ABIR members donate more than $3m to Bermudian charities
The Association of Bermuda Insurers & Reinsurers (ABIR) member companies donated $3.1 million to Bermudian charities in the first six months of 2020.
All 27 of ABIR’s members have made charitable contributions to Bermudian charities in 2020. The Bermuda Community Foundation COVID-19 Emergency Fund was the largest beneficiary, with over $500,000 contributed to support the effort. The King Edward VII Memorial Hospital received almost $400,000 to support funding for ventilators, personal protection equipment (PPE), and related supplies. Food charities such as Meals on Wheels and The Eliza Dolittle Society were also significant beneficiaries.
These charitable organisations have provided meals and food to vulnerable families, ensured the safety of women and their children fleeing domestic violence and provided disaster response and relief support such as quarantined resident checks and transportation of individuals to testing sites.
They have also ensured Wi-Fi/technology for over 300 residents in senior care homes and ensured staff and volunteers had access to PPE, and provided housing support to the unsheltered and supplies to the temporary shelters. Charities provided mental health support and services to people with special needs and distributed medication and equipment to people with inadequate health coverage.
Individual firms also made contributions to students, providing them with equipment such as laptops to ensure they could engage in online learning.
“ABIR member companies are ensuring that COVID-19-focused charitable giving responds to Bermudians’ needs during this global pandemic,” said Albert Benchimol, president and chief executive of Axis Capital and chair of ABIR. “From ensuring Bermudian students studying abroad return home safely to family, to supporting world-class technology at the island’s hospital, ABIR member companies have responded to Bermuda’s call.”
Myra Virgil, chief executive and managing director of the Bermuda Community Foundation (BCF) thanked ABIR member on behalf of all Bermudian charities. “The swift and generous contributions meant funding could get where it was most needed during the crisis,” Virgil said.
John Huff, president and chief executive of ABIR said: “ABIR member companies – with 74 percent of team members being Bermudian – stepped up quickly and decisively and took a leading role at a time when Bermuda really needed it. Each one did their part, through corporate donations, matching employee donations, increasing their volunteer efforts and consulting with their own employees to select the beneficiary charities.”
ABIR’s members include: American International Reinsurance Company, Arch Capital Group, Argo Group, Armour, Ascot Group, Aspen, Assured Guaranty, Awbury, AXA XL, AXIS Capital, Chubb, Convex, Enstar, Fidelis, Hamilton Insurance Group, Hannover Re, Hiscox, Lancashire Group, MS Amlin, Partner Re, Qatar Re, Renaissance Re, Sirius Group, Third Point Re, Validus Re, Watford Re, Marsh/Guy Carpenter and Willis Towers Watson.
