Role of the consultant

The most critical component of a kidnap and ransom insurance policy is the response service that it provides.

We provide access to specialist response consultants and their fees and expenses are unlimited following an insured event.

The consultants act totally independently of the insurers and the policy.  Their utmost priority is the life of the hostage and their aim is simple: to assist in securing the victim's safe release with minimum disruption and financial loss to the family or company and, in so doing, to help reduce the likelihood of the client being targeted again.

Properly structured and coherent negotiating tactics are essential to the successful resolution of an incident. The role of the response consultant is strictly advisory - they cannot and do not make decisions, speak to kidnappers or extortionists or deliver ransoms.  What they do is to bring order, structure and a highly effective decision-making process to what can be a very chaotic and emotionally charged situation.

With any kidnap, there are conflicting interests from many different parties - the victim's family, friends and fellow employees, employers, the local government and law enforcement agencies, diplomatic missions and others.  The consultants act as a central filtering point for all such parties.  Amongst other things, they advise the client on how to work and deal with the authorities, how to handle the media and how to manage the family of the victim.  They can help to select and train the communicator and the person designated to deliver any ransom payment.

Hostages often experience anger, guilt, shame and loneliness after their release. They may also be in poor health. The consultants can also help them and their family to recover from the ordeal, both emotionally and physically.

Our policy provides the unlimited services of response consultants following a kidnap, extortion, detention or hijack.  It is not a condition of the policy that the client uses their services or follows the advice given - all clients are free to make their own decisions and doing so does not invalidate the policy.  We do, however, highly recommend working with the consultants as their expertise is invaluable.