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As the situation in Ukraine evolves, businesses should be mindful of potential risks to their people, assets, operations, or supply chains in the region and globally. Marsh, as part of the Marsh McLennan family of companies, has created a page with information, tools, and resources related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Please visit the page for the latest information.

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Defense Base Act

Protection for U.S. military and contractors abroad is essential to your operations.

We are a leader in the placement of Defense Base Act (DBA) insurance, working closely with our clients to meet regulatory requirements for enterprises at all stages of global expansion. Like workers’ compensation, DBA is social insurance which compensates employees for injuries sustained in the course of their employment and also pays benefits to employee dependents in the event of an employee death related to overseas employment. DBA applies to employees of federal government contracts and grants overseas.

Benefits of Defense Base Act

Any employer with employees working on any project performed outside the U.S. on behalf of the U.S., whether the work be military or non-military, is required to carry DBA insurance.

 

This could include, but is not limited to employees with the following characteristics:

  • Employed at any military base outside the U.S.
  • Employed on any foreign lands used by/for the U.S. military
  • Employed in any public work outside the continental U.S.
  • Employed under a contract with the U.S., performed outside the U.S.
  • Subcontractors employed by a general contractor performing any of the above

 

Defense Base Act Coverage

Regulated by the Department of Labor, a DBA insurance policy provides coverage similar to a domestic workers’ compensation policy. Coverage under a DBA policy typically includes:

Medical expenses

Includes medical, surgical, and hospital treatment, and other medical supplies and services.

Rehabilitation expenses

If employees cannot return to their previous job, they are eligible for testing, counseling, retraining, etc.

Indemnity for loss of wages or income (temporary and permanent)

The ability to earn wages subject to the classified temporary or permanent status.

Repatriation expenses

The costs involved in transporting an employee or their body back to their own country after they have been injured or killed in a foreign country.

Disability and death benefits

The DBA provides disability and medical benefits to covered employees injured in the course of or arising from employment and death benefits to eligible survivors of employees killed in the course of employment or who died of causes arising from employment.

Additional coverages available:

Kidnap, ransom, and extortion, foreign voluntary compensation, general liability, and business auto liability, accidental death and dismemberment, emergency security and evacuation, and business travel accident.

Meet Arsh, a specialist in international coverages.

Arsh Tatevosyan

Client Executive, International
Alexandria, VA

Learn More

Meet a defense base act specialist.

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