Planning for the Unthinkable – a Kidnapping

Kidnappings for profit have become an epidemic. According to the Foreign Policy Centre, an independent UK-based foreign affairs think tank, “Economic kidnapping is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. It is estimated that kidnappers globally take home in the region of $500,000,000 each year in ransom payments: the hostage is a commodity with a price on his head. Reliable statistics are hard to come by, but it is estimated that there are approximately 10,000 kidnappings each year worldwide.” Millions of Americans travel for business and pleasure 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 sickening. 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.

There is a noticeable complication: no longer are the extremely wealthy sole targets. Every American and European tourist, journalist, missionary and contractor is at risk of being singled-out as profitable merchandise, facing prolonged captivity and even torture and/or death at the hands of thieves and pirates. And unlike large corporate entities and wealthy individuals, private security during international travel is usually not an affordable option for most travelers. Therefore, the best alternatives are to travel with safety in mind and to be fully aware of your surroundings at all times. 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 policy 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 product provides unlimited benefits for the deployment and support of a Crisis Response Team which is imperative to most Kidnap & Ransom situations. The Crisis Response Team has the knowledge and experience to effectively negotiate and advise during a kidnapping with the ultimate goal of returning a client to safety.

The Kidnap & Ransom plan from Petersen International is available for short and long durations to individuals, families and corporations. Call us today for more information.