Product recall insurance for luxury brands

In today’s global marketplace, the risk of product recall has never been greater.

Increasing regulatory scrutiny, pressured margins, complex supply chains and changing technology can lead to an increase in the occurrence and severity of product recalls.

Some product defect risk can be mitigated using technology during production, but errors can affect even the most prestigious, global product manufacturers and brands.

Crisis planning and high-standard quality controls are key to mitigating the risk of product recall.

Insurance cannot replace effective business governance, but product recall insurance can support and complement an effective risk management strategy by minimising the financial repercussions of a product crisis and enabling brand recovery.

How can product recall insurance help you?

Product recall insurance can help a company to protect:

Shareholder value

Product recalls can have a significant effect on a company’s balance sheet, causing a cash shortage that can eliminate profit.

We’ll work with you to make sure that product recall protection is embedded in your wider risk management strategy so that you meet your fiduciary duty to protect shareholder value.

Brand and reputation

When risk management systems and controls do fail, what matters is how you respond and manage the event.

We’ll help you ensure your investment in risk transfer includes any crisis support you may need to respond to crises, protect and rehabilitate your brand.

Costs expenditure

Whether incurred by your company or a third party such as a direct customer. The costs to cover labour, transportation and disposal due to a product recall can be expensive. A product recall policy would typically cover these types of costs

“

Crisis planning and high-standard quality controls are key to mitigating the risks of a product recall.”

Louise Dorrian | Head of Product Recall, Willis Towers Watson

What can be covered?

Product extortion

Cover for any threat or connected series of threats to commit malicious product temper, for the purpose of demanding extortion costs, communicated to the insured.

Product defect

Design or manufacturing error.

Malicious product tamper

Provides an insured with coverage for actual or threatened alteration or adulteration of any insured product(s) which is intentional, malicious and illegal.

Government recall

Provides coverage for the insured where a government authority or safety agency orders or mandates a recall.

Key coverage comparison

Please note below is a generalised comparison tool that selects a variety of covers where the triggers may be similar, but where discussion of the differences regarding cover will help understanding of our offering.

There are many derivatives of these wordings; it would not be possible to include every eventuality. For this reason, while we have made every effort to ensure this is a fair comparison there may be examples where the below assessment is not accurate in some areas. This is a guide only and professional advice should be sought from the appropriate professional before making any decisions based on this comparison.

Recall expenses

Rehabilitation of brand

Business interruption

Consultancy advice

Third party liability

Triggers

* Not given as standard and likely to be sub limited