The ALS Group Risk Management Articles

We manage more than a quarter billion dollars of premiums for a diverse range of clients around the globe. 

ERM: Where do we start?

With the multitude of information available, it is no surprise that the process of implementing an ERM Program seems daunting. As highlighted in our prior blog, Strategic Risks: More Important Now Than Ever, one of the very first steps in this process is to form an Executive Risk Committee (ERC).

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Strategic Risks: More Important Now than Ever

Strategic Risks are risks that affect or are created by an organization’s business strategy and strategic objectives. For companies that are committed to thoughtfully managing risk, strategic risk is not a new concept. However, with social media and the speed in which everything happens these days, strategic risks are becoming a high priority for senior leaders. In a recent study released by Deloitte, 81% of companies surveyed now explicitly manage strategic risks, rather than simply focusing on more traditional risk areas, such as operational, compliance and financial risks.

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What Makes an ERM Program a Success?

I recently attended the Enterprise Risk Management Roundtable Summit in North Carolina held by NC State University that included representatives from Harley Davidson and Caterpillar among  the speakers. This summit helped me gain insight into the emerging importance of a comprehensive risk management program and different strategies the companies have implemented.

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Political Risk – It Is More Than Just Insurance Coverage

Civil unrest in nations formerly viewed as politically stable, such as Sweden and Brazil, is forcing global organizations to consider Political Risk insurance coverage. A recent paper by nationally recognized insurer called the need for Political Risk coverage a “top emerging concern” for global companies.  This coverage is meant to help mitigate political exposures that are, normally, excluded from standard property policies to cover the risk to a company’s physical and financial assets. Some of the perils this policy will insure against are Terrorism, Riots, Deprivation or Confiscation of Assets, Strikes, Civil Commotion, Exchange Transfer Risk, Rebellion, and Insurrection. It is very difficult to model, price and determine the appetite for

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A risk management consultant in a suit stands on a modern balcony, holding a smartphone

Premises Liability

Jury verdicts for premises liability against those who own or manage land, stores, taverns, shopping malls and apartment complexes just keep climbing. A few California verdicts include a $7.5 million judgment after a chiropractor slipped and fell in a Starbucks and a $55 million verdict for a gang-related shooting against a security company that oversaw on-site safety at an apartment complex.

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Making the Most of Your Equipment Breakdown Coverage

Productivity motivates today’s business owners, which includes purchasing the latest computer-driven equipment and machinery. To help protect their investment, most companies purchase property insurance coverage. However, the sophistication of today’s equipment may leave businesses underprotected if they  only take a traditional approach to their property coverage.

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Map Out Your Risk – Beware of High Hazard Flood Zones

Real estate is one of the most important assets one can have regardless of owning personally or as a business entity. As they say, it’s all about location, location, location – so you better know exactly what risks you are going to be exposed to when looking to purchase new property or simply evaluating your current location(s). In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy the scrutiny of flood insurance policies is at an all-time high, particularly, in the northeast. When assessing the value of any new or current property and the insurance requirements and costs that come with it, understanding where it is in relation to local flood zones is critical.

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NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL PASSES EARNED SICK TIME ACT

The New York City Council recently overrode a veto by Mayor Bloomberg to pass the Earned Sick Time Act. This new legislation will require most private employers in New York City to provide paid or unpaid sick leave to employees working in the city. Beginning in April 2014, businesses with at least twenty employees will be required to provide a minimum of forty hours (five days) of paid sick leave. Coverage will expand to businesses with 15 or more employees starting in October 2015. Some businesses will be exempt from providing paid sick time; they will, however, still be required to provide leave without pay to employees.

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Supply Chain Reputational Risks Heightened Amid Recent Worldwide Factory Deaths

A recent Wall Street Journal article about a high profile factory accident, this time in Cambodia, brings new emphasis to the fallout that can arise from supply chain risk. Asics Corporation, the Japanese sport shoe manufacturer, sourced some of its shoes from a factory in Phnom Penh. In April 2013, a mezzanine floor collapse killed a young father and a young woman who, reportedly, was only 15. The incident also injured a number of other workers. Fallout from the incident was almost immediate. Asics instructed its nine suppliers in Cambodia to join Better Factories Cambodia, which keeps tabs on working conditions in the Cambodian garment industry.

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Five Ways to Avoid Workers’ Compensation Fraud

Nothing upsets a business owner or manager more than paying for and managing the fallout from a suspect workers’ compensation injury. Here are a few but, certainly not all, ways employers can help prevent a fraudulent claim and avoid allowing employees to extend their time away from work once injured.

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Our areas of expertise include:

  • Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)
  • Cyber Security & Cyber Liability Insurance
  • Construction Management
  • Customized Risk Management Assessments (RMAs)

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