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‘Teen takeovers’ roil public-facing businesses, heightening risk - Business Insurance Skip to content Register for free Search Search Log In Risk Management Cyber Risks Pricing Trends Mergers & Acquisitions Technology Sponsored Content WSIA RISKWORLD Workers Comp & Safety Workers Comp Cost Control Pain Management Workplace Safety International EMEA Asia-Pacific Latin America People Events BI Intelligence Top 100 Agents & Brokers Best Places to Work 2025 Lists Directories Insurance Pricing BI Stock Index Magazine Current Issue Past Issues Subscribe Women to Watch ALL INsurance Resources Risk Perspectives Sponsored Content Webinars White Papers Risk Management Cyber Risks Pricing Trends Mergers & Acquisitions Technology Sponsored Content WSIA RISKWORLD Workers Comp & Safety Workers Comp Cost Control Pain Management Workplace Safety International EMEA Asia-Pacific Latin America People Events BI Intelligence Top 100 Agents & Brokers Best Places to Work 2025 Lists Directories Insurance Pricing BI Stock Index Magazine Current Issue Past Issues Subscribe Women to Watch ALL INsurance Resources Risk Perspectives Sponsored Content Webinars White Papers Risk Management Cyber Risks Pricing Trends Mergers & Acquisitions Technology Sponsored Content WSIA RISKWORLD Workers Comp & Safety Workers Comp Cost Control Pain Management Workplace Safety International EMEA Asia-Pacific Latin America People Events BI Intelligence Top 100 Agents & Brokers Best Places to Work 2025 Lists Directories Insurance Pricing BI Stock Index Magazine Current Issue Past Issues Subscribe Women to Watch ALL INsurance Resources Risk Perspectives Sponsored Content Webinars White Papers Risk Management Cyber Risks Pricing Trends Mergers & Acquisitions Technology Sponsored Content WSIA RISKWORLD Workers Comp & Safety Workers Comp Cost Control Pain Management Workplace Safety International EMEA Asia-Pacific Latin America People Events BI Intelligence Top 100 Agents & Brokers Best Places to Work 2025 Lists Directories Insurance Pricing BI Stock Index Magazine Current Issue Past Issues Subscribe Women to Watch ALL INsurance Resources Risk Perspectives Sponsored Content Webinars White Papers ‘Teen takeovers’ roil public-facing businesses, heightening risk by Claire Wilkinson General liability , P/C Insurers , Risk Management Jun 23, 2026 Large gatherings organized through social media, including so-called teen takeovers at malls, parks and beaches, can create significant liability exposures for shopping mall owners and retail businesses, brokers and security professionals say. Recent gatherings have highlighted the risks posed by crowds that form with little notice, spurred by social media posts encouraging mayhem. In Houston, police recently responded to a crowd of more than 500 young people during FIFA World Cup-related events downtown in an incident authorities described as a teen takeover. Officers were deployed to prevent the crowd from merging with nearby FIFA Fan Fest activities, and gunfire was reported in the area, although no injuries were reported, according to news reports. If shoppers are injured in the resulting chaos, mall owners and retailers could face lawsuits alleging they failed to provide adequate security, said Duncan Ellis, New York-based real estate practice leader at Marsh Risk. “If you were in the shop when this took place and you got caught up in that, knocked to the ground, trampled in any way, assaulted in any way, obviously the store would potentially be liable for that,” he said. Parking lots and other common areas can create premises liability exposures, including lawsuits arising from shootings or other violent incidents, Mr. Ellis said. He cited a recent case involving a gang shootout in a parking lot near an apartment building where an innocent bystander was injured and subsequently sued the building owner. The case could result in a multimillion-dollar claim against the landlord, even though the shooting was beyond the owner’s control, he said. Large mall owners often purchase liability limits “north of $100 million,” Mr. Ellis said. Some also buy specialty coverage for active shooter and political violence risks. Assault-and-battery claims stemming from fights, stabbings, shootings or injuries sustained during large gatherings can create some of the largest losses, said Caleb Turner, Atlanta-based senior vice president, casualty, at Amwins Group. “These are severity-driven claims,” he said. Commercial general liability policies typically respond to third-party bodily injury and property damage claims but obtaining broad coverage for assault-and-battery exposures has become more difficult, Mr. Turner said. Securing coverage without assault-and-battery or firearms exclusions and sublimits is the “toughest challenge,” he said. Some insurers have introduced monoline assault-and-battery and firearms coverage intended to fill gaps when standard general liability policies exclude or limit coverage for those exposures, although pricing can be “astronomical” for some accounts, Mr. Turner said. Mall owners are paying closer attention to indemnification provisions, additional-insured requirements and tenant insurance coverage, he said. Insurers consider crime scores, loss history and parking lot exposures when underwriting these risks, while also reviewing security measures such as cameras, emergency call stations and relationships with local law enforcement, brokers said. From a risk management perspective, property owners should maintain close communication with local law enforcement and monitor social media activity for potential threats, said Andy Peloquin, Fort Lauderdale-based executive vice president of security and risk management at Merrill Herzog, a security and risk consulting firm. Many metropolitan areas have information-sharing groups involving police, venue operators and property owners, and businesses located near major events should stay informed about traffic plans and other measures being put in place, he said. Merrill Herzog recently conducted risk assessments for properties near a FIFA event in Canada, helping identify risks associated with increased pedestrian traffic and crowd activity, Mr. Peloquin said. Measures included temporary access controls, security perimeters and additional security personnel. “Maybe you have temporary access control to your facility, like if it’s a hotel, and you put up a proper safety perimeter. You safeguard your guests the best you can,” he said. Property owners should pay particular attention to parking lots and surrounding areas. “Parking lots are a big consideration that everybody overlooks,” Mr. Peloquin said. Security cameras and signage can help address some of those risks, he said. Property owners should think about security in concentric rings that extend beyond the venue itself, Mr. Peloquin said. “If it gets to your venue and it happens, it’s too late,” he said. Businesses should also review their insurance coverage and exclusions before an incident occurs. “Insurance is probably one of the biggest pieces,” Mr. Peloquin said. Organizations should stress-test loss scenarios to identify potential coverage gaps, he said. 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