This is a situation where kidnappers will force a foreign national into their car, or jump into the car and detain the foreign national for only a short time, robbing what they have in the car or taking them to 1 or 2 ATM machines so they can withdraw as much cash as possible. 

There could be a promise of quick release if the victim is able to get out a certain amount of money and serious threat if the money can’t be produced.  In most of these situations the kidnappers themselves don’t want to hold the victim for any extended duration of time and many are not kidnap and ransom professionals.  Many are local amateurs, and in some cases they can be more dangerous especially if they panic during the express kidnapping.

Even if your kidnap and ransom insurance has an express kidnap feature, of course there is very little chance any company will be able to intervene if the victim is only being held for 6 hours or less, and of course, there is a good chance the victim has not had any contact with anyone, and not allowed to use a cell phone.  There is no ransom call of course. 

The benefit feature in a kidnap and ransom insurance policy may be used to return monies withdrawn from the ATM.  Knowing the expatriate will get all funds back, the victim should be more willing to just drive to the ATM and withdraw as much as possible for the express kidnappers to get back home as quickly as possible.

As we have discussed, planning is critical.  Expatriates should have been taught to think through this situation.  Employers should not tell them about the details of the kidnap and ransom insurance plan, but they should instruct expats that if express kidnappers ask for $500, by all means give it to them and we will reimburse you!  It sound obvious, but there have been many people shot and killed because they caused a problem when asked to remove their $300 watch!  The expatriate should have been over this scenario in their mind, and be prepared to stay calm and pay the express kidnappers.  Without planning, the end result may be tragic.

This group had a poor showing regarding the international security of faculty and staff that leave the country

A recent survey conducted by McKinley International Risk Management finds that most universities and colleges are not taking the steps to adequately protect employees that work or travel internationally on university business.  Many may even have a kidnap and ransom insurance policy but there are several problems and disturbing trends found in international faculty security.  These include all of the following:

1. University Human Resources Departments not knowing where employees were around the world, and having no good way to keep track of when and where employees work and travel internationally.  For example, many commented that university employee benefits, risk management, and human resources “have no way of knowing if the college of business is sending someone to work or travel internationally.”  (This is far from best practices in 2009 where it really is the employers business to absolutely know where employees are around the world.  In most cases HR took very little effort to combat this or did not even see the problem).
2. Kidnap and Ransom insurance strategy is all over the place.  Policies range from stand-alone k&r insurance to programsembedded in other policies like general liability.  Many universities send employees into very high risk locations like Eastern Africa, and have no kidnap and ransom insurance in place whatsoever.
3. University employers were very unfamiliar with the particulars of their kidnap and ransom insurance policy, even where one existed.  Many did not exactly know who is covered, what the country exclusions were, and exactly how to put the plan into action in the event of an abduction.  Most did not know what other potential threats the kidnap and ransom insurance policy would cover like extortion or express kidnap.

Overall, we give universities a D- grade when it comes to kidnap and ransom insurance and other types of measures that should be taken to protect employees traveling or working internationally.  This is the lowest rank of any group we rated including non-profit organizations, missionaries, large corporations, small corporations, and universities.  One of the reasons for the very poor rating was a general lack of coordination between the risk manager, employee benefits, human resources, and what each “College” was doing inside the university. 

In addition, the many State schools brought down the overall rank of colleges and universities in general because of the need to coordinate all risk management and insurance procurement with the State’s capital (in most cases.)  For example, a large State University may have employees in Tanzania for six months but of course, none of the needs of these employees are addressed by the State’s capital, providing insurance benefits for all State employees.  We understand it can be extremely difficult for State universities to make these risk management moves on their own, but we found too much of a prevelance and attitude of “we can do nothing about the situation” and most never truely pursued creative ways they could use to protect employees internationally, without the State involvement. 

Overall, the smaller private universities ranging from Yale to Bucknell rank much higher in international faculty security and kidnap and ransom insurance for universities.

Women are statistically of equal threat to men for expatriate hijacking

International Kidnap and Ransom events often take the form of an auto hijacking or international carjacking.  A good kidnap and ransom insurance policy will cover this threat if someone is actually kidnapped as part of the hijacking.  However, many of these hijackings will be temporary and the victim may only be held for several hours perhaps to withdraw money or while credit cards are used.  Some kidnap and ransom insurance policies will not cover this event unless express kidnap is covered.

Here is some general information about this risk, useful to almost every expatriate abroad.

If possible, always drive with another person and hijackers favor lone drivers.  There are no statistics to show that men are more immune to international hijacking then women.  Also, most hijackings will occur within 10 miles of the victim’s home.

Always have the emergency numbers for your country programmed into your phone for speed dial, along with the number your employer has given for you to call in an emergency (in addition to the “local 911″ number for that country.)  Hijackers rarely work alone and the biggest threats to expatriates are the following:

1. Just when you are entering your car (have keys ready)
2. Just when you are getting out of the car
3. Stopped, but running vehicles
4. Slow moving vehicles with windows down and doors unlocked.
5. Be wary of traps too, like an injured child lying across the road.

In a dangerous area avoid stopping too close to the vehicle in front of you, because if a car comes up behind you it leaves you with nowhere to go and trapped.   Always have a mental plan prepared in advance.  For example, always know where you should drive to in an emergency if you are being followed.  Preparation and mental preparedness can be the difference between getting away and a kidnap and ransom event.