What is a shitstorm insurance?

A shitstorm insurance is an insurance policy where the company that has taken out the insurance can report a claim if it has been subjected to negative publicity/negative reviews online, where these have the potential to develop into a shitstorm.

Many companies nowadays experience that their reputation is exposed to great risk. The digital world has made it easy to spread bad publicity, whether it is true or false. The internet has also made it easier for consumers to share their opinions, but often one encounters mentions and reviews where there are directly false reviews, serious accusations, and not least misunderstandings.

For small and medium-sized enterprises without a dedicated communications department – or concrete knowledge of and experience with Online Reputation Management – it is quite difficult to handle a shitstorm correctly. In most cases, the company may end up exacerbating the shitstorm – and its consequences.

Since nothing is ever truly “forgotten” on the internet, any negative reviews or bad publicity can potentially cause significant damage, even if it does not escalate into a full-blown shitstorm. With a shitstorm insurance, the aim is to put an end to such issues so that it does not cost a decline in revenue and jobs.

Claims Handling

The claims handling in a shitstorm insurance is provided by professional experts in Online Reputation Management. Behind SAFEonNET® is one of the leading experts in the Nordics, ATAK A/S. With more than ten years of experience in the discipline, the agency is an extremely competent partner for cleaning up after a shitstorm.

Why is shitstorm insurance a good idea?

A shitstorm insurance gives companies the opportunity to manage bad publicity, whether it develops into a shitstorm or not.

Just under 40 percent of Danes search for information about a company online before they make a purchase. 70 percent of them opt out of companies with bad publicity. These figures come from a Danish analysis, and they are alarming.

We believe there should be room for mistakes and misunderstandings without it having fatal consequences for a company's foundation.

We also believe it has become too easy to spread bad publicity – and create sympathy – in the worst case based on an incorrect representation of events. However, we also believe that companies have a large responsibility, which is why a shitstorm insurance not only takes the insured's side, which also offers mediation in many cases.

The purpose of shitstorm insurance is to provide cleanup on the internet when searching for the company's name. We believe that the company's digital presence is important and should be objective.

Does shitstorm insurance cover if the negative publicity is well-deserved?

The overwhelming majority of companies that receive bad publicity are healthy and professional businesses. If it concerns specific faults where the consumer is fully entitled to express negative views about the company, companies often do not learn about the unsatisfied experience and do not have the opportunity to rectify this. Consumers tend to jump to conclusions far too quickly and do not seek a solution.

We believe that mistakes can happen, and that it is human to err, but we also believe that a company should be held accountable for its mistakes and adhere to the customer's wishes.

Our partners have individual conditions where it is accounted for that serious and illegal cases can be rejected.