Ukraine: Running Towards Danger

Dan Kaine was on the ground in Ukraine 36 hours after the conflict began, making his way in the opposite direction to the thousands of people trying to leave. Why would he do that?

War correspondents and broadcast journalists, people working for NGOs or advising governments are among the many who head directly towards a crisis. But most can’t or won’t be allowed to go without insurance backed by some kind of extraction plan, should things go wrong.

That’s where Dan Kaine comes in. He is Managing Partner at Inherent Risks, who are what is known in the insurance industry as a ‘Risk Advisory and Crisis Response Firm’. Their role is to provide the risk assessments, intelligence, global provider networks and hands-on support that make it possible for brokers like Bellwood Prestbury to offer high-risk insurance.

For Dan and his team, who are all drawn from specialist military roles with extensive experience in challenging environments, that means heading into a war zone or conflict area before everyone else in order to build reliable networks on the ground.

Setting up a Command Centre within 12 hours

Dan explains. “I was in London when the tanks rolled across the border. I immediately got a flight to the nearest border region in Poland. Within 12 hours I had set-up a desk within a command centre at a hotel close to the border with Ukraine. Sharing the space with foreign embassies and international media agencies, I set about gathering intelligence from diplomats, journalists, military contacts and trusted civilian sources within Ukraine.

“Making the decision to deploy at the right time, and identifying the right location enabled me to very quickly build an excellent, high-level network. It also made it easier to secure a lift in a diplomatic car on my way to Lviv, and on to Kyiv, just as Russian forces were closing in on the capital.”

Dan and the Inherent Risks teams had three key roles to fulfil on the ground:

1. Assess evacuation routes. Initially the focus in Ukraine was on evacuating insurance policyholders, and in addition, high net worth individuals’ families who were desperate to get out of the shifting and uncertain war zone. This included the family of an international footballer who would have been at great risk of being targeted, had Kyiv fallen.
2. Set up reliable supply chains and logistics. Inherent Risks were tasked with getting medical supplies, food and resources paid for by various donors and NGOs into the country, at a time when everyone else was getting out. With borders blocked and the frontline of military activities changing daily, this was a complex challenge.
3. Build a reliable intelligence picture. Insurance underwriters need to understand the risks presented by any particular activity in any specific region before they can issue policies. Inherent Risks are a trusted intelligence source for high-risk Accident, Health, Personal Accident and Kidnap and Ransom cover around the world. As the Ukraine war developed, insurance markets needed a full picture they could rely on to underwrite robust policies.