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
