A sign of the times: it is estimated that up to eighty percent of Fortune 500 companies have purchased Kidnap-and-Ransom insurance policies for their executives who work abroad. Policies range from $1,500 to $5,000 per year for $1 million of coverage. Policies cover such things as ransom reimbursement, hostage negotiation fees, counseling fees, and medical coverage for the victims. Corporate policies also pay for interpreters, travel expenses, lost salary, and the cost of hiring a replacement. Some policies even cover the victim's financial losses, like the failure to exercise stock options.
