For Ed Winter (pictured), director of terrorism at Markel International, the nature of political violence risk has changed dramatically over the last two decades. While his career spans 27 years in the terrorism insurance space, Winter says the recent rise in active assailant incidents in the UK and Europe demands a new kind of awareness among businesses and brokers alike.
"Terrorists are always finding angles of how to attack, how to cause bodily harm, how to get themselves in social media and papers and so on," said Winter. "We need to be at the forefront, we need to be reactive in how we help our clients."
Unlike traditional terrorism coverage, which typically responds to politically motivated attacks, active assailant insurance is designed to address the unpredictable and deeply personal motivations behind lone actor violence. These are not orchestrated campaigns by groups like ISIS or Al-Qaeda, but often acts of violence by individuals in psychological crisis.
"There is not necessarily one definition of that person," said Winter. "More often than not, these people are experiencing mental health challenges and that's why mental health discussions are such a massive thing these days."
He points to recent UK cases involving youth violence in schools and attacks in public spaces. "Security is not just about a man or a woman or a dog," he added. "It's about understanding. How do you protect that child? How do you support that child?"
Demand for active assailant insurance is growing across sectors, with education, retail, and hospitality among the most vulnerable. Schools, in particular, face new scrutiny, with incidents involving knives on the rise. Offices and hotels are also heightening physical and behavioural security measures.
But Winter says there's still a knowledge gap. "Absolutely, they want to buy it because maybe a lender has said you need to buy this product and it's a tick box," he said. "We can’t tell them to take it, but we can educate."
Winter emphasizes the importance of involving third-party security specialists. "Insurance is great, insurance will pay out, but the third party is there to protect, support and make people aware," he said. "We’re not offering [insurance] just because we want to make some money."
The line between terrorism and active assailant is becoming increasingly blurred, especially as terrorists find simpler, less detectable means of inflicting harm.
"You can buy a kitchen knife from any superstore, rent a car and run into people," said Winter. "We have to change our mindset. We’re not just looking at a backpack bomb. Now we're looking at liability. How is the security doing?"
This shift is pushing insurers to rethink coverage language, exclusions, and client communication. For brokers and risk managers, the call is clear: start the conversation early and build understanding through real-world case studies.
"Never say never," Winter warned. "You live in a small, rural town? These things can happen there."
As the UK and European businesses grapple with this evolving threat landscape, Winter believes active assailant coverage will become a standard part of the corporate insurance toolkit – much like cyber insurance.
"It is a normal thing now we're doing most days," he said. "When we talk to our clients and they want to buy terrorism, we do mention the active assailant, because these events are increasing."
His final message is one of preparedness, not fear: "It's not about scaremongering. It's about being vigilant. And insurance is secondary to having a third party to help us and educate them."
In a world where threats no longer wear uniforms or fly flags, Winter's response is unmistakable - protection begins with awareness.
