NORTH ANDOVER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--From the administrator who checks in a patient to the doctors and nurses treating the suffering to the patrolmen and women responding to 911 calls, threats and risks associated with deadly diseases such as Ebola, HIV, and Hepatitis as well as violent assaults on the job are daily realities for healthcare and law enforcement professionals in the United States. Now, Lloyd’s of London (certain underwriters) through its U.S. distributor, Specialty Insurance Advisors, has added an Ebola benefit to its pre-existing Needle Stick and Workplace Violence coverage that will protect healthcare and law enforcement workers in the event of accidental infection from the Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever.
The very first insurance indemnity coverage of its kind, Essential Professional Insurance Coverage (EPIC) goes beyond workmen’s compensation and disability insurance and protects individuals who work on the front lines in hospitals, emergency rooms, fire departments, hazmat units, ambulances, or in law enforcement who are in jeopardy of contracting blood-borne pathogens such as Ebola, HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. Groups such as hospitals, unions and police departments seeking to bolster existing coverage can now add this new affordable employee benefit by contacting their broker or Specialty Insurance Advisors.
“When viruses like Ebola spread and our country is counting on first responders to provide critical care in at-risk situations, affordable insurance options like EPIC are an imperative financial protection if dangers on the job impede health or livelihood. With EPIC Insurance, employees in very risky situations can guard against the worst-case on-the-job scenarios,” said Richard Kosinski, president of EPIC. “Insured persons are paid up to a $200,000 lump sum if they suffer an injury at their workplace as a result of an assault or accidental infection. EPIC does not replace worker’s comp or disability, it is an additional lump sum benefit paid to employees or their beneficiaries. In cases of Ebola, the insured receives $20,000 per month, for up to ten months while infected.”
Hospital administrators across the country have already recognized the benefits of EPIC’s insurance offering. Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood, CA was one of the first U.S. hospitals to offer EPIC to their healthcare workers, and the first to add Ebola infection coverage.
“The opportunity to secure such critical coverage for our hospital healthcare workers was something we could not pass up. It’s one more safeguard we can put in place to help ensure the well-being of our staff in the case of an unexpected incident and reassure them that we are doing all we can to support them as they routinely put their lives at risk while caring for patients,” said Linda Bradley, CEO, Centinela Hospital Medical Center.
According to the Occupational Safety and Hazards Association (OSHA), as many as 800,000 needle sticks occur each year, of which 16,000 are likely to be contaminated with HIV. The risk of acquiring Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C from a needle stick is even higher than HIV.
“Each day, and on all shifts, law enforcement and healthcare workers put their lives and livelihoods on the line as they bravely respond to emergency situations across America,” said Joseph Ferraro, Managing Partner, International Specialty Insurance (ISI), Lloyds U.S. approved cover holder. “With the gravity of emergency response and risks for infection from blood-borne pathogens and unexpected workplace violence, this is now a must-have benefit for groups and individuals. With more than 12,000 lives already covered by EPIC insurance, it is an invaluable resource to our healthcare and law enforcement workers.”
To find out more about EPIC insurance coverage, please visit www.siaepic.com. Members of the media seeking interviews with Richard Kosinski, please contact Lauren Torlone, Director at 617-646-3315 or LTorlone@SchneiderPR.com, or Hanna Heycke, Account Executive at 617-646-3322 or HHeycke@SchneiderPR.com.
ABOUT SIA: Specialty Insurance Advisors (SIA) is the exclusive U.S. distributor for Lloyds of London, the underwriter of SIA-EPIC insurance. SIA works directly with both Professional Affiliation Groups and Employee Unions to ensure SIA-EPIC is made available to their membership. SIA also works both directly and through brokers with corporations, non-profit entities, and government agencies wishing to provide the protection of SIA-EPIC to their employees. Individuals can purchase the insurance for $269 per year online at www.epicrn.org or by calling 1-800-723-9314
ABOUT LLOYDS OF LONDON: Lloyds is the world's specialist insurance market and occupies fifth place in terms of global reinsurance premium income, and is the largest surplus lines insurer in the US. In 2014, 94 syndicates are underwriting insurance at Lloyd's, covering all classes of business from more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. Lloyd's is authorized under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority.
