With global political instability spelling an increase in Strike, Riot, and Civil Commotion (SRCC) events, PCS (a division of Verisk) has highlighted the urgent need for a strong risk assessment and transfer tool or, SRCC index.
“From escalating trade wars and crippling sanctions to simmering regional conflicts and armed clashes, recent years reflect an increasingly volatile world,” PCS observed in a recent topical report.
The firm continued, “From Political tensions in Latin America, further inflamed by the worldwide pandemic, to the ever-present threat of armed conflict in regions like Ukraine and Israel, businesses operating in these environments face constant uncertainty.”
PCS also underlined the escalating tensions between China and Taiwan, where even a minor incident could reportedly have “far-reaching implications” for global stability and provide chains.
Based on the firm, the increased frequency and severity of SRCC events demand a shift in business strategies, while the escalating intensity shows the urgent demand for an SRCC index.
“Why do we want an SRCC index? Imagine having a standardized metric to gauge the potential impact of political violence events – a tool that quantifies the risks related to strikes, riots, and civil unrest,” PCS said.
The firm added that by providing a transparent and objective measure, such an index can empower stakeholders across various sectors to accurately assess risks, make informed investment decisions, and convey capability to the industry.
It’s vital to notice that PCS indices for U.S. catastrophe events are embedded in global risk transfer markets, while international cat loss events, marine, energy and aviation loss events, cyber loss events, and more have already been launched and utilised for industry-loss based risk transfer, reinsurance and retrocession arrangements.
Subsequently, it’s not surprising that such demand for an SRCC Index exists, given the present global outlook.
PCS continued, “For global organizations, insurers, reinsurers, investors, and even governments, an SRCC index serves as a priceless tool.
“By analyzing historical data and current trends, the index provides a view of potential losses during prolonged or particularly damaging SRCC events.
“Armed with this data, stakeholders can proactively prepare for the financial repercussions and help hedge a few of that exposure, while also bringing additional capability to the market.”