Addressing Active Shooter Risk

Active shooter cases continue to be in the news. These events can happen anywhere, at any time. Exposures and losses usually extend beyond coverage provided by traditional insurance products. In response, insurers have introduced programs to help mitigate these vulnerabilities, both for prevention of attacks and support after an event. Helping clients understand and address their possible insurance exposures to active shooter risks is another value- added service of the professional insurance agent.
When an active shooter event happens, resulting costs can far exceed actual physical damage to the building. In 2012, after the school shooting in Sandy Hook, CT, emotional scars associated with the building were so intense the school board spent $50 million to tear down the structure and build another. At Virginia Tech, in response to the 2007 shooting, interiors of buildings were ripped out and redesigned. Total cost of response and aftermath of Virginia Tech event exceeded $48 million (mcgowanprograms.com). In both cases, the new designs were intended to enable better response in the event of a future incident. Robb Elementary in Uvalde, TX, and Parkland High School in Parkland, FL, sites of the 2022 and 2018 shootings respectively, will be torn down and replaced.
Fear of future attacks has a great impact on the community. According to everytownresearch.org, 95% of K-12 schools in America have implemented active shooter drills or simulations. The value of these exercises has not yet been determined. They may actually have a negative impact on the mental health of the participants (sandyhookpromise. org).
Risk management/insurance exposures for active shooter events include damage to property; liability to injured employees, customers, and other third parties; and loss of income during the time it takes to recover from the incident. There may also be expenses for trauma counseling and implementing increased security measures. In addition, there are often costs to rebuild reputation after such an event. Active shooter coverage, also known as active assailant or deadly weapons coverage, offers protection that supplements traditional property and casualty insurance.
Active shooter coverage can include both first- and third- party benefits. First-party coverages include damage to property and loss of business income. Extra costs needed to redesign or rebuild, rather than just repair, may also be offered. Third-party coverages include liability for injury to others. It is not uncommon for employees and other victims to sue the employer for failure to prevent an active shooting event. Other possible coverages include costs of extra security, and training for employees. Coverage to provide psychological counseling may also be offered. Travel assistance may be needed if employees are working in an area where a shooting occurs, or if they need to get home to help after an event.
Training programs address how to prevent or respond to an active shooter situation. For example, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) offers a number of resources. They include: profile of an active shooter, responding to an active shooter or other workplace violence situation, training for an active shooter situation and creating an emergency action plan, and tips for recognizing signs of potential workplace violence (cisa.gov).
Active assailant events are a concern for everyone. Their impact can be wide ranging and long lasting. Helping clients acquire the knowledge to possibly prevent such attacks, obtain active shooter coverage to provide support, and help rebuild after an event, is another sign of the true insurance professional.

This article is for educational and discussion purposes only and it is not insurance or legal advice and should not be relied upon when making insurance or legal decisions. Nothing herein shall be construed to constitute a legal or underwriting opinion. Nothing herein shall be construed as offering any political, social, or public policy opinion by the author or MSO. Neither the author nor MSO are responsible for errors in, or the accuracy or currentness of, the article.