How much does it cost to insure a journalist on assignment in Ukraine?

For journalists, aid workers and engineers, the insurance premium for an assignment in Ukraine is more expensive than during the Iraq or Afghanistan wars. Moreover, the further to the east, the higher the premium.

Alexis Fehler, an underwriter at Lloyd's of London, explains that Ukraine is considered a war zone, more active than an insurgency zone. This means that the situation can get worse very quickly. For this reason, insurers generally provide weekly or even daily coverage.

Battleface, an affiliate of Lloyd's of London, is offering seven-day policies. The average premium is 3 429 USD while the maximum coverage is limited to nearly 250 000 USD for personal accidents and 250 000 USD for medical care. This premium may reach 4 285 USD for high-risk areas. It is noteworthy that the Donbass and Odessa require a special insurance policy, charged by the day.

Other insurers calculate the premium according to the amount covered, that is, 5% to 10% of the said sum.