Chartis, a US based property-casualty and general insurer, has expanded its commercial umbrella insurance solutions with the introduction of Salary Reimbursement Endorsement, developed by its Excess Casualty division as a supplementary benefit.
The coverage enhancement is designed to offset some of the uninsured costs employers incur when their employees are required to testify at trial or arbitration proceedings.
Specifically, the endorsement reimburses the insured for the pro rata base salary amount they pay to their employees for days in which employees miss work to: appear as a witness to provide live testimony at a judicial hearing or binding arbitration; participate in testimony preparation and to attend a scheduled trial or arbitration while on call to testify, even if the employee is not ultimately called to testify on that day.
The company has added that there is no limit to the number of employees or proceedings covered under the endorsement and salary reimbursement is subject to a maximum aggregate limit of $10,000.
In addition, the salary reimbursement endorsement can be added to new or renewal commercial umbrella, commercial umbrella liability or Prime Express policies.
Excess Casualty president Christopher Kopser said when employees are required to testify in a legal proceeding, their absence results in lost productivity and potential revenue loss.
"We are pleased to offer this coverage enhancement to help alleviate our clients of some of that financial responsibility and to ensure that the employees best suited to testify are made available to do so," Kopser said.