Kidnap & Ransom
Last month, a horrific incident occurred in Matamoros, Mexico, making U.S. national headlines as four South Carolina residents were kidnapped and held against their will by suspected drug cartel associates in the border town south of Texas. Two of the four Americans survived and were eventually freed and returned to the States, but two were murdered during the ordeal.
Millions of Americans travel for business and recreation around the world throughout the year, and they are ultimately becoming targets for unscrupulous characters and organized crime networks.
Just the mere thought of being kidnapped or having a loved one or co-worker held against their will in a foreign land is severely upsetting. Yet we don’t fully take into consideration how common kidnappings for ransom have become. The reality of this problem extends to most developing and third-world nations throughout Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia. But recent statistics show that the problem is evolving and expanding further throughout the developed world to countries with what most would consider effective governments and sound economies. In 2017, there were kidnappings for ransom in 87 nations, demonstrating that the crime is not isolated to a few notorious areas of the world.
Furthermore concerning, no longer are the famous or the rich sole targets. Every American and European tourist, journalist, aid worker, missionary and private/governmental contractor is at risk of being singled-out as profitable merchandise, facing prolonged captivity, torture and even death at the hands of professional criminals. And unlike large corporate entities and wealthy individuals, hiring private security for international travel is typically not an available option for most travelers. Therefore, the best alternatives are to travel with safety in mind and to be fully aware of surroundings at all times. Advise your clients to travel intelligently and be sure to secure Kidnap & Ransom insurance.
Petersen International Underwriters has offered Kidnap & Ransom insurance for over 25 years. But today the coverage is more popular, more frequently requested and more important to international travelers than ever before. The insurance product provides a myriad of benefits including, but not limited to ransom reimbursement, personal accident benefits including death and disability, reward payments for informants and loss of income benefits during detention.
Most importantly, the insurance provides unlimited benefits for the deployment and support of a crisis response team which has historically proven to be imperative in most kidnapping incidents. The crisis response team has the knowledge and experience to effectively negotiate and advise during a dangerous situation with the goal of returning the client and his or her family to safety.
Kidnap & Ransom insurance from Petersen International is available for short or long durations to individuals, families and corporations. Call (800) 345-8816 for a complete outline of benefits and pricing.