Active assailant insurance, explained plainly.
Coverage for the liability, care for victims, closure and crisis response that can follow a violent attack at your location, set next to what your general liability, property and workers’ comp policies already do.
By Sam Alishahi · CA Insurance License #4348151 · Reviewed October 2026 · How this page is researched
Where your other policies may stop short
CISA, using the FBI’s definition, describes an active shooter as one or more people actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. Active shooter policies were written for that kind of event, and the Reinsurance Association of America notes the coverage isn’t limited to firearms; active assailant coverage can extend to other weapons, such as motor vehicles. The RAA says the coverage was first useful to universities and has since grown to hotels, hospitals, businesses and other places where many people gather.
Your current policies may already respond to part of an incident, so I start there. Workers’ comp generally covers medical costs for employees hurt at work. A general liability policy may pay for bodily injury and defense costs, but some carry assault and battery or firearms exclusions, and some courts have held that a shooting wasn’t an accidental “occurrence” under the policy. Business income can be a gap too: a general liability policy may not pay lost income when law enforcement closes a site. I read what you have, then show what a standalone active assailant policy would add, so you can decide whether it’s worth it.
- Third-party liabilityClaims from people hurt at your location, with defense costs and judgments or settlements.
- Victim benefitsMedical bills, death benefits, funeral costs and crisis counseling; on some policies, paid without anyone having to sue.
- Business interruptionLost income after an attack, and on some policies, after an attack near your location.
- Crisis responseServices before and after an incident, and on some property programs, the cost of renovating or rebuilding.
What underwriters will ask
Having these ready means I can go to market on the first call. The quote form asks for the same things, and anything you don’t know yet can wait.
- The organization: what you do, and the address of each location.
- People on site: employees, and the most visitors you have at one time.
- Security: guards, locked or badge entry, and any written emergency action plan.
- Training: active assailant or de-escalation training for staff, and when it was last done.
- Current policies: general liability, property, workers’ comp and umbrella declarations pages.
- History: any violent incidents or threats at your locations, and the date you want coverage to start.
Active assailant insurance, answered
Does general liability cover a mass shooting?
It may cover part of it. A general liability policy can pay for bodily injury and defense costs, but some exclude assault and battery or firearms, and some courts have held that a shooting wasn’t an accidental “occurrence.” I read your policy’s exclusions before you decide anything.
Does terrorism insurance cover an active shooter?
Not always. Under federal law, the Secretary of the Treasury has to certify an act as terrorism, which includes finding it was part of an effort to coerce the U.S. civilian population or to influence government policy by coercion, and no act can be certified unless insured property and casualty losses exceed $5 million in total. A shooting may not meet that test, so read how your terrorism coverage defines a covered act.
Does workers’ comp cover employees hurt in a workplace shooting?
Workers’ comp generally covers medical costs for employees injured at work, and employees who witness an attack may be eligible for benefits for PTSD or other psychological effects. In most states it’s the employee’s sole remedy against the employer, though some courts may allow exceptions. Workers’ comp is for employees, not customers or visitors.
Who buys active assailant insurance?
AM Best reported in 2018 that large organizations bought first, such as larger school systems, health care systems, parades and high-profile events, and that smaller ones, such as churches, day care centers and delis, were then seeking coverage. The RAA notes the coverage was first useful to universities.
Do I need it if I already have liability and workers’ comp?
Not necessarily. A law professor quoted by AM Best said many of these losses are already covered if an organization has liability, workers’ comp and health insurance. A standalone policy can add victim benefits that don’t require a lawsuit, crisis response and lost income, so I lay the two side by side.
Do you offer active assailant insurance outside California?
Yes. Clients across the country send the same quote form. Sam Alishahi is licensed in 48 states and Washington, DC and places policies there directly. In Florida and Washington, where Sam's licenses are still being issued, a partner agency in your state helps in the meantime. The shopping across carriers works the same way. Rules, minimums and markets differ by state — see insurance requirements by state.
Official sources
- CISA: Active Shooter Preparedness
- CISA: Active Assailant Emergency Action Plan product suite
- CISA: Protecting Houses of Worship
- Reinsurance Association of America: Active shooter insurance
- AM Best, Best’s Review: A Response to Tragedy (December 2018)
- OSHA: Workplace violence
- Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002, as amended, section 102 (15 U.S.C. 6701 note)
Send your current policies. I’ll read them first.
Your general liability declarations page and the number of locations are enough to start.
Alishahi Insurance · Saman Alishahi, independent insurance broker, California License #4348151. General information, not a quote or a promise of coverage; coverage depends on underwriting and the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy actually issued.
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