War Risk · insurance
War Risk is not a single insurance product, but rather a group of insurance arrangements centered on unconventional risks such as "war, civil war, revolution, rebellion, insurrection, terrorism, and political violence." In the field of overseas engineering finance and insurance, it typically appears in the form of endorsements, standalone policies, or specialized political risk insurance, covering engineering works, construction equipment, personnel, cargo, project financing, and contract interruption and loss of profit caused by war.
Unlike ordinary property insurance, the core logic of war risk insurance is not "accidents" but "political violence." Ordinary property insurance typically lists war, civil war, rebellion, and terrorism as exclusions, so overseas engineering projects must arrange war risk insurance separately. Otherwise, if a coup, border conflict, armed attack, or terrorist bombing occurs in the project country, the owner and contractor may face enormous losses without compensation.
In overseas engineering, war risk insurance is typically divided into three levels:
It is particularly important to note that war risk insurance overlaps with but is not equivalent to Political Risk Insurance (PRI). War risk insurance focuses more on "direct losses caused by violent events," while political risk insurance focuses more on "breach and exchange transfer losses caused by government actions." In overseas engineering, the two often need to be used in combination.
From a legal and contractual perspective, FIDIC Contract Conditions (especially the 1999 and 2017 editions) have specific provisions on war risk. FIDIC Silver Book and Yellow Book typically list war, rebellion, and terrorism as "Employer's Risks" or "Special Risks," and the contractor has the right to claim extension of time and cost compensation, or even terminate the contract under specific conditions. However, whether the contract clauses can be implemented depends on whether the corresponding war risk insurance has been purchased.
The core elements of war risk insurance can be summarized in five dimensions: insured amount, insurance period, premium rate, deductible, and applicable scenarios. The following table is based on common practices in overseas engineering; specific figures vary significantly depending on the project country, risk level, and insurer.
| Element | Typical Range/Description | Specific Manifestation in Overseas Engineering |
|---|---|---|
| Insured Amount | 100%~120% of contract value, or equipment replacement value | A Middle East refinery project with a contract value of USD 850 million, war risk insured at 110%, i.e., USD 935 million |
| Insurance Period | Consistent with construction period, typically 1~3 years, renewable | An Africa highway project with a 36-month construction period, war risk renewed annually, with re-underwriting required at each renewal |
| Premium Rate | 0.05%~2.5% varying, up to 3%~5% for high-risk countries | High-risk countries such as Iraq, Syria, and Yemen can reach 2%~4%; Pakistan and Nigeria approximately 0.3%~0.8% |
| Deductible | USD 50,000~1,000,000 per occurrence, or 1%~5% of loss amount | A Southeast Asia project with a deductible of USD 200,000 per occurrence |
| Applicable Scenarios | High-risk countries, border areas, politically unstable regions | Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Sudan, Myanmar, Pakistan, northern Nigeria, etc. |
| Coverage Scope | War, civil war, revolution, rebellion, terrorism, insurrection, malicious damage | Some policies exclude nuclear war, great power war, cyber war |
| Additional Coverage | Business interruption, contract interruption, personnel casualties, kidnap and ransom | Requires separate endorsement, premium calculated separately |
| Insurers | Commercial insurance companies, Lloyd's, Sinosure, MIGA | Sinosure mainly provides political risk; commercial war risk is mostly underwritten by Lloyd's, AIG, Allianz, etc. |
Premium rate is the most sensitive factor in overseas engineering war risk insurance. The premium rate depends on:
Taking 2023 data as an example, a Chinese enterprise's wind power project in Balochistan, Pakistan, had a war risk premium rate of approximately 0.6%, with an insured amount of USD 230 million and an annual premium of approximately USD 1.38 million. For an oilfield project in Basra, Iraq, the rate could reach 1.8%~2.5%, with an insured amount of USD 500 million and an annual premium of approximately USD 9 million~12.5 million.
The design of the deductible is also critical. Overseas engineering war risk insurance typically sets a "per occurrence deductible" rather than an "annual aggregate deductible." This means that if multiple terrorist attacks occur within a year, the deductible is deducted each time. A Chinese enterprise's project in Nigeria once suffered three independent attacks, each time deducting a USD 150,000 deductible, resulting in actual self-borne costs of USD 450,000.
The operational process of war risk insurance involves multiple parties: contractor, employer, insurance broker, insurer, reinsurer, Sinosure, banks, etc. The following is a typical process:
Step 1: Risk Identification and Assessment
Step 2: Insurance Scheme Design
Step 3: Quotation and Underwriting
Step 4: Policy Issuance and Premium Payment
Step 5: Insurance Period Management
Step 6: Claims and Settlement
In actual practice, the biggest difficulties are "underwriting cycle" and "information asymmetry." Insurers in high-risk countries often require contractors to provide detailed security plans, including camp defense, security personnel deployment, evacuation plans, etc. If the contractor cannot provide these, the insurer may refuse coverage or charge additional premiums.
Another key point is "bank acceptability." If the project has international syndicated loans, banks typically require the war risk policy to include "bank clauses" or "loss payee clauses" to ensure the bank is the first beneficiary. Sinosure's political risk policies are generally accepted by banks, but commercial war risk policies require careful review of terms.
In 2019, a Chinese central SOE won the bid for a refinery expansion project in Basra, southern Iraq, with a contract value of approximately USD 850 million and a construction period of 36 months. The project is located in southern Iraq, approximately 150 kilometers from the Iranian border, with a complex security situation.
Risk Challenges:
Insurance Scheme:
Actual Loss and Claims:
In January 2020, a rocket attack occurred near the project camp, causing damage to some construction equipment with direct losses of approximately USD 3.2 million. The contractor notified the insurer within 48 hours, and the loss adjuster arrived on site within 7 days. The final claim amount was approximately USD 2.7 million (after deducting the USD 500,000 deductible), with a claims cycle of approximately 4 months.
Lessons Learned:
In 2021, a Chinese enterprise undertook a highway construction project in Balochistan, Pakistan, with a contract value of approximately USD 320 million and a construction period of 48 months. Balochistan has a severe security situation, with frequent terrorist attacks targeting Chinese nationals.
Risk Challenges:
Insurance Scheme:
Actual Loss and Claims:
In 2022, the project camp was attacked by armed militants, resulting in the destruction of 2 excavators and 1 bulldozer, with direct losses of approximately USD 1.8 million. The contractor notified the insurer within 24 hours, and the loss adjuster arrived on site within 5 days. The final claim amount was approximately USD 1.6 million (after deducting the USD 200,000 deductible), with a claims cycle of approximately 3 months.
Lessons Learned:
In 2020, a Chinese enterprise undertook a port expansion project in Lagos, Nigeria, with a contract value of approximately USD 560 million and a construction period of 30 months. Nigeria's overall risk is moderate, but the Niger Delta region has piracy and armed robbery risks.
Risk Challenges:
Insurance Scheme:
Actual Loss and Claims:
In 2021, a cargo ship carrying project equipment was attacked by pirates outside Lagos port, and some equipment was robbed. Cargo war risk insurance paid approximately USD 1.2 million, with a claims cycle of approximately 5 months.
Lessons Learned:
In FIDIC Contract Conditions, war risks are typically listed as "Employer's Risks" or "Special Risks." However, in actual practice, employers often modify these clauses in the Particular Conditions to transfer war risks to the contractor. For example, in a Middle East project contract, the employer removed "terrorism" from the Employer's Risks and required the contractor to bear all terrorism losses. The contractor did not notice this during bidding and only discovered after winning the bid that the war risk premium far exceeded the budget.
Recommendation: During the contract negotiation stage, war risk clauses must be reviewed clause by clause to ensure they match the insurance arrangements. If the employer refuses to bear war risks, the contractor should separately list war risk premiums in the quotation.
Different countries have different legal definitions of war risk. For example, under English law, "war" typically refers to armed conflict between states, while "civil war" refers to armed conflict within the same state. However, in certain civil law countries, terrorism may be classified as "criminal offense" rather than "act of war." This directly affects insurance claims.
Recommendation: Clearly define terms such as "war, civil war, revolution, rebellion, terrorism, insurrection" in the policy to avoid ambiguity. Recommend choosing English law or Singapore law as the governing law of the policy.
War risk premiums are typically denominated in USD, but the project country's currency may depreciate significantly. If premiums need to be paid in local currency, exchange rate fluctuations may cause actual costs to rise. A Chinese enterprise's project in Turkey saw actual premium costs increase by approximately 18% due to lira depreciation.
Recommendation: Denominate and pay premiums in USD or RMB as much as possible. If local currency must be used, recommend purchasing exchange rate hedging instruments.
In certain countries, insurance claims require local police reports, court judgments, or government certificates. However, local bureaucratic systems are inefficient, which may result in claims cycles lasting years. A Chinese enterprise's project in Indonesia had its claim delayed for 14 months because local police refused to issue a report.
Recommendation: Understand local claims procedures before purchasing insurance, and choose insurance brokers and loss adjusters with local experience. If necessary, include "claims assistance" clauses in the contract.
War risk policies typically exclude the following risks:
Recommendation: Carefully read exclusion clauses and supplement coverage through political risk insurance if necessary.
War risk insurance for high-risk projects typically requires reinsurance support. If the reinsurer refuses to pay, the primary insurer may not be able to pay in full. A certain African project's war risk primary insurer was a local insurance company, with Lloyd's as the reinsurer. After a loss occurred, the reinsurer refused to pay on the grounds of "non-disclosure of material risks," resulting in the contractor being unable to obtain full compensation.
Recommendation: Choose insurers with strong reinsurance support, prioritizing international insurers such as Lloyd's, AIG, and Allianz.
There are four main schemes for managing overseas engineering war risk: commercial war risk insurance, Sinosure political risk insurance, MIGA political risk insurance, and self-insurance/risk retention. The following is a comparison table:
| Scheme | Coverage Scope | Premium Rate | Advantages | Disadvantages | Applicable Scenarios |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial War Risk | War, terrorism, rebellion, insurrection | 0.05%~5% | Broad coverage, fast claims, internationally recognized | May refuse coverage for high-risk countries, many exclusions | High-risk countries, projects with international loans |
| Sinosure Political Risk Insurance | War, expropriation, exchange transfer restrictions, breach | 0.3%~2% | Chinese government support, bank recognition, covers political risk | Long approval cycle, many requirements, does not cover commercial risk | Chinese contractors, projects with Chinese loans |
| MIGA Political Risk Insurance | War, expropriation, exchange transfer restrictions, breach | 0.5%~3% | World Bank Group support, internationally recognized | Strict approval, only covers equity investment and loans | Multilateral institution loan projects, large infrastructure |
| Self-insurance/Risk Retention | None | 0 | No premium, flexible | Large risk exposure, may affect financial statements | Low-risk countries, small projects |
Selection Recommendations:
Q1: What is the difference between war risk insurance and ordinary property insurance?
A: Ordinary property insurance typically lists war and terrorism as exclusions. War risk insurance specifically covers these risks and is a standalone policy or endorsement.
Q2: What is the typical premium rate for war risk insurance?
A: Low-risk countries approximately 0.05%~0.2%, medium-risk approximately 0.3%~0.8%, high-risk approximately 1%~5%.
Q3: How long does it take to arrange war risk insurance?
A: Low-risk projects approximately 2~4 weeks, high-risk projects approximately 4~8 weeks, possibly longer if Sinosure is involved.
Q4: What is the typical deductible for war risk insurance?
A: USD 50,000~1,000,000 per occurrence, or 1%~5% of loss amount.
Q5: Does war risk insurance cover terrorism?
A: Most war risk insurance covers terrorism, but some policies may exclude it. Terms must be carefully reviewed.
Q6: Does war risk insurance cover piracy?
A: Cargo war risk insurance typically covers piracy; engineering war risk insurance may not. Separate endorsement is required.
Q7: Does war risk insurance cover personnel casualties?
A: Ordinary war risk insurance does not cover personnel casualties; personnel war risk insurance must be purchased separately.
Q8: Does war risk insurance cover business interruption?
A: Business interruption insurance requires separate endorsement, with premium calculated separately.
Q9: What is the difference between Sinosure's war risk insurance and commercial war risk insurance?
A: Sinosure mainly provides political risk insurance, covering war, expropriation, exchange transfer restrictions, and breach. Commercial war risk insurance focuses more on direct losses caused by violent events.
Q10: Does the war risk policy need bank recognition?
A: If the project has international loans, banks typically require the war risk policy to include "bank clauses" to ensure the bank is the first beneficiary.
Q11: How long does a war risk insurance claim take?
A: Simple cases 3~6 months, complex cases 6~12 months, possibly longer if legal disputes are involved.
Q12: Can war risk insurance be renewed?
A: Yes, but each renewal requires re-underwriting, and the premium rate may be adjusted.
Q13: Does war risk insurance cover nuclear war?
A: Most war risk insurance excludes nuclear war and radioactive contamination.
Q14: Does war risk insurance cover cyber war?
A: Most war risk insurance excludes cyber war; separate endorsement is required.
Q15: Can war risk insurance premiums be included in project costs?
A: Yes, typically included in project insurance costs and can be separately listed in the quotation.