Severance Insurance

The quick and easy answer is that nobody does. Otherwise there would be a severance insurance/severeance replacement product out there. But maybe that's a little harsh. In my blogs I've discussed the obvious potential reactionaries:

• Outplacement firms...they like the system just the way it is, because large corporations turn to them to provide post-employment support. Why mess with what works (for them)?
• Academics...believe the current system is broken but beyond that diagnosis they have not come up with any concrete ideas for a new system/method
• Insurance companies...other than the AIG www.aig.com rumor, nothing else has turned up that would confirm any insurance company (good or bad) has a severance insurance product. They seem to be mired in the "adverse selection" bog.
• Insurance brokers...My sense is that the Marsh's of the world www.marsh.com are always looking for new product. But that doesn't mean they are capable or interested in developing one.
• Insurance consultants...Is it their job to diagnose problems (kind of like the academics), to solve problems (kind of like investment bankers) or both? My sense is they are diagnosticians not problem solvers. See www.hewitt.com or www.mercer.com
• Politicians...With all the talk about the middle class being left behind, about mortgage foreclosures, etc. I'm kind of surprised that both sides of the aisel haven't focused on this issue. Not one of the serious candidates has anything remotely close to restructuring job loss benefits on their radar screens/web sites.
• Job Boards...The Monsters www.monster.com of the world are too focused on their own business model to meddle in another arena.
• Investment Bankers...You'd think that the folks responsible for creating financial solutions and effecting all of the major merger and acquisition activity would have quantified the amount of money allocated to workforce restructuring in these deals and at least inquired/explored as to whether there were any alternative strategies available. I guess they rely on the brokers to give them a heads up.
• Private Equity...If there was ever a natural fit, I guess this would be it. They are focused on returns on invested equity and the timeline to effect their exit strategy. Severance Insurance could play a significant roll here. Again, I guess they rely on the brokers to give them a heads up.
• Corporate Executives...They rely on their risk managers (who rely on their brokers) and their human resource executives (who seem to always prefer not rocking the boat). If those executives aren't feeding senior management the right information, then nothing is going to change.

So, who cares (other than me)? I don't think anyone...EXCEPT THE POOR SOULS WHO HAVE BEEN FIRED!! And they don't carry any weight. Maybe they should organize? I've suggested that before.

willy