Kidnap, Ransom & Extortion Insurance: A Board-Recruitment Advantage for Nonprofit
Author, Jack Marrs, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
High-caliber directors—retired Fortune 500 leaders, public figures with reputational exposure do not join boards on faith. They review bylaws and audited financials, D&O policies and look for a solid approach to managing risk. Then they ask a practical question: “If I am targeted because of my role or if I travel on the organization’s behalf, how will you protect me and my family?” Having Kidnap, Ransom & Extortion insurance answers that question. It shows your organization has thought ahead and lined up real help if something goes sideways—not after the fact. And if you are trying to bring on seasoned, well-connected board members, that goes a long way.
What Does KR&E Provide?
KR&E solves two problems at once. First, it provides immediate access to specialist crisis-response consultants, 24/7, who help manage live incidents such as kidnapping, extortion (including threats), wrongful detention, hijacking, disappearance, and hostage events. Second, it reimburses costs such as crisis-consultant fees, security and medical expenses, travel and accommodations, and ransom/extortion payments. AIG’s CrisiSolution is a representative market offering with broad peril definitions, global reach, and round-the-clock support designed for organizations with people on the move.
A nonprofit with an AIG KR&E policy is not improvising translators, legal contacts, or tactics in an unfamiliar country. It comes with worldwide coverage and a 24/7 crisis-response team, people who speak the language, know local laws, and give directors confidence before they agree to joining your board.
Why Do Top Board Candidates Care about KR&E?
Seasoned directors evaluate mission and risk together. They want to see robust D&O, travel-risk protocol, and KR&E where international work may create exposure. When you can say, “Yes, here is our KR&E, our 24/7 number, and how it integrates with our travel policy,” you make it easier for the people whose time and networks you value to say yes. When you are recruiting, KR&E is a dead-giveaway that you take director safety seriously. If it is missing and your mission carries obvious risk, you are essentially asking directors to take on significant personal exposure without the right tools. The best candidates will not accept that risk.
Where Do Non-Profits Feel the Most Risk?
International site visits and program launches. Work in parts of Latin America, East Africa, the Middle East, or Southeast Asia can increase the exposure
High-profile Board and advisory members. Public figures and major donors can be targeted for their wealth or their influence.
Fundraising travel and donor trips. These are exactly the kinds of situations KR&E is built for and it brings two things you need fast, people on the ground who know exactly what to do, and money to cover the costs so things do not spiral.
How To Present KR&E During Board Recruitment
Be upfront that Board service can involve travel and being in the spotlight. Your nonprofit has invested in protection to support directors and their families if something goes wrong.
Be specific about resources. Share the 24/7 hotline and what the response team actually does in the first hours—coordinating with authorities, retaining local counsel, managing secure communications, and arranging logistics.
Walk through pre-trip risk reviews, itinerary controls and emergency contacts.
Bottom line
KR&E alone will not close the deal, but it clears a major hurdle for top candidates who want straight answers and solid safeguards. If you want proven leaders on your board, make KR&E non-negotiable. Tighten up your travel-risk plan, give Rancho Mesa a call to learn more about AIG’s CrisiSolution. That alone can flip a hesitant maybe to a solid yes.
To learn more about how Rancho Mesa can support your organization’s needs, contact me at (619) 486-6569 or jmarrs@ranchomesa.com.