Ace USA is offering coverage against political evacuation, kidnap and extortion for multinational companies with employees working in hotspots around the world.

The US subsidiary of Bermuda-headquartered Ace Ltd. said yesterday it would add the coverage to its exisitng Multinational Travel Accident (MTA) Programme.

Ace USA said the "enhancements are designed to help multinational organisations protect their employees living and working overseas during times when political unrest and other events threaten their safety".

The integrated "political evacuation support" coverage delivers a full range of support through all four phases of a political evacuation — warning, preparation, assembly and evacuation — and, when political or military events escalate to a potential crisis point, covers the cost of securely withdrawing employees and transporting them to safety or returning them home.

Designed to help corporate travel clients deal with the reality of global security risks, Ace USA's kidnap and extortion package includes benefits for ransom money paid (as a result of kidnapping) and the loss of ransom or extortion monies (due to confiscation or seizure).

In addition, the package covers the cost for a designated security consultant to respond to kidnap and extortion incidents.

Jean McDermott-Lucey, vice-president, Ace Professional Risk, said: "The political situation in any country can go from stable to chaotic very quickly.

"Now, more than ever, companies that send their employees overseas must be diligent in monitoring the political environment, identifying risks and planning for contingencies.

"Even in less volatile climates, employees are likely to face very real security risks. The numbers of kidnap and extortion attempts worldwide is on the rise, and organisations who are not prepared to protect their employees can face potentially catastrophic consequences if a worst case scenario occurs."