The Lloyd’s of London, through its US distributor Specialty Insurance Advisors, is providing Ebola insurance coverage for healthcare and law enforcement workers.
The company has added an Ebola benefit to its pre-existing Needle Stick and Workplace Violence coverage, which will help in protecting healthcare and law enforcement workers, when infected with Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever.
The first insurance indemnity coverage, Essential Professional Insurance Coverage (EPIC), will protect individuals working on the front lines in hospitals, emergency rooms, fire departments, hazmat units, ambulances, or in law enforcement who are in risk of contracting blood-borne pathogens such as Ebola, HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
EPIC president Richard Kosinski said: "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.
"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."
Centinela Hospital Medical Center, located in California, is said to be the first hospital to offer EPIC to their healthcare workers, and the first to add Ebola infection coverage.
Centinela Hospital Medical Center CEO Linda Bradley said: "The opportunity to secure such critical coverage for our hospital healthcare workers was something we could not pass up."
Image: Lloyd’s building. Photo: courtesy of Lloyd’s of London.