How Nationwide Insurance Enhanced Security & Risk Management

CAP’s CRIMECAST Reports Protect 300 Locations Nationwide & Safeguard Traveling Staff

“A CAP Score is not just a crime number…It is jobs, schools, housing – so much goes into that number, and it gives you a better picture of what’s there.” – Jay Beighley, Nationwide Assistant Vice President for Corporate Security​

THE SITUATION

Reliability and confidence have been the driving forces behind Nationwide Insurance’s use of CAP Index’s CRIMECAST Reports, explains Jay C. Beighley, CPP, Associate VP for Corporate Security.

“When I came to Nationwide, we had over 300 locations but no written or systematic assessment of facilities,” he said. “We’d open a new location in Chicago, and you’d hear, ‘it’s a nice area, you’ll like it,’ but it was all anecdotal, there was no baseline for security and so there was no confidence in what we should do about it.”

300 locations nationwide | Identify safe locations for new offices | Manage staff safety when offsite

Beighley was already familiar with CAP Index from his retail days when he needed to understand the environment around a new store. He immediately put the tool to work for Nationwide.

THE INTERVENTION

“We needed to catch up quickly, and the fastest way to do it was with a reliable insurance security assessment using CAP Index’s CRIMECAST Reports as the baseline. We then included other information to develop a protection scheme for a facility,” explained Beighley.

In short order, the company transitioned from an ad hoc security strategy based on what ‘felt right’ to one driven by data that truly aligned protection with risk.

“The nice thing about a CAP Score is that it’s not just crime,” said Beighley. “Of course, I can get police crime rates, which depend on how often they update their UCR, but a CAP Score is not just a crime number—it’s giving you the whole socioeconomic perspective. It’s jobs, schools, housing—so much goes into that number, and it gives you a better picture of what’s there.”

“Because you’re looking at all these other aspects, like what schools are like, you’re getting a more well-rounded look at an environment and its past, current, and future.” – Jay Beighley, Nationwide Assistant Vice President for Corporate Security​

THE TRANSFORMATION

An Effective Insurance Security Assessment

Crime data can be a misleading risk indicator, according to Beighley—something they’ve identified from experiences at their locations, including their headquarters in downtown Columbus, Ohio. “Because you’re looking at all these other aspects, like what schools are like, you’re getting a more well-rounded look at an environment and its past, current, and future,” he said. The tool can help maintain momentum for security even in the absence of crime events. “It helps you to see issues that might be small, but which could become something bigger.”

“It’s important to get that well-rounded understanding,” Beighley added. “And it does it in a way that takes bias complaints out of the equation.”

“[CRIMECAST Reports] are specific right down to the zip code and street address and give you a radius view with a heat map—that’s critical when you’re trying to make plans for where people are going to be” and ideal for a full-fledged insurance security assessment.

A CAP Index CRIMECAST Report serves multiple functions for Nationwide’s insurance security assessment. They’ll run a report for a hotel where a meeting might take place to ensure it’s a safe choice. They’ll use it for executive protection, including principals’ home and travel security. Primarily, though, it is a key input in assigning a risk level to office locations, which provides a critical basis for the protection it receives. “We can say, ‘this is a low-risk location, so it gets these items,’ and then at the next level up, ‘you get that level of security, plus this.’”

The granularity of the CRIMECAST Report’s scoring is a key benefit, Beighley added. “It’s specific right down to the zip code and street address and gives you a radius view with a heat map—that’s critical when you’re trying to make plans for where people are going to be.”

“It’s defensible. If you get into trouble at a facility and get sued, you’re going to be asked, ‘what did you base your security judgment on?’ It’s important in our industry to have a systematic, proven reliable method for assessing risk.”

With risk addressed systematically, the security team no longer has to assume all responsibility for the extent of security at a site, as an executive risk committee signs off on any decision to forgo security measures prescribed by a location’s risk category. CAP Index CRIMECAST Reports are a critical communication tool that makes senior management aware of its risk appetite and is a fact-based approach to resource allocation that management appreciates. “Having a scientific method drive how money is spent is one of those things that management really responds to, that they can really understand,” he said.

CONCLUSION

While it can successfully defend past actions, it also helps an organization look forward, according to Kate Studebaker, a threat management consultant for Nationwide. “It can tell you where you stand and what you can expect,” she said. “Looking at the risk for crime and theft, you can see if those are creeping closer to a specific site. It’s a nice tool for project and plan development.”

From someone like Jay Beighley, who has been a leader in the security industry for over 30 years, his perspective on CAP Index CRIMECAST Reports is probably the ultimate compliment: “Honestly, there is nothing I would recommend they do differently or change,” he said. Clearly, Nationwide Insurance’s adoption of CRIMECAST Reports has become a benchmark in insurance security assessment practices.

HELPING CUSTOMERS OPTIMIZE SECURITY

Nationwide Insurance’s implementation of CAP Index’s CRIMECAST Reports has revolutionized their security strategy, transforming it from a subjective approach to a data-driven system. The comprehensive socio-economic insights provided by CRIMECAST Reports have enabled Nationwide to make informed, defensible security decisions, ensuring the safety of their numerous locations. This strategic shift not only enhances current security measures but also equips Nationwide to proactively manage future risks, setting a new standard in insurance security assessment practices.

Keep Reading