One of my law school professors was well-versed in insurance law. He told me that he had any number of prominent non-coverage lawyers come to hire him as a consultant on discreet insurance questions. Invariably he would ask them upfront...."Have you read the policy?" A surprising number answered that they had not, quickly got off the phone and oftentimes did not need to call back.
The 1977 movie "Black Sunday" portrayed an attempted terrorist attack at a stadium on Super Bowl Sunday. If this fictional attack had succeeded, would that be covered by insurance? Read the policy. In a June 1, 2016, article on active shooter incidents in Best's Review, one insurance attorney noted that such events "can trigger a host of coverages such as general liability, business interruption and property insurance-to name a few."
With given products, an incident that does not result in damage to a property is not going to trigger coverage for the extra expense or business interruption. It is not like a car crash or a tornado. In reaction to perceived need, certain insurers have developed specialty policies that have been dubbed "active shooter policies," to fill in the gaps. While it is difficult to contemplate, sports executives should examine their policies to determine if they have coverage and if not, if they have a need.
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