Aon & NU Highlight Terrorist Threat to Business

by Gill Montia

Story link: Aon & NU Highlight Terrorist Threat to Business

Businesses are being urged to review the level of threat posed by terrorism, in the light of Aon’s 2007 Terrorism Threat Map, which shows a shift in terms of global terrorist activity.

Aon believes that company’s need to review their vulnerabilities in terms of operations and revenue streams, and maintain a full understanding the changing nature of any areas of exposure.

The 2007 map, which is based on the level of terrorist threat in over 200 countries, shows the Al-Qaeda network and those terrorist groups operating under its remit, as weakening.

In Afghanistan in particular, the War on Terror has apparently impacted on the effectiveness of Al Qaeda’s command and control capabilities and a level of dissipation is evident in other countries where terrorist cells appear to have lower levels of coordination.

However, vigilance needs to remain strong, as the change has led to terrorist plots becoming many and varied, so that when one plot has been stopped in a certain country, another unrelated plot may be successful.

More positively, poor coordination has allowed intelligence and counter-terrorism organisations to improve the success rate of their operations.

The overriding message from Aon is that businesses need to be aware that the level and shape of the risk of terrorism is evolving.

Norwich Union has also highlighted the need for businesses to review their cover following the recent terror threats in the UK.

Damage resulting from acts of terrorism is a standard exclusion under virtually all commercial property policies in the UK and Norwich Union is making the point that cover, which should include Business Interruption extensions, needs to be purchased separately.