A pandemic: the world in a state of emergency

Whenever an infectious disease doesn’t just occur locally, but rather spreads across multiple countries and continents, this is called a ‘pandemic’. As a consequence, people fear for their health, governments go into crisis mode and companies urgently need a contingency plan.

Due to global networks of suppliers, producers and sales markets, there is hardly a company that is not affected by the consequences of a pandemic. Companies around the world are either shutting down completely, scaling down their production operations or asking their employees to work from home in a bid to slow the spread of the virus. The closure of national borders jeopardises supply chains, which can lead to business interruptions. Goods consignments remain stuck in ports, receivables are not paid and important events are cancelled. In short: the world is in a state of emergency, which can soon threaten livelihoods. We have put together a brief guide to insurance and risk management in times of crisis.