As I watched the plane bring the Ebola effected doctors back
to the US I thought about the risks my customers take in sending their
travelers abroad for business - and even when their executives travel to unique
places for pleasure. I also thought about the risks that occur when traveling
in the US and was reminded of the tour bus crashing into people in Manhattan.
I attended a business meeting recently where Europ Assistance (a global
travel assistance provider) gave me some facts and insights on the subject. 63%
of companies have no travel risk program in place. They don't feel it will
happen, don’t know the legal liabilities, don't know where to start, and don’t
know the costs of a potential incident. One incident can surely be much more
than the cost of putting a travel risk mitigation system into place. Think
about the reimbursable costs, the time and disruption to the traveler and company,
and the legal costs. 87% of the time an issue takes place the employee sues the
employer. Yes, you have a business travel accident policy but what exactly do
these type of policies cover? Then you have to ask is this policy combined with
training, education and the establishment of protocols ( hotlines, approvers,
contact systems, portals, alert opportunities, training, and more). These items
minimize the impact for the traveler, their family, and the company - and
reduce legal challenges.
The top three components of a great travel risk program
include:
1. Prevention- intelligence, pre-travel training, crisis
planning.
2. Monitoring – tracking, alerts, medical monitoring,
records sent from TMC to provider. 3. Response - 24/7 response, protocols, insurance.
There are many decisions to consider in advance. Direction is required and we partner with companies for solutions. MacNair is having an upcoming webinar on this subject next month. If you are interested in attending or having a direct discussion, like or comment on this blog post
