of a victim, coping with the loss of a key employee and maintaining business continuity while managing the emotions of the victim’s family and dealing with local and national law enforcement agencies, relevant governments and the media.

Consequently, adequate protection against these events in the form of insurance and access to specialist crisis management support is essential and should be an integral part of every company’s crisis management plan.  

Crisis Management – ASI Global LLC 

The most important benefit of our coverage is the immediate priority access to ASI Global, a specialist crisis management company providing advice and support throughout the incident.  Evidence suggests that, in situations where the advice of crisis management specialists was available, the hostage was released safely in 90% of cases.  In the event of an incident, ASI Global will act independently of the Insurer, with their sole priority being the hostage’s safe release. 

Included with coverage is a free subscription to ASI Essentials, an online service that provides information and security advice on over 300 top travel destinations around the world.  This service is designed to help your clients mitigate the risk of global kidnap and extortion related to international travel. 

Travel briefing Information:

• Destination Threat Rating
• Country Overview
• City Overview
• Assessment of Local Police
• Airport Information
• Hotel Information
• Fire Safety
• Communications
• Cultural Tips
• Serving Airlines
• Health Issues
• Emergency Contact Information

In addition to priority access to ASI Global LLC, our product provides a complete insurance solution:

 
Insured Events:  

• Kidnap
• Detention
• Extortion including threats to:

                           – Kill, injure or abduct a covered person 
                           - Cause physical damage to or loss of property 
                           – Disclose, disseminate or utilize proprietary information 
                           – Introduce a computer virus 
                           – Contaminate, pollute or render your products substandard.  

• Hijacking while travelling on any aircraft, motor vehicle or waterborne vessel

Insured Losses:
  

• Ransom payments or loss of ransom in transit
• Fees and expenses for:

                           – Response consultants 
                           – Independent negotiators 
                           – Rewards for information 
                           – Public relations consultants 
                           – Independent forensic analysts 
                           – Security guards at incident site 
                           – Travel and accommodation 
                           – Interest on loans 
                           – Communication 
                           – Legal advice 
                           – Interpreters  

• Salaries of:

                           – the kidnapped or detained person 
                           – the replacement of the victim 
                           – other employees specifically designated to assist in negotiating 
                           – a family member who leaves their employment to assist in the negotiation  

• Post-incident benefits:

                           – Personal accident loss schedule 
                           – Psychiatric, medical and dental care 
                           – Cosmetic or plastic surgery 
                           – Rest and rehabilitation 
                           – Job re-training for victims 
                           - Repatriation, burial or cremation
                           – Legal Liability Coverage  

Optional Coverage Extensions:   

• Product Recall and Destruction
• Computer Virus Loss of Earnings
• Emergency Political Repatriation and Relocation
• Threat Response
• Loss of Earnings
• Child Abduction

Policy Forms:

Kidnap, Detention, Extortion and Hijacking coverage is available both in Corporate or Individual/Family policy forms and can be purchased as a stand-alone policy or as an option on our Management Shield program.  

Stay tuned for announcements regarding upcoming educational seminars on this product and related topics featuring one of the world’s leading experts in Kidnap, Detention, Extortion and Hijacking coverage and crisis management.
  

For further information, please contact:
Sophie Strezos-Egnatis
Direct Line:  (416) 408-5465
egnatiss @ simmlands.com 
 
Product Page 

This announcement is intended only as a summary of the coverage provided under the Kidnap, Detention, Extortion and Hijacking insurance product and is subject to the actual terms and conditions of the insurance arranged by Simmlands Insurance Services Ltd. and underwritten by certain underwriters at Lloyd’s.

Since the launch of our suite of Contingency Insurance Products in 2009, Simmlands Insurance Services Ltd. have been busy working on some of the following specialized types of Contingency Offerings:

Prize Indemnity

A client was undertaking a fund-raising activity by selling golf balls which were individually numbered.

A prize was offered if the golf ball went into a hole on a golf green when dropped by a helicopter.

All the sold golf balls were put in a bucket and they were flown by helicopter to 150 feet above a golf green and dropped all at once.

Measured Weather Event

A client had a sales promotion in November.

The promotion being that if it snowed more than 10cm on a given date in January, 2011, all customers who had entered into that promotion were eligible to get their money back if it snowed more than 10cm on the specified day!

On that day, it actually snowed approximately 6cm!

Event Cancellation for a conference in France

A client had a conference coming up in France and was looking for event cancellation cover including strike cover.

As a result of our ability to underwrite specific exposures, were able to offer the client event cancellation including cover for strike.
 
In a world that has endless possibilities, our suite of specialist and bespoke products will cater to your clients who may organize events or put up prizes or rely on the appearance of a celebrity.

WATCH OUT for NEWS on our Hole in One Policies in the very near future!

The core types of Contingency products that we can offer terms are:

• Prize Indemnity
• Event Cancellation
• Non Appearance
• Measured Weather Event
• Adverse Weather (Film)
• Other types of policies available can include:
• Death or Disgrace
• Sports Sponsorship Indemnity

We can also customize our wordings to meet client’s specific needs & events.
 
For further information, please contact:

Michael McDermott, CIP, CRM
Direct Line:  (416) 408-5460
mcdermottm@simmlands.com
480 University Ave. Suite 1100
Toronto, Ontario 
M5G 1V2
 
Main Line:     (416)408-1900
Facsimile:     (416) 865-0834