ITIJ Issue 214 November 2018

FEATURE:

p.54

A match made in heaven?

FEATURE:

Jayson Westbury

Perfecting tailored products

Chief Executive of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents

ESSENTIAL READING FOR TRAVEL & HEALTH INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS

Winter sports travellers reluctant to disclose conditions According to the results of new research exclusively revealed to ITIJ, nearly half of British travellers planning on heading on a winter sports holiday are reticient when it comes to disclosing medical conditions to their insurers

p.74

NOVEMBER 2018 • ISSUE 214

FOS upholds four in 10 TI complaints According to an investigation by Which?

Travel in the UK, in 2017 the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) upheld more complaints related to travel insurance than to any other major type of insurance

These travellers believe that travel insurance would be prohibitively expensive if they declared their pre-existing medical conditions, or that they would struggle to obtain coverage at all.

Travel tech provider Aquarium Software, which commissioned the research, has advised that travel insurers need to make it a less daunting proposition for customers to disclose these medical conditions; after all, we in the industry are all too aware of the problems that can result when such important information is kept secret.

“Non-disclosure of medical conditions is a significant problem for the insurance industry, because people feel they will be unfairly penalised for telling the truth,” said Aquarium’s Managing Director Ed Shropshire. “Others genuinely forget past conditions or mistakenly think they are not relevant, and rumours [however inaccurate] that some insurers may try to dodge paying legitimate claims does not help.

It is perhaps human nature to put a sheen on the truth in certain situations, but travel insurance is one area where the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth pays in the long-term –

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

US airlines face lawsuits over travel insurance add-ons The airlines, Delta and JetBlue, are also accused of receiving ‘kickbacks’, as they supposedly receive a share of the profits from

PROFILE:

Made to measure

Looking at the relationship between travel insurers and travel agents

Two US airlines are facing possible class action lawsuits over what is alleged as the deceptive marketing practices they use to sell optional addon travel insurance policies

p.58

the sales of these policies despite the fact that they are not licensed to sell insurance.

The lawsuits were both filed by Florida-based law firm Leon Cosgrove and are almost identical; they allege that the airlines give customers ‘the false impression that the charge for trip insurance is a pass-through’ fee from a separate company, making the transaction one in which the airlines have no financial interest.

“Consumers are required to make an insurance selection,” the lawsuit against JetBlue states, “as they are unable to proceed with purchasing their airline tickets on [the airline’s] website until they choose whether to purchase a trip insurance policy. The consumer cannot simply ignore the insurance offering and

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Which? analysed figures from the FOS and stated on its own website that in almost four out of every 10 cases the FOS assessed related to travel insurance, it ruled in favour of consumers, stating that they had been treated unfairly by their insurers. Health and contents insurance customers, on the other hand, were found to have been treated unfairly in just over one-quarter of cases.

It was also found that, in 2017, the FOS received a record number of complaints related to travel insurance. According to Which?, claims handlers were frequently found to have quibbled over details in small print, applied exclusions that were seen as ‘unfair’, and made use of ‘delaying tactics’ in order to avoid paying out for legitimate claims. Additionally, more than one-quarter of upheld complaints were related to undeclared health issues; it was decreed that some insurers were stretching the definition of what could be counted as a pre-existing condition.

While these findings are certainly a bad look for an industry that is rarely starved for bad publicity – whether fair or unfair – it is encouraging to look at the figures another way and see that more than six in 10 travel insurance complaints were not upheld. This shows that the travel insurance industry is acting fairly more often than it’s deemed not to be; hopefully these figures will continue to improve, and before long, investigations such as this will be a minor footnote.

Editorial comment @ITIJonline Stefan Mohamed - Deputy Editor @itijonline

Editor-in-Chief:

Ian Cameron ian@itij.com

Editor:

Greetings loyal readers! Many of you will be reading this bumpersized issue of our humble magazine at ITIC Global in Geneva – we’ve got a fantastic week of presentations, networking and socialising planned for you, and hope that you enjoy every minute of it. We’ve been scrambling at ITIJ Towers to get this gargantuan issue prepped and ready for your delectation; what, I hear you ask, is on offer?

Well, for starters, we’ve got a generous crop of Industry Voice op-eds for you.

First, we have Greg Mitchell, Chair of Frost Brown Todd’s Insurance Industry Group in the US, opining on travel assistance services regulation. Then, Jon Reay of Rewrite Digital shares his thoughts on how insurers can stop customers from jumping ship for shinier digital prospects. And if that wasn’t enough, Verisk Managing Director Mark Hewitt gives us the low down on last year’s discount rate change in the UK, and Lee Thorpe of SAS UK & Ireland

spills the beans on the new International Financial Reporting Standard 17.

Not bad, eh? We have an insatiable hunger for your expertise, so please do get in touch at editorial@itij.com if you would like to share your views – even if you might describe them as controversial (in fact, the juicier the better).

And that’s barely the beginning – as well as our News Analysis covering travel insurance trends in Canada, we have not one, not two, not three but four fact-packed features for you, deep-diving into winter sports cover, the industry’s ongoing quest to deliver tailored products, meeting customer expectations, and the relationship between travel insurers and travel agents.

Oh, and we also have a profile of Jayson Westbury, Chief Executive of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents, because we love to spoil you.

We hope you enjoy this mammoth issue of ITIJ. Have a brilliant conference, and we’ll see you next month!

CONTENTS HIGHLIGHTS

p9 Industry Voice Bupa faces fine for data breach

p30

Obligation or opportunity?

Healthcare giant faces ICO judgment

The allure of the new

Deputy Editor:

Stefan Mohamed stefan@itij.com

Features Editor:

Mandy Langfield mandy@itij.com

Writer & Copy-Editor: Copy Writer:

Lauren Haigh Christian Northwood

Advertising sales:

Marketing:

James Miller Kathryn Zerboni sales@itij.com Isabel Sturgess Kate Knowles Kane Rich

Finance:

News

Industry Voice

Sarah Watson sarah@itij.com

Elspeth Reid Alex Rogers Kirstin Reid

Design team:

Tommy Baker William McClelland

M

Webmaster:

Tom Reed

Rethinking IFRS 17

Director of events:

p10

Denise Clements denise@itic.co

K

Telephone:

advertising desk: subscriptions desk:

+44 (0)117 922 6600 extension 3 extension 1 extension 247

subscriptions@voyageur.co.uk accounts desk:

Travel Matters p20

p32

UK travellers ‘could suffer’ post-Brexit

email: web:

extension 4 news@itij.com www.itij.com

19 Lower Park Row, Bristol BS1 5BN, UK

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SUBSCRIBE TO ITIJ?

Concerns over a ‘no deal’ scenario

GeneraliCyberSecurTech enters cyber security battlefield

www.itij.com/subscribe Published on behalf of: Voyageur Publishing & Events Ltd.

Insurers need all the help they can get

‘Adapt or die’

MY

CMY

editorial desk:

Insurance Matters

Y

CM

CY

How can insurers keep customers from jumping ship?

Company Brief

C

The information contained in this publication has been published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. Neither the publisher nor Voyageur Publishing & Events Ltd can accept any responsibility for any error or misinterpretation. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or other damage caused by reliance on the information contained in this publication, or in the event of bankruptcy or liquidation or cessation of the trade of any company, individual or firm mentioned is hereby excluded. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.

p22

Insurtech is here to stay

Printed by Pensord Press, South Wales, United Kingdom Copyright © Voyageur Publishing & Events Ltd 2018. Materials in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL & HEALTH INSURANCE JOURNAL

Health Matters

p38

ISSN 2055-1215

Breakthrough in TB research Battling the world’s deadliest infectious disease

PEFC/16-33-447

4

60 YEARS

OF AIR AMBULANCE & MEDICAL ASSISTANCE LONDON

STOCKHOLM

DUBAI

CHINA

ROME

BEIJING TOKYO

DAKAR CONAKRY

DOUALA MADAGASCAR

CAPE TOWN

JOHANNESBURG AUSTRALIA

FROM AFRICA TO THE REST OF THE WORLD 24 Hour Emergency Control Centre Tel: +254 20 6992000 / +254 20 6992299 Mob: +254 (0) 733 639 088 / 722 314 239 Fax: +254 20 344170 Email: emergency@flydoc.org www.flydoc.org

EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Winter sports travellers reluctant to disclose conditions even if there is a short-term financial cost.”

Forty-six per cent of respondents felt that it made more sense not to disclose their pre-existing conditions than to face the potential stress or financial repercussions of being totally open. However, many were seemingly unaware of the consequences if they tried to make a claim and this non-disclosure was found out; and more to the point, the landscape for coverage of pre-existing conditions has changed considerably even in the last few years, so these worries are increasingly unfounded.

“In the next 15 years, the over-65 population in the UK will increase by 4.4 million,” added Shropshire. “Many with medical conditions will still wish to travel.

For sustainable business models, we must ensure people are not priced out for telling the truth, while insurers still need to make a reasonable profit. Consumers need to shop around; price comparison sites are a good first port of call but may not always be best for specific age groups, medical conditions or activities. Niche providers including charities and associations may be more likely to offer affordable premiums and the best cover for very specific scenarios.”

App-reciative customers The research also found that a majority of British winter sport holidaymakers would welcome an app that would enable them to find appropriate travel insurance cover Fifty-eight per cent of respondents to the poll, which took in responses from over 2,000 adults, said that they would

Interestingly, 65 per cent of women said that they would like an app such as this, compared to only 53 per cent of men.

Of those planning a winter holiday over the next 12 months or so, meanwhile, 69 per cent said that it would be nice to have access to this technology.

be likely to make use of a smartphone app that would utilise geolocation to check travel cover and recommend different options to them in real time. The theoretical app in question would, for

For sustainable business models, we must ensure people are not priced out for telling the truth, while insurers still need to make a reasonable profit example, provide a friendly reminder to a customer who had just arrived in Geneva that it would be sensible for them to obtain adequate cover for winter sports.

The future is here “The good news for winter sports lovers and travellers in general is that such apps are no longer science fiction,” said Aquarium Software Director Mark Colonnese. “Increasing numbers are finding pay-as-you-go insurance an attractive option, but it does rely on consumers remembering what additional cover they may need. But now, apps can suggest types and levels of cover based on your location and likely activities in that location.”

In this new tech landscape, Colonnese went on to say, forgetting to obtain necessary coverage will become ‘a thing of the past’: “Are you snowboarding in Geneva, not just skiing? Check your policy, you may need to pay a few pounds more for comprehensive snowboard cover – and be careful if you like to venture off-piste; is this in fact covered on your policy, or an add-on? It can only be a good thing for all concerned if reports of travellers falling foul of inadequate cover are consigned to the history books.”

US airlines face lawsuits over travel insurance add-ons move on to purchasing a ticket.” The bright, attractive marketing, according to the lawsuit, ‘is intended to create the impression that the trip insurance is in the consumer’s best interest – while hiding the fact that [the airlines are] pushing the product because it is in [their] financial interest to generate sales’.

The travel insurance for both airlines is provided by Allianz Global Assistance; Allianz and JetBlue have declined to comment on the allegations, although Delta has called them ‘false’ and assert that they ‘have no basis in fact or reality’.

For more analysis of winter sports travel insurance, check out our feature on p.68

6 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

NEWS

Lack of knowledge about travel while pregnant New research from consumer research awareness initiative Travel Insurance Explained has found that many consumers lack knowledge of the rules and regulations regarding travelling while pregnant The research followed recent news of a British woman who went into labour while on holiday in the UAE and found that without travel insurance the birth and additional expenses would have amounted to £121,100.

Travel Insurance Explained found that 82 per cent of the 2,000 travellers questioned didn’t know that pregnant women are not recommended to fly 27 weeks into the

pregnancy, despite the fact that 67 per cent of respondents with children aged under five had, either themselves or their partner, flown abroad while pregnant.

Generally, if a baby is born prematurely while the mother is abroad on holiday, then the care of the premature baby, including medical bills, accommodation and other expenses, will be covered under the parents’ travel insurance policy. However, 77 per cent of those surveyed were unaware that it is not recommended for a premature baby to fly until the actual due date.

“Should you give birth abroad, any treatment your baby needs will generally be covered under your travel insurance policy, which

is especially important if the baby needs additional specialist medical care,” said Travel Insurance Explained’s Fiona Macrae.

“However, what our independent research shows is that very few people realise that a premature baby should not fly until after their due date, which can mean extending your holiday by a couple of months. And although we don’t want to think of the worst happening while on holiday, it’s always advisable to plan. So, if you are travelling while pregnant, look for a policy specific to your needs. For example, a policy that would offer the extra cover to fly another family member out to support you and your partner or one that offers cover for the

all-important new-born baby essentials.”

Travel Insurance Explained’s top tips for pregnant travellers are: to carefully plan the dates of their holiday; know the estimated date of birth; consult with their doctor about

very few people realise that a premature baby should not fly until after their due date health risks of the country they are planning on travelling to; think about the destination of their babymoon carefully; and to carefully check the travel insurance policy to ensure it provides the extra cover required.

Editorial Blog

Operation Centre 24 / 7 / 365

 +335 56 34 02 14  ambulance@airlec.eu

And if I thought last month’s news was depressing, this month’s ITIJ reads like an excerpt from the running order in the High Court.

The front page, with stories like ‘Winter sports travellers reluctant to disclose conditions’; ‘FOS upholds four in 10 TI complaints’; and ‘US airlines face lawsuits over TI add-ons’, isn’t exactly a barrel of laughs for our industry.

So, I thought I’d delve deeper into this issue to find something more cheery to comment on.

Then I find ‘Lack of knowledge about travel while pregnant’ (see above); ‘Bupa faces fine for data breach’ (page 9) … Keep going Ian, I thought.

Then, on page 32, ‘UK Travellers could suffer post Brexit’. Sigh.

‘Thailand’s ‘The Beach’ to remain closed’ (page 36). Sounds like an excerpt from Jaws.

Business aviation company specialized in air ambulance services. Customized solutions and full flexibility since 1958.

And don’t even talk to me about the Health Matters section … ‘Human infected with rat hepatitis’; ‘West Nile fever in Europe’; ‘Surf resort closed down by brain-eating amoeba’. Wow. So, just to cheer myself up (and of course my advice to both my readers) is go straight to the Service Directory! It’s a right riveting read.

Yes, it’s a land of happiness. Its got everything from Happy Assistance to Happy Funeral Directors. And if that doesn’t make you happy … then … I’m not surprised.

Oh well …

▸ Fleet with 6 aircraft including a dedicated transcontinental jet ▸ Rapid deployment, augmented crews available ▸ French specialized medical team (intensive care, neonatal and infectious disease capable)

(P.S. memo to self: discuss concept of happiness with editorial team at next meeting)

Ian Cameron Editor-in-chief ian@itij.com

European Approvals : AOC FR.AOC.0048, Air Ambulance A.R.S. Accreditation PART M FR.MG.0055, PART 145 FR145.0455, ADOA EASA.AP262/53636

7

www.airlec.eu

INDUSTRY VOICE

A complex system Greg Mitchell, Chair of Frost Brown Todd’s Insurance Industry Group in the US, opines on what he sees as the uneven landscape of travel assistance services regulation Non-insurance travel assistance services can help give consumers peace of mind while travelling abroad that travel insurance alone cannot provide. A promise to indemnify for loss is of little immediate comfort to a vacationer that discovers, upon arriving in Rome for a twoweek trip, that the airline has misplaced their luggage. A trip protection plan with included non-insurance assistance services can assist in minimising the disruption to planned travel in a way that insurance alone simply cannot.

Staring down the prospect of two weeks in a foreign county with nothing but the clothes on their back, a consumer is not terribly concerned with what portion of their travel protection plan is regulated by their local department of insurance and which is not. However, regulators in the US are increasingly concerned with this exact issue, and the inclusion of travel insurance with non-insurance assistance services has been a major component of the increased regulatory scrutiny in the travel insurance space.

Recent class action suits against certain cruise lines and airlines have highlighted this concern, with the class action plaintiffs alleging that the practice of bundling travel insurance policies with cancellation fee waivers and assistance services contributes to an unfair lack of price transparency.

Keeping track of changes As the scrutiny on the travel insurance

permitting the bundling of these products at the point of sale will soon emerge.

industry increases, it is imperative that carriers, producers, administrators, and retailers understand the evolving regulatory landscape for non-insurance assistance services. These impact not only outbound travel products sold to residents of the US travelling abroad, but also the adjudication of claims and the provision of assistance services to foreign nationals while in the US. The two principal regulatory structures dominating the regulatory horizon are the

it is imperative that carriers, producers, administrators, and retailers understand the evolving regulatory landscape for non-insurance assistance services recent multistate regulatory settlement agreements (RSAs) and the NAIC’s forthcoming Travel Insurance Model Act. The Model Act expressly permits the offering of travel protection plans that bundle travel insurance, assistance services, and trip cancellation waivers for one price, provided that information regarding the features and pricing of each are disclosed at or prior to the time of purchase, and the fulfillment materials clearly describe and separately delineate each type of product. The RSAs permit bundling where not prohibited by the insurance law in a participating state, so long as the applicable disclosures are made as required by state law. Therefore, it does appear that a disclosure-based safe harbour

What do we mean by ‘assistance’?

The larger question looming for the travel industry is the meaning of ‘assistance services’. Here, the NAIC’s Model Act and the RSAs do not align.

Both the Model Act and the RSAs provide non-exhaustive examples of travel assistance services such as multilingual assistance or event ticketing, with catchalls for ‘any other services furnished in connection with planned travel’. However, the Model Act defines travel assistance services as ‘non-insurance services for which the consumer is not indemnified based on a fortuitous event, and where providing the service does not result in transfer or shifting of risk that would constitute the business of insurance’. The RSAs define ‘assistance services’ as non-insurance services furnished in connection with planned travel but not directly or indirectly related to the purchasing or administration of travel insurance.

Under the Model Act’s definition, a noninsurance service that does not involve the transfer and shifting of risk may be bundled with travel insurance and sold for a single price so long as the necessary disclosures are made. However, the same service may not fall under the definition of assistance services in the RSAs, in which case it is not clear whether the same disclosures would provide the safe harbour.

Bring it all together To return to the lost luggage example, an assistance service staple, under the NAIC’s

8

Model Act, a service made available to travel insurance policyholders in which dedicated professionals help the consumer co-ordinate with the commercial carrier for the return of lost luggage, or navigate the process of replacing a lost passport while overseas, would likely be ‘travel assistance services’, as such services would not involve the shifting and distribution of risk (depending on the fee arrangement between the insurance carrier and the assistance service provider).

However, under the RSAs and subject to state exceptions, such services may be interpreted as indirectly related to the administration of a travel insurance policy that provides coverage for the loss or theft of luggage.

Where states adopt the Model Act, the proper disclosures will create a safe harbour to allow the bundling of such a service with a travel insurance product for a single price.

As the international travel industry works to meet consumer demand for non-insurance assistance services, both inbound to the US and outbound, it is critical that insurance carriers, service providers, producers and retailers keep their focus on the developing regulatory landscape.

Greg Mitchell

NEWS

Bupa faces fine for data breach Healthcare giant Bupa has been fined after an investigation into an employee who uploaded customers’ data to the dark web to sell Bupa has been fined £175,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in the UK for the 2017 incident, in which an employee took data from 547,000 global customers and tried to sell it; ICO said that Bupa did not have ‘effective security measures in place to protect customers’ personal information’.

“Bupa failed to recognise that people’s personal data was at risk,” said ICO, “and failed to take reasonable steps to secure it.

Our investigation found material inadequacies in the way Bupa safeguarded personal data. The inadequacies were systemic and appear to have gone unchecked for a long time. On top of that, [our] investigation found no satisfactory explanation for them.”

ICO’s investigation found that the employee in question, utilising Bupa’s customer relationship management system SWAN, emailed himself ‘bulk data reports’ containing names, dates of birth, nationalities and email addresses. The records were spotted on the dark web by an ‘external partner’; the site was shut down by authorities in the US later in 2017.

Bupa said that it accepted the decision of ICO and had offered its full cooperation in the investigation: “We take our responsibility for protecting customer information very seriously. We have since introduced additional security measures to help prevent the recurrence of such an incident, reinforced our internal controls and increased our customer checks.”

the new cybersecurity landscape is complex and potentially costly, and threats will not always necessarily come from bad actors operating outside of the company Companies are also advised to make sure that staff are fully trained up in this area so that they know what is expected of them and will be wary if an outside party attempts to trick them into divulging personal information (if they are fully trained, they can also be fully prosecuted if they knowingly

give out personal information without express permission). Strong passwords should be mandatory for all employees, and spam emails should never be opened.

This incident with Bupa should serve as a wake-up call to all companies working in the insurance and financial services space that the new cybersecurity landscape is complex and potentially costly; threats will not always necessarily come from bad actors operating outside of the company, so all businesses need to ensure that they know exactly what they are dealing with and take all potential precautions. Otherwise, not only will the bottom line – and the company’s reputation – suffer, but customers will too.

MEDFLIGHT

How can companies protect themselves – and their customers?

As the incident took place last year, it was dealt with under the provisions and maximum penalties of the Data Protection Act 1998, rather than the General Data Protection Regulation and 2018 Act, which came into effect this year. ICO has offered some tips to companies so that they can protect their IT systems under the new Act. ICO advises businesses to: install firewalls; ensure that operating systems are set up to update automatically; protect computers with the latest security patches; only allow staff access to the information they specifically need for their job, and ensure they do not share passwords; encrypt sensitive personal information held electronically; create regular backups of all data and store them in a separate location; securely remove all personal information before an old computer is disposed of; and install anti-spyware tools. Companies should also make it possible to encrypt or password protect particularly sensitive emails.

9

INDUSTRY VOICE

The allure of the new Customers are jumping ship for a new fleet of digital insurers, writes Jon Reay, Founder of Rewrite Digital

to improve the customer experience and customer satisfaction, for example by speeding up claims processing or providing real-time information on the status of claims. As digital-first platforms continue to infiltrate the market, the expectation from consumers will grow.

Insurers slow to adapt will see their satisfaction not only stall but decline.

Travel insurers have been exposed to a new breed of competition, and customers are switching to providers that best meet their needs. Some insurers are introducing new models that don’t hold customers to year-long contracts, use data to more accurately assess risk and customise products and adapt to the changing needs of today’s consumers, like those who rent out their homes on Airbnb.

So, what does this mean for traditional travel insurers? Should they stand firm or join the competition?

Digital, and its rising influence on all businesses, is rapidly disrupting the insurance industry. You’re probably not investing in digital as much as you should.

New entrants are shaking up the market Almost US$2 billion was invested globally in insurtech firms in 2017. These startups are heavily funded, growing rapidly and eroding market share from incumbents. Examples include: Global Warning System, which shifts the focus from incident resolution to risk prevention using data intelligence and geo-location to provide real-time, targeted notifications to travellers; Pablow, which enables property rental hosts to offer white-labelled travel insurance to their guests independently of rental payment;

It’s time to upgrade There are five steps every travel insurance provider must take to stay on top of digital: • Put digital at the centre Make digital an instrumental pillar of your business, resource it well and continue to invest in it.

• Rethink your products Create products and services that align to changing consumer needs and stand out in the market. new paths in digital. Many insurance heavyweights are also getting involved.

Some are building their own in-house teams from scratch, but Capgemini’s World InsurTech Report 2018 cites the importance of collaboration between incumbents and startups. While the insurance giants may lack agility and innovation, they bring generations of brand recognition, customer trust, and regulatory know-how.

Earlier this year, Zurich set up its Innovation Foundry in order to meet the ever-changing needs of consumers and promote a culture of innovation throughout the insurance industry.

An example initiative includes the insurer’s partnership with easyJet to dynamically offer personalised travel insurance based on destination, time of year, group size and flight add-ons.

AXA, meanwhile, has launched ‘Fizzy’, a travel insurance product that automatically pays out compensation for flights delayed for more than two hours.

It doesn’t just streamline the claims process – it completely removes it.

Revolut, a fintech startup now joining the insurance market, providing travel cover that activates and deactivates automatically based on your location; and Trov, which challenges traditional home and travel insurance products with an entirely mobile-based platform for insuring valuables wherever you take them, with instant quotes on a pence-per-day basis and a message-based claims process.

Traditional players are making waves too But it’s not just insurtechs forging

Customers go where the experience is Although price is the leading factor in choosing an insurance product, customer experience is increasingly important. Today it’s so easy to switch providers. Loyalty is dead, consumers are switching more than ever, and they are following – and expecting – great digital experiences from insurers.

Traditional insurance providers get a poor rating from consumers. New breeds of insurer that have designed customer-centric products and services from the outset typically score much higher. There is a huge opportunity for insurance companies to use digital

10

• Harness data effectively Lower premiums and reduce risk by using data to assess pricing more accurately, support risk prevention and automatically gather evidence for claims.

• Better meet customer needs Improve customer satisfaction through automation, personalisation and transparency. Enable experiences that customers can interact with the way they want to. Test and learn, take on board what people say and do.

• Continuously review your digital maturity Know where you rank in the market now and reassess every quarter.

Don’t be left following a strategy that’s not fit for the future.

The insurance industry is on the verge of great change. Many new businesses will enter the market and some wellestablished ones will die out. Are you at risk of being one of them?

Jon Reay

NEWS

11 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

NEWS ANALYSIS

#trending in Canada Canadian travellers are disregarding the troublesome issue of politics and heading south, boosting the take up of travel insurance.

Milan Korcok reports on this and more trends in the marketplace

12 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

NEWS ANALYSIS

D

espite a particularly rough year for Canadian-American relations, fueled by disputes over tariffs and trade and stoked by overt distrust between the nations’ leaders (Prime Minister Trudeau and President Trump), Canadian travellers have sidelined their threats of US travel boycotts until after they take their vacations south of the border.

That’s great news not only for US tourism (which benefits from Canadian largesse to the tune of US$20 billion a year) but for Canada’s travel insurance industry, which the Conference Board of Canada (CBoC) has valued at around CA$860 million, and for Canadian travellers, who make 25 million trips south of the border yearly.

From strength to strength According to official government statistics, in the first five months of 2018, Canadians made 18.1 million trips to the US, 11.5 per cent more than in the comparable period of 2017, reversing a three-year downward trend

Canadian travellers have sidelined their threats of US travel boycotts (partially attributable to an exchange rate dip during which the Canadian dollar dropped in value to 69 US cents in 2016 before crawling back to 77 cents this year). These numbers encompass only travellers who spent at least one night in the US per trip, and don’t include the millions of same-day trips across the border for shopping, sports events, golf, and birthday visits with relatives.

Will McAleer, past President of the Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada (THIA) and President of World Travel Protection (WTP) Canada, commented on the figures: “It’s great to see continued strength in travel to the US by Canadians.

With short flights to sunny destinations, the US is often the most cost-effective getaway to the beach. When you factor in the ability to take a road trip to southern destinations or even a discounted flight from an airport across the border in the US, the options available continue to make US destinations incredibly attractive for Canadians. And this goes for snowbirds and family groups alike.”

The upswing also reflects a stubborn reluctance by Canadians to suppress their travel habits for anything ideological or political, especially during the unforgiving winter months. And, happily for travel insurers, this determination to keep hitting the road also reflects a growing acceptance of private travel insurance in the everyday lives of Canada’s travellers of all ages, even increasingly among the younger ‘invincibles’.

According to the results of a survey issued in June 2018 by the Canadian Association of Financial Institutions in Insurance (CAFII) – a not-for-profit association of banks and financial houses with interests in insurance products – eight out of 10 Canadians who have purchased travel medical insurance said they were satisfied with the products they purchased and value those products provided; 98 per cent who made loss claims in the previous year said they were fully or partially paid (only two per cent of claims were rejected), and 91 per cent of claimants were satisfied with their claim experience ‘from initial contact to final outcome’.

Growing confidence, expanding sales According to a recent poll commissioned by the Conference Board of Canada, 78 per cent of Canadians who travelled internationally on

their last trip said they were covered by some form of travel insurance – with a whopping 93.4 per cent of the oldest cohort of travellers (aged 65 and older) claiming such coverage.

Moreover, confirming that the value of insurance was penetrating younger age groups previously considered a somewhat tougher sell, 25 to 34-year-old travellers claimed a 66.7 per cent travel insurance coverage rate. As could be expected, the 55 to 64-year-old age group tallied up an 84.5 per cent coverage rate.

Of individual annual multi-trip or single trip product sales (as opposed to group policies such as employer or retiree pension plans) the greatest number (37.8 per cent) were obtained directly from travel insurance companies or brokers, 16.1 per cent from travel agents, 19.4 per cent from membership associations, and 18.4 per cent from financial institutions such as a banks or credit unions.

As for how these purchases were made, 34.8 per cent of survey respondents said they purchased their policies online during the 2018 survey period, a significant increase compared to the 27.6 per cent who did so in a similar survey done in 2016. Just over 29 per cent of respondents said they purchased their insurance in person, while 29.8 chose to make their purchase over the telephone.

The CBoC survey also showed that travellers were incorporating their insurance purchases into the earlier stages of their travel plans: almost 55 per cent bought their policies at least four weeks before their planned trip departure, 29 per cent bought between one and three weeks prior to travel and only 16.1 per cent waited until within one week of their trip to buy travel insurance.

Claims experience rebuts media perceptions In Canada, media criticism of travel insurance has usually focused on isolated cases of claim denials reported by disappointed travellers insisting they didn’t understand confusing language on their applications for coverage, or they just made minuscule mistakes in reporting their medical histories when applying, or were never told by their doctors they

eight out of 10 Canadians who have purchased travel medical insurance said they were satisfied with the products had atrial fibrillation or first degree heart block, or that the selling agent never explained the limitations in their policies.

But the CAFII report showed that, in fact, Canadians are becoming more conversant with what their travel policies are designed to do, and it showed that they believe they have a reasonable understanding of the terms of coverage of the products they are buying. In fact, 89 per cent said their knowledge of the terms and conditions was reasonable and they felt they had at least some knowledge of the limitations and exclusions when purchasing their coverage.

Furthermore, 85 per cent of those who lodged claims felt they had been sufficiently well informed about how to do it, and 89 per cent thought the claim submission experience was positive – either meeting their expectations (75 per cent) or exceeding them (14 per cent). Only 31 per cent had >>

13

NEWS ANALYSIS complaints about their claim experience, and that was down from 38 per cent in a similar survey done in 2015. The major complaint they expressed was the long time it took to process a claim and the lack of clarity about what was required in launching their claim.

The prime factors in making travel insurance choices According to the CAFII report, 87 per cent of respondents were most influenced by the features and benefits; 85 per cent by the overall amount of coverage ($2 million/$5 million/$10 million); 83 per cent by their ability to speak to someone about the purchase; 81 per cent by the price of the product; 77 per cent by the ease of the purchase; and 71 per cent by the product’s capacity to cover pre-existing conditions.

In summarising CAFII’s findings, Keith Martin, Co-Executive Director of CAFII, said that although consumers continue to raise the bar on what they expect from their policies and the service they receive from travel insurers, overwhelmingly, the perception of the industry is positive: “Canadian consumers have expressed a great deal of confidence in the travel medical [insurance] industry, and the products that our members provide.”

Travel is in Canada’s bloodline Canadian outbound travel is extremely diversified. As the CBoC shows, Canadians made more than 745,000 trips to 25 European countries in the first quarter of 2018, a 9.8-per-cent increase over the same period last year. Furthermore, they made more than one million visits to key destinations in the Asia/Pacific region

throughout the first quarter of 2018, a seven-per-cent increase compared to last year. Taiwan, Sri Lanka, and Singapore

attention of travel insurers. Consequently, any talk of travel embargoes or boycotts to the US – as has surfaced and re-surfaced in the Canadian media in recent months – should be expected to raise concern among travel insurers … except for one

only two per cent of claims were rejected saw the largest proportional increases in arrivals and China welcomed an estimated 193,000 visitors, 19.1 per cent of the region’s Canadian market.

However, the US market remains the bedrock of Canada’s travel industry, and thus it has always attracted the greatest

34.8 per cent … purchased their policies online rock hard truth about their travel-hungry customers: Who’s going to stop them?

Love the weather, not the politics Veteran observers of Canadian leisure travel habits insist that it will take more than occasionally slumping currency values, rising gasoline prices, or the exigencies of US politics to keep long- or short-term snowbirds home when the season’s first low pressure systems come swooping down from Siberia. Not even the anti-Trump media barrages – even more vociferous in Canada than the US – and the sporadic threats of southbound travel boycotts, have been able to deflect that reality.

As McAleer noted, the US still represents ‘a familiar and safe travel destination’. He added: “With reports of safety and security issues in some Caribbean countries, many Canadians may opt for destinations that seem safer and more dependable. That said, the new reality is that safety risks come in many different forms and can be experienced wherever someone travels.”

14

Canadians also value familiarity, even when it rankles. One Associated Press news report, published at the height of the Trudeau-Trump tiff over tariffs and the never-ending NAFTA negotiations this past summer, showed thousands of mostly French-speaking Quebeckers cavorting at Old Orchard Beach in Maine, where Canadians account for 95 per cent of hotel/motel bookings.

For them and their hosts it was business as usual. Said one non-plussed Montrealer about the odd-couple fracas attracting all attention: “For me, it’s just a question of time … this thing will settle down. Trudeau and Trump have to find a solution to the problem.”

Said another Quebecker, the war of words is between leaders. “Regular folks,” she said, will get along. “We are friends. We are neighbours.”

As for those who favour boycotts, it’s just a matter of reconciling attitudes and actions, which some are doing quite creatively. One disgruntled western Canadian interviewee told the CBC why he decided he could go ahead with his vacation to Hawaii without having to sacrifice his principles: “Hawaii has been one of the most anti Trump states … and they rely on tourism so much that if all the anti-Trump people – which I am certainly one of – stopped going there, that would kill their economy.” So he’s going.

With such admirable self-sacrifice in play, how can southbound tourism be anything but secure? ■

NEWS ANALYSIS

15

COMPANY BRIEF

Tokio Marine invests in Simplesurance

Boost Insurance partners with Paladin Cyber Boost Insurance, a US-based technologyenabled insurance platform, has announced that it has launched Paladin Cyber as its first partner from the insurtech realm.

Boost was developed with the intention of enabling insurtech startups to pursue innovation in the areas of insurance products, product distribution, claims, underwriting and data analytics.

Paladin Cyber’s mission is to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) manage cyber risk.

Alex Maffeo, CEO and Founder of Boost, commented: “Paladin Cyber not only helps protect businesses against devastating hacks, but makes sure that they’re financially secure if something does get through. This innovative approach offers

Tokio Marine Holdings has announced a strategic investment in Simplesurance, an Allianz-backed insurtech firm based in Germany The investment has been made via Tokio Marine’s wholly owned subsidiary Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance and will grant Tokio Marine access to Simplesurance’s technological offerings. It plans to use this technology in the Japanese and Asian markets in order to bring new innovative digital solutions to market.

“As Simplesurance’s strategic partner we will be able to use its technology and platform in order to speedily provide clients with tools that will allow them to easily sell insurance

enormous value to SMBs and aligns perfectly with our thesis; it’s a sign of a greater change in insurance distribution.

Companies and customers alike need a one-stop-shop for both valuable products and the necessary insurance coverage to go with it. That’s where we come in.”

Boost claims that its platform has enabled Paladin to bring its service to market in a much shorter time than the industry average of between 18 and 24 months.

Han Wang, CEO and Co-Founder of Paladin Cyber, said that the platform had been ‘an excellent partner’: “They delivered the insurance resources we need along with a one-of-a-kind technology platform, allowing us to perform an insurance launch at startup speeds.”

such as Overseas Travel Insurance and Personal Accident Insurance through their websites or apps,” said Tokio Marine. “Our customers will benefit from our new hasslefree insurance application procedures that will allow them to easily purchase insurance at the same time as buying a product or service from an electronic commerce site without having to re-enter their personal details.”

Earlier in 2018, Simplesurance raised US$24 million in a Series-C funding round led by Allianz. The insurtech said that it was hoping to expand into the Asian market, among others, making the new partnership a boon for both entities; Simplesurance has also stated that it has plans to develop cyber protection solutions in the future.

ACCREDITED PROVIDER

• DEDICATED FLEET OF 10 COMPANY OWNED AMBULANCE AIRCRAFTS • EURAMI CERTIFIED:

 ADULT CRITICAL CARE  PAEDIATRIC CRITICAL CARE  NEONATAL CRITICAL CARE

• WORLDWIDE SERVICE AOC D-061

• PARTNERSHIP SINCE 1992 • SPECIALLY TRAINED TEAMS

24 / 7 Air Ambulance Service +49 (0) 221 9822 9503

• LATEST MEDICAL EQUIPMENT Base Cologne Bonn Airport, Germany (EDDK / CGN)

eMail ambulance@malteser.org

16

• OWN AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE

COMPANY BRIEF

Ageas lays out three-year plan

printadd.pdf

Cover-More partners with Express Travel Group Travel insurance provider Cover-More has announced a new partnership with independent Australia-based travel agency network Express Travel Group (ETG).

Through the five-year partnership, CoverMore will act as a preferred travel insurance provider for ETG customers; the provider’s policies will now be sold at each of ETG’s 700-plus agencies across Australia.

“As ETG has grown and evolved, so has the demand for innovative products and technology,” said Ari Magoutis, Executive General Manager of ETG. “The team at Cover-More has certainly met this brief, as well as its commitment to servicing our members’ requirements and expectations.

We welcome Cover-More as one of our preferred insurance partners.”

Michael Stein, Executive General Manager ofC M Sales and Distribution for the APAC Region at Cover-More, said that the insurer was ‘thrilled’ Y to announce the partnership: “We recently CM launched new agency travel insurance policies, which feature many industry-first MY benefits, including cancel-for-any-reason CY cover. Our policies also offer cover for new CMY and existing mental illnesses, cancelled K tours due to numbers, travel delay due to terrorism, new for old luggage, heli-and offpiste skiing and new adventure sports. We’re committed to providing agents with a product that travellers can’t find without planning their holidays through their travel agent.”

International insurer Ageas has announced a new three-year strategy, entitled Connect21, which will see it focus on both the European and Asian markets.

Connect21 aims to look forward, evolving with new technologies and changing customer perceptions. The plan pinpointed a need for more diversity between its presences in both Asia and Europe. By focusing on creating a better customer experience, leveraging technology, adopting a decentralised business model to meet local market needs, strengthening existing partnerships and forging new ones, and moving beyond traditional insurance 18:07 activities into wellness 1 26.09.2016 services, it is hoped that Connect21 will

use the more stable European market to harness Asia’s high growth market.

“In 10 years, Ageas evolved from a company in crisis towards the sustainable, profitable growth company it is today,” said Ageas CEO Bart De Smet. “Connect21 will ensure that we will continue this growth path and keep on delivering for all stakeholders.”

Connect21 lays out six financial targets for Ageas: a non-life combined ratio of 96 per cent, group Solvency II ratio of 175 per cent, life operating margins of 85-95 bps for guaranteed and 30-40 bps for unit-linked products, five per cent to seven per cent CAGR of group earnings per share, dividend pay-out ratio of at least 50 per cent of the group net

result, and a share buy-back programme of at least €150 million annually, except in the case of a major M&A transaction.

“The expectations of our customers are changing and in the next three years we will ensure that we have the right response to these changing needs,” continued De Smet.

“This means that we will have to focus more on new territories outside of the traditional world of insurance, using new technologies and evolving more towards ecosystems. I am convinced that we have the mindset, talent and commitment to make this happen. Exciting times are ahead and I am looking forward to working towards the realisation of our new strategy, together with all our stakeholders.”

We take your complex challenges in Turkey and turn them into simple, high quality and low cost solutions !

0000 €2,173 0000

17

COMPANY BRIEF

Generali announces seaside coastal offering Corporate rebranding for Global Excel The travel insurance division of Generali Global Assistance has announced that it is to extend its suite of travel insurance plans to include the burgeoning seaside coastal segment.

The new Seaside Coastal Travel Insurance offering will be available to property managers renting out coastal and other waterfront properties, and their guests.

This new segment is projected to be worth US$36.6 billion by the end of this year, and Generali is keen to capitalise on this opportunity, while at the same time offering an expanded solution.

The customisable product has been designed specifically for those planning coastal ventures whatever the time of year, and includes benefits for rental car

breakdown, lost sporting equipment, the closure of beaches due to contaminated water, coverage for the closure of an amusement park at a destination due to weather or mechanical breakdown, cover for hurricanes and other adverse weather, and various other tailored options.

“We are excited to introduce this new offering and provide additional coverage to … [this] significant segment of the industry,” commented Chris Carnicelli, CEO of Generali Global Assistance North America. “As the sharing economy and home rentals continue to increase in popularity, we see tremendous opportunities in this area and plan to continue raising our market presence with customised products and services.”

Global healthcare risk management solutions provider Global Excel Management Inc. has announced that its subsidiaries Olympus Managed Health Care, ChoiceNet International México SA and ChargeCare International are to undergo corporate rebranding.

Going forward, all these subsidiaries will do business under the Global Excel umbrella.

The rebranding will be a multi-faceted process, including a new corporate website and a variety of new marketing materials and strategies, although the

New claims portal from Integra Global International health insurance provider Integra Global has launched a new online claims portal for its members. The new website, which is now live, will be overseen

by MAI, Integra’s claims administrator; it will serve as a central hub through which policyholders can access all aspects of their health policy, including anything related to a new or ongoing claim. They will have access to policy documents and Integra’s directory of medical providers, as well as the ability to instantly update their personal details and information, pre-authorise treatment that they may require, and make and track a claim.

client portal and corporate landing page addresses will stay the same.

“This is the right time for our Global Excel family to look and feel the same way,” said CEO Reg Allatt. “Our clients and their members are driving the demand for more international services. They want the Global Excel experience in more locations than where we’ve traditionally served. That expansion is reflected in our vision of transforming and simplifying the access to healthcare around the world.”

AI for hurricane travel insurance

It can be accessed via a standard internet browser, or through Integra’s yourHealth app.

“Our goal is to make the lives of our members easier, by giving them quick and easy access to healthcare around the world,” said Philip Catterton, Managing Director at Integra.

“We believe that this new portal, in addition to our app, provides a great way for our members to manage their policy online, with ease, transparency and efficiency. In addition, our members will now be able to track their current and historical claims with our administrator, MAI, making the process more straightforward for all.”

InsureMyTrip in the US recently announced the latest upgrade for its recommendation engine – a predictive algorithm that utilises machine learning technology to find personalised travel insurance coverage for customers The new engine is able to automatically filter thousands of different plans and ascertain which are the most appropriate for travellers heading to areas that are likely to be affected by hurricanes, such as the Caribbean. First announced by CEO Jim Grace at CES 2018, this represents the first time that such predictive modelling techniques are being used in the travel insurance comparison sphere.

Additionally, as well as filtering policies to protect against hurricanes, the enhanced engine is able to tailor policy suggestions based on the individual profile of a user.

An example of this is cruise passengers; these tend to be concerned about potentially missing boarding times due to a delayed flight or a missed connection, but InsureMyTrip’s recommendation will

jeopardy,” commented Jim Grace. “While there are travel insurance plans with specific hurricane-related coverages, travellers may have difficulty identifying

as well as filtering policies to protect against hurricanes, the enhanced engine is able to tailor policy suggestions based on the individual profile of a user have already used its machine learning capabilities to take this into account, offering a travel insurance plan that covers the customer for such an eventuality.

“Hurricanes have a great impact on travellers and can easily put trips in

those plans quickly online. Our groundbreaking recommendation tool now automatically showcases plans with robust hurricane coverage, empowering travellers to feel more confident with their travel insurance purchase.”

18 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

COMPANY BRIEF

Your customer, our care Medical, technical and legal assistance for insurance companies, assistance companies, D.M.C., incentive agencies, tour operators and for companies operating in the travel sector and organization events, including sports.

We are present in Italy, Spain and France.

More than words, the numbers speak for us: • 15 minutes to organize an assistance service • over 55.000 patients assisted

www.argosassistance.com +39 02 72546325

operations@argosassistance.com 19

COMPANY BRIEF

GeneraliCyberSecurTech enters cyber security battlefield Italian general insurer Generali has announced the launch of a new startup company, through which it will offer cyber security solutions via a web-based platform to customers in Europe, Asia and the Americas.

GeneraliCyberSecurTech, a wholly owned subsidiary of Generali, alongside the insurer’s newly released cyber insurance function, Majorana, will broaden the scope of the company’s cyber risk actions throughout the world, developing new solutions through which to prevent cyberattacks, improve responses to breaches, and generally improve the provision of support both before, during and after a potential attack.

Majorana collects consumer data and analyses it, assessing the company’s web infrastructure and performing an automatic search of the dark web in order to see if any breaches may have occurred. A proprietary algorithm analyses all results and then tailors a bespoke IT risk insurance policy and security report, which are then shared with the customer.

Remo Marini, CEO of the new startup, commented: “Developed using innovative technologies based on machine learning and AI, the tool’s considerable sophistication enables the real risks to which the customer is exposed to be assessed, providing detailed information that the customer can use to build a plan to mitigate risks and transfer residual risks, both from a technology and insurance perspective.”

The risk landscape According to the latest analysis of the global cyber risk landscape from Alert Logic, those perpetrating cyberattacks

effectively makes every step simultaneous, removing the option of early detection and removal. Automation also allows hackers to launch many more attacks, often with no clear pattern, making them difficult to track and defend against due to their random nature and sheer volume.

“It’s no secret that attackers push the envelope and innovate attacks to abuse weaknesses anywhere they find them – in cloud and hybrid deployments, containerised environments and onpremises systems,” commented Rohit Dhamankar, Vice-President of Threat Intelligence Products at Alert Logic. “What

are operating at a distinct advantage compared with their corporate targets, easily subverting security measures and targeting entities with little to no fear of reprisal.

The organisation’s latest threat detection report, based on data from over 7.2 million security events, found that hackers are using cutting-edge techniques such as killchain compression and attack automation to launch constant attacks on businesses of every size and in every industry. Traditionally, the ‘killchain’ model of a cyberattack involves a series of steps, allowing a business to stop an attack at a preliminary stage, if detected early enough; this new killchain

is troublesome is the use of force-multipliers like automation to scale attacks for increased financial gain. This report demonstrates that attackers are gaining increasing sophistication in their ability to weaponise trusted techniques to exploit common vulnerabilities and misconfigurations for purposes such as cryptomining.”

It’s not all doom and gloom though, Dhamankar added, as while hackers are constantly improving and refining their methodologies, ‘defenders also have the opportunities to evolve the way they approach their security processes, procedures and technologies’.

20 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

COMPANY BRIEF

Lounge access for delayed passengers Specialist insurer and provider of loyalty and benefits Collinson has announced a new partnership with Hiscox, through which the companies will offer airport lounge access to policyholders in the event that they experience flight delays.

Hiscox customers with travel insurance included as part of their home insurance policies will now have complimentary access to over 1,000 LoungeKey airport lounges all over the world, whether they are travelling for leisure or business purposes; as soon as a flight delay passes the 90-minute mark, a voucher will automatically be sent via email and

Improved cyber proposition from Zurich Swiss insurer Zurich Insurance Group has announced that it is including network security monitoring and pre-breach services in its cyber insurance proposition – an industry-first, the insurer claims – as part of a new global offering The augmented policy, which will still provide standard coverages such as breach cost, business income loss and dependent business income loss, will now include a number of coverages that were previously only available via endorsements, providing customers with access to protection against true 21st Century challenges such as social

engineering and reputational damage, as well as general data protection regulation (GDPR) and the associated fines and penalties that can result in lax enforcement.

Policyholders will also have the opportunity to enjoy 24/7 network security monitoring and vulnerability management service provision from ZenOpz, a company offering information security and technological support to small and medium-sized businesses.

“Cyber risks continue to be one of the biggest issues,” commented Zurich’s EMEA Head of Cyber Liability Mark Bannon. “It is therefore vital that Zurich continues to be at the forefront of this critical issue. We’re driving innovation

with our new enhanced cyber insurance and cyber risk services, offering to bring resilience and certainty to our customers in the face of the evolving cyber threat.”

IT HAPPENED.

Collinson will also provide Hiscox policyholders with its Card Sentry service

Let’s make things better.

SMS. Passengers will then be able to instantly redeem these at selected lounges, where they will have access to refreshments, Wi-Fi, device charging, newspapers, magazines and other facilities, which policyholders will be able to enjoy with up to four companions.

Under the partnership, Collinson will also provide Hiscox policyholders with its Card Sentry service, a 24/7 assistance provision for cancelling and replacing cards in the event that they are lost or stolen either at home or overseas.

“We are always seeking new ways to deliver an enhanced proposition for our customers,” enthused Tim Slattery, Hiscox’s Personal Lines Underwriting Manager. “Whether it’s lost productivity for business travellers or a bad start to a family break, flight delays are a real pain point so access to a comfortable, quiet space to relax or work should help to alleviate this.”

According to figures from the Financial Times, July this year saw flight delays on European airlines account for an average of 135,000 lost minutes per day, which equates to 94 days.

Your Medical Assistance partner in the Alpine Region. competent. dedicated. resourceful. helpful.

Emergency Service | + 43 512 / 224 22-100 | taa@taa.at | www.taa.at IAG Core Partner

21 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

INSURANCE MATTERS

‘Adapt or die’ – insurtech is here to stay Global technology services, digital transformation and consultancy firm Capgemini has launched its inaugural World Insurtech Report, which finds that across the board, insurers see insurtech as a major catalyst for widespread, disruptive innovation throughout the industry The global insurtech sector has seen investment increase at a compound annual growth rate of 36.5 per cent between 2014 and 2017, with the number of deals rising by 29 per cent in the same period, from 94 in 2014 to 202 in 2017. Capgemini’s report found that a staggering 96 per cent of insurers are planning to collaborate with insurtechs in order to streamline their service provision and respond to the demands of digitally savvy customers; indeed, ITIJ has reported on numerous cases of major insurers choosing to back fresh, up-and-coming talent operating in the insurtech space. The industry is clearly in a transformative phase.

Interestingly, 78 per cent of respondents to Capgemini’s survey said that they were more interested in partnering with insurtechs than acquiring them, tacit acknowledgment perhaps that these new entities have the tech knowledge necessary to move forward and should be supported and allowed to do what they do best, rather than being immediately swallowed into the corporate hierarchy.

No longer is the impact of insurtech disruption in question. The industry appears to have collectively agreed that insurtech firms and innovation are here to stay “The debate is over,” write Anirban Bose and Vincent Bastid in their preface to the report. “No longer is

the impact of insurtech disruption in question. The industry appears to have collectively agreed that insurtech firms and innovation are here to stay. What’s more, the steady growth in funding indicates a hearty investor appetite for insurtech and underscores the sector’s proliferation. With an eye on the future, the focus has shifted from how to manage the insurtech movement to how to maximise opportunity by collaborating with insurtech firms.”

The report suggests that insurtech firms see themselves as competitive for the following reasons: their ability to focus in on and address specific, critical market needs; their agility; their collaborative approach and ability to integrate into established ecosystems; and their ability to develop sustainable competitive advantages. However, this being said, they still face some major challenges, including winning customer trust – after all, traditional incumbent insurers have been in the game for a long time, and have worked hard to inspire customer loyalty – and building brand recognition, not an easy task in a crowded, fastmoving marketplace. A complex regulatory landscape and a need for high levels of capital were also identified

by Capgemini as hurdles for insurtechs looking to make their presence felt.

“The greatest impact insurtech firms are having on the insurance industry is that they serve as a ‘wake-up call’ to incumbents,” commented Ingo Weber, Group CEO and Co-Founder of Digital Insurance Group, and a member of Capgemini’s Executive Steering Committee. “Insurers suddenly realised that the paradigm shift in technology will fundamentally impact the industry and put their existing business at risk. As a consequence, many insurers are now exploring how to drive digital innovations and partnerships with insurtechs that can support the transformation of their business. Adapt or die.”

Willis acquires Dero Courtage As part of its ongoing plans to bolster its presence in the French market, global advisory, broking and solutions firm Willis Towers Watson has announced the acquisition of risk adviser and insurance broker Dero Courtage. The specific terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed.

Headquartered in Le Havre, Dero Courtage is an insurance broker with over eight decades’ experience; it will now operate under Gras Savoye Willis Towers Watson France, Willis Towers Watson’s French business umbrella. Christophe Dero, CEO of Dero Courtage, will stay on as Managing

22

Director of the new business unit, supported by the existing Le Havre-based teams, who will remain the primary points of contact for Dero Courtage’s ongoing clients.

“Joining such a prominent French risk adviser enables us to benefit from the full strength of Willis Towers Watson, and the wide range of solutions it offers, including human capital management,” commented Dero. “It will allow us to consolidate and expand our ability to support our clients in their development and their access to new markets, especially in international business.”

INSURANCE MATTERS

ITIC GLOBAL VISIT US!

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR SERVICES & we

M a rm A ssistanc e

are pr e s e nt at I TIC G LO B A L

*Booth N umbe r 2 3

week

JOIN THE H I G H - VA L U E CLAIMS SESSION

MEDICAL | COST CONTAINMENT | FRAUD & CASE MANAGEMENT | SECOND OPINION ROADSIDE | TOWING | SPARE PART SUPPORT | GARAGE MONITORING MARM TRAVEL | FLIGHT TICKETS | HOTEL BOOKINGS | STRETCHER ARRANGEMENTS AND MORE

CASE SUBJECT

NOT ALL THOSE WHO WANDER ARE LOS T

When it comes to value for healthcare, every system

#1

has its own very unique recipe: Medical coding and billing systems, pricing strategies, the cost for medicine and materials, governmental regulations, and many other factors, all have a particular impact on the final costs. That’s where we come in....

CASE SUBJECT

#2

T R E AT T H E PAT I E N T – N O T T H E D I S E A S E

The simple truth about medical care, when it comes to

treating

travellers:

it

changes

mundane,

daily

procedures into a challenge. We cooperate with the facility’s

treating

doctors

in

order

to

consolidate

admission, intervention, length of stay in accordance with the medical condition, and...

CASE SUBJECT

THE POWER OF CASE MANAGEMENT

...find the right balance for the patient and their

#3

expectations, service provider and the payer – where the patient gets the best possible treatment at a price that is fair and reasonable for both the payer and medical provider. A 360-degree approach to case management!

www.marm.com.tr

Follow Us Online

23 Ë·ÆÚÎ

@marmassistance

INSURANCE MATTERS

Sompo launches global risk control function Geopolitical unrest drives risk According to Willis Towers Watson and Oxford Analytica, rising geopolitical tensions are driving a significant increase in political risk losses

Specialty (re)insurer Sompo International has announced the launch of a new unit, which will focus on the provision of advanced, innovative risk management protocols, as well as more traditional tools for controlling and mitigating losses. Called Global Risk Control Services, the unit will operate from within Sompo’s insurance business; it will be headed up by Victor Sordillo, Senior VicePresident of risk control, and will incorporate resources from throughout Europe and the US, utilising the expertise of professionals from multiple safety disciplines, from fire protection and product liability to industrial hygiene and environmental protection.

Sordillo joined Sompo in 2017 and has

A new survey from the two companies has found that 55 per cent of global organisations with revenues greater than US$1 billion have experienced at least one political risk loss of $100 million or more since 2017.

Additionally, the survey reports that crises in emerging markets are also driving up the implications of political risk, with Turkey and Argentina for example representing how badly markets can be affected by turmoil in up-and-coming economies.

Other key findings of the Political Risk Survey are that exchange transfer was the most frequently reported political risk, followed by political violence and import/export embargos; that US sanctions policy, emerging market crises, protectionism/trade wars and rising nationalism were seen as the key geopolitical threats; and that 70 per cent of companies have scaled back operations in a country because of political risk concerns.

“It is clear from our findings that political risk

been a key player in the expansion of the company’s risk management services, contributing to the implementation of customised mobile inspection apps, employee training programmes, assessment tools and various other cutting-edge offerings.

“By building a team of specialised risk control professionals with in-depth knowledge of the risk exposures specific to our client’s operations, we can deliver innovative and consultative risk control services,” Sordillo commented. “Advanced risk management programmes provide value to our clients by reducing their risk exposure, identifying best practice controls, improving efficiency and differentiating their business operations.”

has increased significantly, now becoming a recurring and material cost of doing business,” said Paul Davidson, Chairman and CEO of Willis Towers Watson Financial Solutions. “If these levels remain elevated, companies will fall under increasing pressure from shareholders for greater levels of transparency around the losses actually incurred. Companies will need the ability to monitor, quantify and manage these risks as

Companies typically grew up managing cyclical economic risks, not political. However, with the recognition of rising losses due to political risk, it can no longer be excluded from executive decision making well as develop strategies to mitigate them.”

Simon Coote, Deputy Director of Oxford Analytica, added: “Companies typically grew up managing cyclical economic risks, not political. However, with the recognition of rising losses due to political risk, it can no longer be excluded from executive decision making.

To better mitigate political risk exposure, companies need to reframe how they operate.

Taking steps to manage political risk must become a requirement of doing business, not simply regarded as an inevitable cost of operating in challenging environments.”

CII opens MEA office

Embrace the adventure, optimize the savings

The UK’s Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) has announced its intention to open a new office to cover the Middle East and Africa (MEA). This is a response to growing demand from the region’s burgeoning insurance and financial services sector; the new office will be overseen by Gaenor Jones.

The MEA region is seeing both a proliferation of homegrown entities and increased investment from outside parties, and as a result there is a notable demand for the professional qualifications and training that institutions such as the CII can provide. The CII already enjoys established links with regulators and financial services entities in the UAE, and its new MEA hub will bolster this network significantly. As Regional Director, Gaenor Jones will take on

the responsibility for building on these established relationships, forging new ones and developing CII’s local offering.

Keith Richards, Managing Director of the CII, commented: “It is fantastic to see how the financial services community is growing and developing in MEA and with it, an increased appetite for professional standards. As the international chartered professional body for insurance and financial services, we are committed to an established and developing collaboration with the UAE authorities. We equally want to better support existing and new members in the region more effectively and this new hub will enable us to do this. Gaenor’s experience of working with the region will be invaluable in this new role and we are very pleased that she has joined us.”

From payer to partner. AXA Partners maximizes your net savings by controlling costs and bringing convenience to your members through aligning medical management and network optimization.

24 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

INSURANCE MATTERS

Global Network Solutions Evidence-Based Medical Case Management Expertise • Experience • Excellence

24/7/365 Worldwide Assistance Medical Cost Containment & Claims Management

Visit our new website for the latest news!

Global Medical Management

GMMI, Inc. | 880 SW 145th Avenue, Suite 400, Pembroke Pines,25FL 33027 (USA) +1 (954) 370-6404 | Toll-Free (in the U.S. & Canada) +1 (800) 682-6065 | www.gmmi.com | info@gmmi.com

INSURANCE MATTERS

Record insurtech transactions in Q2 According to a new report from Willis Towers Watson, a total of 71 insurtech transactions were completed during the second quarter of 2018, a record high.

However, the total investment – US$579 million – is down from the first quarter of the year by a factor of 20 per cent.

The global advisory, broking and solutions company’s new Quarterly InsurTech Briefing, a collaborative publication with CB Insights, focuses on the life and health insurance industry, a subsector that is seeing a much greater and more complex series of changes within its value chain than comparable segments. The potential impact, according to Willis Towers Watson, is ‘substantially more profound’.

One of the primary drivers of innovation within this subsector is insurtech firms’ harnessing of our ever-advancing understanding of the human body, and the wealth of data that is being made available to enhance and tailor related products. Additionally, new technology is tearing down the barriers between provider and customer, enabling the development of smoother, more accessible interfaces and a greater degree of customisation, something that is essential in order to stand out from the competition in the modern marketplace.

Additionally, Willis Towers Watson points to the adoption of artificial intelligence, machine learning and chatbots as key drivers in efforts to strengthen risk mitigation and prevention; for example, underwriters are finding it ever easier to predict life expectancy and the probability of a customer becoming ill, while also enabling insurers to enter into closer dialogue with their customers to improve engagement

Lloyd’s returns to profit in 2018

and stimulate healthier behaviours.

“The application of insurtech in the life and health sector ranges from the explicit use of new technologies to distribute and underwrite insurance policies, to more indirect usage such as wellness, where technology is

The application of insurtech in the life and health sector ranges from the explicit use of new technologies to distribute and underwrite insurance policies, to more indirect usage such as wellness deployed simply to make policyholders healthier and happier,” said Greg Solomon, Head of Life and Health Reinsurance at Willis Re International. “But everything overlaps. Innovations are either driven by (re)insurers or used by them, or engaged by prospects and policyholders, which affects (re)insurers’ experiences. The change will be profound, but many incumbent carriers have some way to travel yet.”

Lloyd’s of London has reported a return to profitability in the first half of 2018, following a year of catastrophic losses The insurance market has announced profit for the period January-June 2018 of £0.6 billion. In 2017, it suffered losses of £2 billion, driven by a stream of highly costly natural disasters, including Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria; this was its first annual loss in over half a decade. Claims hit £4.5 billion for the year as a whole.

However, although Lloyd’s has returned

to profit, the figures recorded present a significant drop from the £1.2 billion reported in the same period in 2017.

“We always know these catastrophes are going to come along – that’s what we’ve been doing for 300 years,” said Inga Beale, outgoing Chief Executive of Lloyd’s. “We’re in the business of taking risk away from businesses and individuals and taking it onto our balance sheet, which is stronger than it’s ever been.”

Beale added that the market is now focusing on climate change, and its associated risks to business.

Excellence is the result of; Hard work, perseverance, commitment, sacrifice, but most of all the love and passion for our mission:

WE FLY FOR LIFE WHEN THE SECONDS COUNT Air ambulance, health routes and organ transport 24/7 Call center: (+57) 312 288 6478, (+57) 311 609 8815 Email: ambulancia.aerea@sarpa.com.co Air taxi, cargo transport and FBO Phone: + (57) 314 681 2841 Email: comercial@sarpa.com.co

26 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

INSURANCE MATTERS

Tunisia mulls mandatory Nat CAT insurance

UAE customers want insurance innovation

The Tunisian Federation of Insurance Companies (FTUSA) has announced the drafting of a new bill that would make natural catastrophe insurance mandatory in the country. The initiative has been on the table since last year; FTUSA Executive Director Kamel Chibani, quoted by the Maghrebin Economist, said that while such coverage is already mandatory in countries like Algeria and Morocco, it remains optional in Tunisia.

The country is seeing increasing numbers of major floods, with much attendant property damage and loss of life. These floods are starting to cause damage in areas that rarely experience such events, and it has been pointed out that a combination of poorly regulated construction on unsuitable sites, along with a lack of coverage, is contributing towards a much more dangerous overall landscape.

Unfortunately, it is not just flooding that is causing trouble in Tunisia; the country has also been suffering from earthquakes, landslides and forest fires.

OneCall-ITIJ195_ad.pdf

1

28/03/2017

A new survey by Middle Eastern newspaper Al Bayan has found that consumers in the UAE are eager for their insurance industry to innovate. Customers are reportedly keen for insurers to deliver modern products and programmes that are tailored to the varied needs of different societal demographics.

Only 17 per cent of respondents answering the survey through the newspaper’s website believe that local companies offer a range of sufficiently innovative products to meet everybody’s requirements; 13 per cent of Facebook respondents and 25 per cent of Twitter respondents thought the same. Meanwhile, 83 per cent of website respondents, 87 per cent of

16:15

Facebook respondents and 75 per cent of Twitter respondents said that insurance companies need to do more to provide modern, tailored products.

As digital advances become ever faster and more commonplace, there is increasing space for innovation – it just depends on which insurers are the quickest on their feet. The survey’s report commented that: “These changes have led insurance companies to seek a wider range of products to ensure that they meet market requirements and provide products that are appropriate to each customer’s needs.”

Clearly, as far as consumers are concerned, there is still a way to go.

Freedom from worry …it's the peace of mind enjoyed by knowing that a skilled, competent and caring team is fulfilling your organization's

goals. One Call Medical Transports delivers on that commitment throughout the world 24 hours a day.

Worldwide Ground Transports • Ambulance • Stretcher • Wheelchair • Sedan • Taxi

Travelers acquires stake in Zensurance Travelers, a property/casualty insurer based in the US, has announced its acquisition of a majority stake in Canadian fintech startup Zensurance. The insurer will acquire around 60 per cent of the startup in a deal worth approximately US$12.2 million.

Zensurance, since raising $1 million in seed funding two years ago, has signed over 2,500 businesses, including 40 insurers. Following the acquisition, its CEO and CTO will retain ownership of just over one-third of the company; they hope that working with Travelers will grant it more insight into the workings of the insurance industry, allowing Zensurance to pursue more complex and relevant partnerships.

“It’s not Travelers’ proprietary data that we would get access to, but just their expertise and experts that can help us look at the data that we have and maybe data that we can buy from outside,” Zensurance CEO Danish Yusuf said to BetaKit. “One of the big things for us is, like in most fintechs, the backend is really, really messy and insurance companies move extremely slowly, so when we have the opportunity to work with an insurance company that would open the door for us, it’s quite exciting … particularly [because] Travelers is one of the largest insurance companies in the US and they have a global presence.”

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

INT: +1-630-444-2100 US: 866-663-2255 email: ops@ocmt.com web: www.ocmt.com

A GLOBAL REACH

with the personal touch 27

INDUSTRY VOICE

Preparing for change with a proactive approach Mark Hewitt, creator of piCalculator and Managing Director at Verisk, looks at the impact of last year’s discount rate change in the UK Many British insurers are just recovering from the discount rate change, and with the pending Civil Liability Bill, there may be yet another rate modification by the end of 2019. Insurers are sure to follow the Bill’s progress closely to prepare for any changes to the discount rate – which is a figure set by the government that is used to help set compensation payouts – and avoid the turmoil that ensued last year when the rate was changed dramatically and unexpectedly.

The Bill, which the UK Government introduced this past March, calls for an initial review of the discount rate methodology to start within 90 days of the Bill’s passage and for the review to take no more than 180 days. While there’s no definitive timeline for the Bill to pass into law, it’s likely to happen early next year. And that means by the end of 2019, a new discount rate may be in effect.

Discount rate change surprised the industry Insurers had a rude awakening at 7 a.m. on 27 February 2017, when the government unexpectedly announced a cut in the discount rate from 2.5 per cent to negative 0.75 per cent. Because there was no advance notice and the discount rate hadn’t budged in 16 years, the deep change was a surprise.

First, the significant rate reduction dramatically increased the damages awarded to personal injury claimants receiving a settlement for future losses.

Therefore, insurers had to make a massive shift in reserves to be able to pay out claims affected by the new rate.

Second, it tied up insurer resources because actuaries had to spend several

days scrambling to recalculate thousands of claims affected by the new rate.

Third, the change had a significant impact on insurers’ bottom line. Motor insurers lost £3.5 billion, and some companies experienced a 25-per-cent profit loss. Those losses resulted in higher premiums for consumers, as motor insurance rates rose by nine per cent.

The rush to recalculate thousands of claims and move more money into reserving is something that no one wishes to repeat. While the most recent government buzz indicates a more modest discount rate shift between zero and one per cent, even this less dramatic change will be more manageable with advanced planning.

Current calculation methods involve guesswork Many insurers make some preparations for rate fluctuations that will affect settlement figures for their complex claims. While these large losses make up only a small fraction of incoming claims, they can represent a significant proportion of reserves. A certain amount of guesswork is also involved.

To calculate payouts for complex claims, claims handlers create huge spreadsheets with values for injury treatments, lost wages and dozens of other expenses related to catastrophic injuries from devastating motor accidents.

Some insurers require claims handlers to develop two or more additional versions of these figures calculated with different discount rates. In this scenario, if the company has guessed the correct new discount rate, its team is all set and ready to proceed.

But there are a couple of drawbacks to manual calculations. They’re labourintensive, tying up valuable time calculating possible rates. Additionally, companies are performing calculations on rate changes that may not be correct,

which is what occurred in 2017.

No one anticipated the exact rate change, so any preplanning turned out to be a waste of untold man-hours. One insurer reported that it took nearly 10 weeks to produce new reserves for its live claims after the new rate was announced. With all hands on deck to deal with the change, there was no movement forward on current claims, stalling work for weeks.

Technology helps to manage reserves proactively In some ways, calculating reserves can seem like a no-win situation: organisations spend time preparing for a rate change but still waste more time recalculating reserves if they don’t correctly guess the new rate. The best approach is implementing technological solutions that calculate reserves automatically.

Automation not only reduces laborious manual calculations and speeds up the process overall, automation technologies

can also give insurers unprecedented visibility into their books of business to manage reserves proactively.

Because calculating heads of loss for all types of personal injury claims is so complex and time consuming, companies often do so only every six months as regulations require. But if they could perform these complex calculations quickly at the click of a button instead of printing Ogden tables and struggling with complicated formulas, they could do it more frequently.

If insurers could recalculate reserves monthly or even quarterly, they could maintain more accurate reserves, maximise their investments, and improve profitability downstream. If the discount rate happens to change – whether by one per cent or 3.25 per cent – calculating those changes would take minutes with an automated tool, as opposed to days with the current approach.

Get ahead of the rate change With the pending legislation, a new discount is on the way in 2019. Insurers don’t want to repeat the nightmare of 2017, which not only cost them valuable time in recalculating reserves but millions of pounds needed to pay higher injury claims and increase their reserves.

As automation becomes more prevalent in the insurance industry, it’s critical to expand that technology to complex personal injury claim settlements to simplify calculations, save time and proactively manage reserves as rate changes loom.

Mark Hewitt

28

INSURANCE MATTERS

29

INDUSTRY VOICE

Obligation or opportunity? Rethinking IFRS 17 driven decision making across your business. A data analytics platform can handle the requirements of IFRS 17, running all necessary calculations and processes while enabling the sharing of consistent data between teams.

Automation and improved data flow between teams will significantly speed up operations.

The level of detail achieved in data collection and management also enables superior pricing analytics for contracts.

Faster data sharing means more accurate and timely insight, which helps teams spot opportunities or anomalies faster and make better decisions. What’s more, once finance and actuarial departments can share insight quickly, the system can serve as a blueprint for encouraging collaboration across other parts of the business.

Faster data sharing means more accurate and timely insight, which helps teams spot opportunities or anomalies faster Lee Thorpe, Head of Risk Business Solutions for SAS UK & Ireland, asks if the new International Financial Reporting Standard 17 is as much an opportunity as it is a challenge

Every cloud has a silver lining, especially in insurance. The upcoming International Financial Reporting Standard 17 (IFRS 17) regulation is certain to unsettle the industry.

However, to ignore the bright side would be a big mistake. Achieving compliance is not only for satisfying regulators, it can be a competitive advantage if done well.

IFRS 17 will upend decades of insurance financial reporting standards. It will require painstaking preparation, substantial investment and no small amount of stress to be compliant before the 2021 deadline.

However, IFRS 17 also represents a golden opportunity for insurers to rethink their approach to automation and analytics.

Upgrading systems and capabilities for readiness with IFRS 17 will have a wider positive impact on the business, and potentially the industry as a whole.

A question of survival Compliance with IFRS 17 is not just

By contrast, competing for fresh investment has proven a formidable challenge for the industry’s incumbents. Yet, transparency for investors is worth its weight in gold and IFRS 17 could well change their fortunes.

Upgrading systems and capabilities for readiness with IFRS 17 will have a wider positive impact on the business, and potentially the industry as a whole IFRS 17 obliges insurers to create large quantities of high-quality financial information that is detailed, trustworthy and universally comparable for IFRS reporting firms. The regulation will standardise accounting procedures and greatly improve the transparency of firms’ obligations and profitability.

In short, it will help investors compare insurers and decide where to invest.

In a challenging market, transparency is

Achieving compliance is not only for satisfying regulators, it can be a competitive advantage if done well necessary from a regulatory point of view, it’s key to being able to thrive competitively.

Indeed, our recent research shows that 40 per cent of insurers believe the standard is crucial for the industry’s survival.

Insurance has long been seen as fertile ground for disruption. The investor community has been quick to fund the insurtech startups and payments disruptors that have been shaking up the sector in the past few years.

30

valued greatly by investors assessing the viability of their investments. With 98 per cent of insurance professionals believing that IFRS 17 will increase transparency, the regulation will surely be an important step in winning their trust and driving inward investment to the industry.

Positive side-effects The world of insurance is changing rapidly as the volume, complexity and velocity of data expands. Yet what matters now is not how much data you have, but your ability to interrogate it and extract insights from it quickly in an auditable way.

IFRS 17 will force accountants and actuaries to work and align processes more closely to ensure auditors get the data they need.

Yet, with the right approach, this burden becomes an opportunity.

Greater automation and use of analytics can be a gateway to more efficient operations and data-

While IFRS 17 may cause a few headaches, it’s helping insurers rejuvenate their approach to transparency and analytics.

Data-driven decision making is essential both for compliance and for thriving in the modern insurance environment. The road to IFRS 17 may be long, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. ■

Lee Thorpe

INSURANCE MATTERS

31

TRAVEL MATTERS

UK travellers ‘could suffer’ post-Brexit UK travel insurance comparison site Compare Cover has warned that British travellers ‘could suffer’ if no deal is reached between the UK and EU With the UK set to leave the EU on 29 March next year, Compare Cover warns that the precarious future of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will leave UK travellers without the reciprocal healthcare safety net that the scheme offers to UK holidaymakers.

Simon Williams, Travel Insurance Product Manager at Compare Cover, said: “Holidaymakers planning to travel to Europe need to be properly prepared for what may come post-March 2019 and during the transition period, as there is still likely to be a lot of uncertainty. Deal or no deal, there still has to be something legally binding in these transition arrangements that confirms that the current reciprocal rights are protected – although both the UK Government and the EU have stated in a Joint Report that they intend to keep the rights – there is no guarantee at the moment.”

The UK Government stated in its July 2018 Brexit whitepaper that it wanted to keep the benefits of the EHIC in place post-Brexit, but that in the absence of an agreement being reached, these rights would immediately cease.

“That leaves a lot of people unprotected if they fall ill abroad, have no insurance and

have no provision for emergency treatment through the EHIC scheme,” Williams commented. “For elderly travellers or those with pre-existing conditions, it might even

Holidaymakers planning to travel to Europe need to be properly prepared for what may come mean that they won’t be protected at all if they travel as they won’t be covered by the EHIC, which offers cover for some pre-existing medical conditions.”

what the effects of ‘no deal’ would be, while 27 per cent said that should there be specific rules implemented for travel to each country in Europe, that would make them much less likely to travel.

Additionally, 61 per cent of survey respondents expressed concerns about the impact that ‘no deal’ would have on them travelling with their pets in Europe, while 49 per cent said that they would be concerned about the possibility of

higher mobile roaming charges.

“The UK and EU are hoping to have an agreement made by November but with negotiations still ongoing there is a lack information available for what a ‘no deal’ Brexit may mean for travellers to Europe,” commented Tommy Lloyd, Managing Director at the comparison site.

We can but wait with bated breath to see whether the UK finally decides to start taking the negotiations seriously.

Concerns about ‘no deal’ Meanwhile, new research by MedicalTravelCompared, a specialist travel insurance comparison website based in the UK, has found that UK travellers are increasingly concerned about the impact that a ‘no deal’ Brexit would have on their ability to travel within Europe. According to the research, 71.1 per cent of UK travellers are worried about this, with the 41–50 age demographic the most concerned, and MedicalTravelCompared has warned that should the UK and the European Union be unable to agree on the terms of a deal – as is looking increasingly likely – the number of people travelling to Europe could drop dramatically, having a major impact on the tourism sector.

Fifty per cent of respondents said that they were either unsure or unaware of exactly

Drum Cussac analyses bleisure travel A new whitepaper from global risk, security and crisis management consultancy Drum Cussac has examined the challenges posed by the increasingly popular trend for ‘bleisure’ travel (i.e. travel combining business and leisure) and analysed how employers can stick to their duty of care responsibilities wherever their employees happen to travel More than 70 per cent of business travellers, according to Drum Cussac, now extend their work trips to include leisure time, so it is crucial that employers know how to handle this so that no employees fall through the gaps and get into trouble.

Unfortunately, however, only one-third of organisations have a formal policy in place specifically laying out how to effectively

32

cover bleisure travel, putting not just the employee at risk but also the employer.

This is despite the fact that 90 per cent of companies officially state that they allow their workers to undertake bleisure travel.

Studies cited by Drum Cussac in the whitepaper suggest that more than a quarter of bleisure trips will involve an activity that increases a traveller’s risk

bleisure is a poorly defined concept for many organisations, so responsibilities and expectations are muddied exposure. Around 12 per cent of bleisure travellers, meanwhile, have required some form of organisational support while travelling – but only 37 per cent of employers review the risk rating of a leisure destination before approving a trip.

One of the major issues, Drum Cussac suggests, is that bleisure is a poorly defined concept for many organisations, so responsibilities and expectations are muddied. The whitepaper offers a few solutions for mitigating the potential risks of bleisure travel, including updating business travel policies, defining boundaries – while keeping in mind that there can never be a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to this issue – and exploiting technology, such as travel risk management solutions.

TRAVEL MATTERS

33

TRAVEL MATTERS

AIG: Tech is changing travel New research from travel insurer AIG entitled ‘What’s changing the way you travel today?’ has found that innovations in the tech sphere are driving major changes in travellers’ habits Modern leisure travellers, AIG states, are ‘smarter, more informed and better prepared than ever before’, and technology is a big influence on how trends are shifting; personalised digital content and special deals and promotions were cited as particular factors.

The research was built around a survey of over 2,000 leisure travellers undertaken this year by Pollfish. Almost 50 per cent of respondents said that the internet and connected devices make travel better, while 42 per cent said that technological innovations across every segment of travel have improved the overall experience. Thirtyeight per cent said that technology was making it easier for them to find excellent deals, which in turn was enabling them to travel further, to more interesting destinations.

When asked about specific innovations and advancements that they found valuable, 49 per cent of survey respondents cited online travel booking sites and booking assurances, including for insurance cover. Thirty-four per cent cited loyalty programmes and their attendant upgrades, privileges and benefits, 33 per cent cited new ways to discover and receive personalised deals, and 28 per cent cited promotional incentives. Forty-six per cent of respondents pointed to online travel aggregators and booking sites as essential entities for assisting and satisfying

UK to beat 2020 tourism target early

travel requirements.

“Advancements in technology have revolutionised the way consumers can now customise travel to better suit individual trip preferences and budget, including how travel insurance is researched and purchased,”

Advancements in technology have revolutionised the way consumers can now customise travel to better suit individual trip preferences and budget said Jeff Rutledge, CEO at AIG Travel. “As consumers take more control over their travel booking process, all members of the travel industry must step up to deliver a seamless booking experience which, for the travel insurance segment specifically, means guiding travelers to the right products and services for their particular trip.”

According to VisitBritain, the UK is likely to beat its 2020 tourism target by the end of 2018. The country was hoping to achieve 40 million annual inbound visits by 2020, but it is looking as though a total of 40.9 million will be achieved by the end of this year, a whole two years early; these visitors will contribute approximately £26.3 billion to the economy.

Inbound visits to the UK hit record numbers of 39.2 million in 2017, a four-per-cent rise compared with 2016, while spending registered a nine-per-cent rise, hitting £24.5 billion. Domestic tourism has also registered an increase, with 2017 seeing both trips and

spending within the UK rising by six per cent.

However, British tourism authorities are still concerned about the impact that Brexit could have on the sector, with Steve Ridgway, Chairman of the Tourism Authority, calling it ‘the most important’ challenge the industry is currently facing: “Whilst we address the initial fluctuations in currency and EU worker concerns, we soon will need to deal with the longer-term realities. We want to ensure that the future relationship keeps our borders as frictionless as possible for visitors, our aviation as connected as ever, and our economic stability on track – because tourism depends on this.”

+34 902 008 407 www.spainfuneralservices.com

We are specialised in the repatriation of mortal remains from any location in Spain, Portugal and Mexico to the rest of the world.

Our customer base includes insurance agencies, assistance services, government agencies and funeral directors.

Our experiences team is multi-lingual and is able to communicate directly and clearly with all parties involved.

Languages spoken include English, Spanish, French, Dutch and Arabic.

Besides repatriations, we organise local burial and incineration as well as international transportation of the ashes. Our is a one-stop service – from obtaining the required documentation and permits, flights reservation and translation of documents to religious rituals and collecting and shipping personal effects.

Our extensive and high-quality funeral repatriation service is achieved with full customer and end-client satisfaction.

SFS_ITIJ214.indd 1

EDITOR SIGN.

17/10/2018 11:53

34 IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

TRAVEL MATTERS

Kiwis taking flight Record numbers of New Zealanders are reportedly travelling overseas, with the US a particularly favoured destination, according to Silicon Valley-based insurtech VisitorsCoverage. More than 2.9 million Kiwis travelled abroad last year via New Zealand airports, and VisitorsCoverage has noted a 120-percent increase in this demographic searching for travel insurance via its website in 2018, and a 100-percent increase in searches specifically for coverage for trips to the US. MoneyHub, meanwhile, has reported some comforting data – only one in six New Zealanders travel overseas without

Passengers stranded due to Primera Air collapse Danish-registered airline Primera Air ceased all operations at midnight on 1 October, stranding many UK travellers overseas as result.

The airline has been operating for 14 years but only began offering budget long-haul flights out of the UK earlier this year. It has ceased operations because of a failure to secure long-term financing, but it is thought that its decision to compete in the lowbudget marketplace with similar airlines such as Wow was too ambitious.

Unfortunately for passengers who were expecting to take outward or return flights after midnight on 1 October, the airline was not covered by the Civil Aviation Authority’s ATOL Protection scheme, which only covers package holidays. Passengers on Primera flights back to the UK were subsequently advised by the CAA that they would need to make alternative arrangements, leaving many in a sticky financial situation; UK nationals were stranded in various places, including Spain, while there were also been reports of Canadian travellers stranded in France.

In further bad news, unless passengers’ travel insurance policies specifically included Scheduled Airline Failure Insurance, they were unlucky when it came to claiming refunds; the CAA advised that passengers seeking ticket refunds to contact Primera Air directly, or the airline ticket agent if they originally used one to book. Passengers who paid with a credit card had the possibility of protection by the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

travel insurance. And while they tend to favour coverage purchased from a homegrown provider, more and more are looking to US-based suppliers based on various factors, including reduced costs and increased benefits.

“Visitors to the US are realising the cost savings, coverage advantages and convenience of purchasing USbased travel insurance,” commented Rajeev Shrivastava, CEO and Founder of VisitorsCoverage. “Not only do more US-based providers recognise and accept US-based insurance, but non-US policies are generally reimbursement-based, and travellers may be required to pay

medical costs out-of-pocket at the time of service. Filing a claim for reimbursement later could be complicated, frustrating and lengthy as a result of different time zones and countries.”

A rapidly expanding market Between 1998 and 2017, the number of international flights taking off from and landing at New Zealand airstrips annually has more than doubled, from 35,804 to nearly 76,000. According to Statistics New Zealand, there has been ‘increasing diversity in the regions people are visiting’, which echoes a growing diversity among the island nation’s population.

In a world of automation.

Innovate.

In today’s dynamic world there is a need to see and do things differently, even simple things. We not only deliver today’s solutions but provide a fertile breeding-ground for tomorrow’s innovations. For our partners and providers, knowledge is shared and boundaries are pushed.

Don’t stay in your comfort zone – join us.

International Assistance Group has been federating assistance companies since 1992. We have grown from a small non-profit association into the world’s largest alliance of independent assistance companies and accredited providers.

We make global world-class solutions a reality. That’s because we vet and select companies with local expertise, skills and knowledge delivering quality services 24/7.

Local partners. Global solutions. www.international-assistance-group.com + 33 1 55 30 09 10 netiag@netiag.com M E D I C A L & T R AV E L A S S I S TA N C E • R O A D S I D E A S S I S TA N C E • C O S T C O N TA I N M E N T • T PA • S E C U R I T Y S E R V I C E S

35

TRAVEL MATTERS

Flying solo Travellers are increasingly going on trips solo, new research from online travel agent Agoda has found The research, conducted for Agoda by YouGov, found that travellers look to step into the unknown on their own for some relaxation, with 61 per cent saying that they look to unwind on their solo trips, whilst only 48 per cent who travel with a friend gave that as the reason. Other factors given by solo travellers include getting away from routine (52 per cent) and exploring new cultures (45 per cent).

In the West, those who travel solo tend to be older, with the disposable income of Baby Boomers (39 per cent) and Generation Xers (24 per cent) making them more likely to travel alone. Asian travellers are significantly younger, however, with 41 per cent being Millennials and 38 per cent being Generation Xers. Westerners are also more likely to travel for longer, with 34 per cent taking trips lasting between four and seven days. Chinese travellers – whose younger demographic may not have as much disposable income – are more likely to take trips of only one to three nights (46 per cent).

The younger Asian demographic is also more likely to stay digitally connected to their friends and family back home,

Out of reach (take me to The Beach) with 31 per cent spending four or more hours in front of a screen when they’re away, compared to 12 per cent of western travellers. In general, solo travellers spend 15 per cent more time in front of their screens whilst abroad than those who travel with a companion.

Cities top the lists of destinations for solo travellers, with London, UK topping the

In the west, those who travel solo tend to be older, with the disposable income of Baby Boomers and Generation Xers making them more likely to travel alone

Thai authorities recently announced that the popular Maya Bay – also known as ‘The Beach’, used in the film starring Leonardo DiCaprio – will remain closed indefinitely The tourist spot was supposed to reopen this month after a temporary ban on travellers; the ban was put into place on 1 June and was intended to give authorities time to implement a rejuvenation programme, including the installation of boat jetties and the revival of corals, which have been severely damaged by tourism.

However, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation announced

list for western travellers and Bangkok, Thailand topping the list for Asian travellers. Tokyo, Japan is popular with both groups, finding its way into both of the lists’ top three. Asian travellers, however, are less likely to travel out of Asia, with all of the top 10 destinations for this demographic being on the continent. Western travellers have Tokyo, Bangkok and Singapore all in the top 10.

Tourism continues to swamp Amsterdam Travel specialist TravelBird has predicted that more areas of the Dutch city of Amsterdam are set to feel the pressure of over-tourism in the city, based on the City Survey of Crowdedness and Balance research by OIS. With the number of tourists arriving to the city set to rise from 18 million in 2018 to 30 million in 2025, visitors will likely spread from the currently overcrowded neighbourhoods of Centrum West and Centrum Oost and engulf the De Pijp/Rivierenbuurt and Oud-Zuid neighbourhoods as well.

Residents in all areas of the city feel that it is getting more crowded, according to the report findings, and there is an increased feeling of negativity towards tourists in the area. Locals complained of pavement hindrance, littering and traffic as the biggest negatives of

today that the bay would remain closed for the foreseeable future, as the local marine ecosystem will require more time to recover.

“The ecosystem and the beach’s physical structure have yet to return to its full condition,” said the agency.

Closure will remain in place ‘until natural resources return to normal’.

Maya Bay is part of Thailand’s Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, a hugely popular draw for tourists, and one that was expected to see up to 2.5 million visitors this year, a rise of half a million compared with last year.

The beach’s popularity is due in large part to its use in the famous film.

the increasing levels of tourism.

“This research shows how important it is to work hard towards sustainable tourism in Amsterdam. Amsterdam has to remain a city that is wonderful to live in as well as to visit. It is the residents that give the soul to the city, which in turn is what attracts travellers,” says TravelBird CEO Steven Klooster. “As a travel provider, it is our responsibility to think long-term about sustainability for the future of travel. We are reducing the number of trips we offer to overbooked cities and increasing our variety so that our travellers can enjoy and explore other cities less affected. Examples of these are trips to Bari in Italy, Toulouse in France and up-and-coming destination Skopje in Macedonia, which we have recently introduced, whilst at the same time offering fewer trips to Amsterdam.”

Sri Lanka enjoying increased tourism figures Sri Lanka has announced that it has experienced a growth of 11.6 per cent in visitors so far for 2018 when compared to the previous year’s figures.

In total, the country has received over 1.73 million overseas travellers in 2018, with nearly 150,000 arriving in September, the third lowest month after May and June. So far for 2018, Sri Lanka received its highest number of visitors in January, February and March.

Visitors came from all over the world in September, but India, China and the UK were the most common source markets for tourist arrivals. Over 31,000 Indians travelled to Sri Lanka, double that of the UK and a third larger than the number for visitors from China.

Although the Asia Pacific region took the lion’s share of visitors (47 per cent), European

visitors were not far behind, with 43 per cent of the overall number of visitors coming from the region. By contrast, the Americas, the third highest arrivals, contributed only six per cent, while the Middle East and Africa contributed three per cent and one per cent respectively.

Visa deters Indians from Schengen zone New findings from the European Tourism Association (ETOA) Visa Impact Survey show that European tourism loses about $1 billion per year from the Indian market due to the complexities of the Schengen zone tourist visa process.

Surveying members who provide travel arrangements for Indian clients, the ETOA found that 55 per cent of those who considered travelling to the Schengen zone did not complete the visa application, with 30 per cent changing their mind before applying and 25 per cent dropping out during the application process.

According to the ETOA , more than half a million more visitors could have come to

36

the Schengen zone if they had completed the visa process, and with each visitor spending around $2,000 on average, a sum of $1 billion was missed out on.

Two-thirds of those who abandoned the process still went on a foreign trip. The top reasons for not completing a visa application were the cost and perceived practical difficulty of the process.

Tom Jenkins, CEO of the ETOA, said: “Expensive, complicated tourist visa systems defer visitors. The brand-new Schengen Visa Code should be fit for purpose for legitimate travel. The purchase price point must be further and re-set investment is required to increase processing times.”

TRAVEL MATTERS

World Protection One Company CENTRAL AMERICA | SOUTH AMERICA | CARIBBEAN

Medical Logistics Assistance with Cruises Transportation/Travel Assistance In-Home Doctor Visits Medical Emergency Coordination Air Ambulances Service 24- Hour Customer Service

1-786-888-6739

info@sunmedint.net

2000 N.W 89th Place Miami Fl 33172 USA

2 4 H O U R C U STO M E R S E R V I C E sunmedint.net 37

HEALTH MATTERS

Breakthrough in TB research New findings on tuberculosis (TB) were recently announced at the United Nations General Assembly high-level meeting on tuberculosis, and have already led to decisions in England, the Netherlands and New York to deliver treatment according to DNA sequencing results The international project was led by the international CRyPTIC consortium, facilitated by the UK Government’s 100,000 Genomes Project, and involved researchers from Queen Mary University of London, The University of Oxford, University of Leeds, Imperial College London, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. It was the largest of its kind, covering more than 10,000 TB genomes from 16 partner countries. The hope is that it could lead to quicker, more tailored treatment for the millions of people around the world living with TB. The analysis suggests that by sequencing the genomes of the TB bacteria present in a patient’s blood, doctors can now predict the susceptibility of the infection to different drugs with a sufficient degree of accuracy to guide their choice of drugs to prescribe.

Professor Mark Caulfield, Chief Scientist at Genomics England, Co-Director of Queen Mary’s William Harvey Research Institute and Director of the NIHR Barts Biomedical Research Centre, said: “The 100,000 Genomes Project has amassed the largest collection of whole human genomes linked to direct healthcare.

Here, researchers working with Genomics England and other agencies have

demonstrated that DNA sequencing can be used to guide first-line treatment of TB. This shows that genomic medicine can enable precision care of millions of people, in the UK and around the world.”

Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Scientific Adviser for the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care, said: “Developing more effective approaches to treating multi-drugresistant TB is crucial for the thousands of people affected in the UK and millions worldwide. This study is just one example of how the government is supporting research into how new technologies can help us tackle drug-resistant infections and thus preserve the effectiveness of current antibiotic treatments.”

TB on the way out in the UK? Public Health England (PHE) has released new data showing that the number of people diagnosed with TB in England is at its lowest level since the 1990s, raising hope that the disease may soon be wiped out.

The new data shows that following action from PHE, the National Health Service (NHS) and others, there was a 38-per-cent drop in new diagnoses from a peak in 2011 to 2017 (from 8,280 to 5,102), with a nine-

TB in England is at its lowest level since the 1990s per-cent fall in diagnoses between 2016 and 2017 alone. In England, the incidence rate of the disease is now 9.2 per 100,000 population, which takes England to below the WHO definition of a low incidence

country (10 per 100,000 population) for the first time. PHE has been key in reducing the rates of TB in the UK, working with NHS England and other partner organisations to implement the ‘Collaborative Tuberculosis Strategy for England 2015 to 2020’, which includes raising awareness and tackling TB in underserved populations, implementing testing for latent TB in those arriving from countries with high rates of TB, and strengthening surveillance and monitoring.

“It is hugely encouraging to see a continued decline in TB in England, which shows that the interventions we are putting in place are having an impact and will hopefully one day soon consign TB to the history books. While these new figures are positive, challenges still exist,” said Dr Sarah Anderson, Head

TB remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease of TB Strategy at Public Health England.

Steve Brine, Public Health Minister, said: “We’re committed to keeping people healthy, and the steep decline of TB rates in this country is a testament to our worldleading approach. We are also helping other countries to go further in the fight against TB, with funding and research.”

World leaders commit to bold targets The United Nations General Assembly has committed to ensure that 40 million people with TB receive the care they need by the end of 2022. They also agreed to provide 30 million people with preventive treatment to protect them from developing TB. “[This] is a landmark in the long war on TB,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. “These are bold promises – to keep the partnership is vital. WHO is committed to working with every country, every partner and every community to get the job done.”

Heads of state and government attending the first-ever UN high-level meeting on TB agreed to mobilise US$13 billion a year by 2022 to implement TB prevention and care, and $2 billion for research. They committed to take firm action against drug-resistant forms of the disease, build accountability and prioritise human rights

38

issues such as the stigma that still prevails around TB in many parts of the world.

They acknowledged that the current rate of progress was endangering prospects of meeting global targets to end TB. Today, TB remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease: it killed 1.6 million people in 2017, including 300,000 people with HIV. In the same year, 10 million people fell ill with TB. “The political declaration proposed for this meeting sets a roadmap for accelerated action to end TB in line with the vision and targets for 2030,” said Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly.

“We have before us the opportunity for a clear win – a chance to save the lives of millions, to preserve billions in resources, to demonstrate the success of the Sustainable Development Goals, and to reaffirm the utility, efficacy and necessity of multilateralism and the UN System. Let us not miss this opportunity.”

The political declaration is the culmination of recent leadership commitments at global and regional level – including the 2017 Moscow Declaration to End TB – to drive universal access, sufficient and sustainable financing, intensified research and innovation, and accountability across all sectors.

HEALTH MATTERS

World-class care. Here for you.

Our reputation for top quality health care and beautiful location on the Pacific Ocean attract patients from around the world. We offer multi-lingual concierge services to guide you on your journey, assisting you before your visit and during your treatment in San Diego, and coordinating follow-up with your doctor back home.

International patients benefit from our nationally ranked care in multiple medical and surgical specialties, including: >>

Cancer

>>

Neurology and neurosurgery

>>

Cardiology and heart surgery

>>

Orthopedics

>>

Geriatrics

>>

Pulmonology

UC San Diego Health is known for outstanding, culturally competent patient care. Patients’ families also enjoy the cultural and recreational attractions that make San Diego a popular tourist destination, famous for its year-round mild climate.

health.ucsd.edu/international 39

HEALTH MATTERS

Research on disease risk and human travel Researchers at the University of Maine in the US have received US$1.5 million from the National Science Foundation to examine the relationships among the spread of mosquito-transmitted diseases, perceptions of mosquitoborne disease risk and human travel, including domestic and international travel The project, ‘Coupled Dynamics of Tourism and Mosquito-Borne Disease Transmission in the Americas’, aims to understand the role of human mobility in the dispersal of mosquitoborne viruses across a range of spatial scales and explore how infectious disease outbreaks influence the travel decisions of individuals and the marketing strategies of tourism businesses, as well as how changes in human mobility in response to epidemics and marketing might change outbreak paths. It is being led by Allison Gardner, an assistant professor of arthropod vector biology, and Sandra De Urioste-Stone, an assistant professor of nature-based tourism.

“Human activities already have led to the globalisation of many important disease vector mosquitoes,” said Gardner. “The range expansion of these mosquito

The range expansion of mosquito species, combined with a degree of human connectivity unprecedented in human history, has created a landscape that greatly facilitates the emergence and re-emergence of arthropodborne viruses

will investigate the contribution of human movement patterns to mosquito-human interactions and to the spread of mosquitoborne viruses across regions. “It is important to understand how humans select and utilise diverse information to make travel and business decisions that might have an effect on disease transmission,” said De UriosteStone. “By using theories and methods from the social sciences, we will examine the role knowledge, attitudes, experience and trust in

species, combined with a degree of human connectivity unprecedented in human history, has created a landscape that greatly facilitates the emergence and re-emergence of arthropod-borne viruses.”

The project will use the introduction and spread of Zika and chikungunya in the Americas as case studies. “Our goal is to develop capabilities in management and analysis of ‘big data’ to create innovative spatial analysis platforms for modelling mechanistically how human movements drive disease transmission and spread.

These models may inform rapid and effective public health responses to mosquitoborne disease outbreaks,” Gardner said.

Using epidemiological modelling and data science techniques, the researchers

Human infected with rat hepatitis

Airport security trays – a hidden health hazard A recent study called ‘Deposition of respiratory virus pathogens on frequently touched surfaces at airports’ has found that plastic trays at airport security have more respiratory viruses than public toilets Samples were collected weekly at three different times of day, from various points along the passenger journey, at Helsinki-Vantaa airport over the course of three weeks in 2016.

Of the 90 surface samples tested, security trays were found to pose the highest potential risk of viral contamination. Respiratory viruses detected on the trays included deno, influenza A, rhino and human corona OC43. The study said that as the trays are used by virtually all passengers, ‘they have the potential to be especially problematic if a severe pathogen with an

A man in Hong Kong has been diagnosed with a form of hepatitis E that was previously found only in rats. It is believed that he may have become infected after consuming food contaminated with rat droppings containing the virus.

Hong Kong has been put on notice to improve public health and get rid of rodents. In a recent press conference, Professor Yuen Kwok-yung, a microbiologist at Hong Kong University, said that the discovery was a ‘wake-up call’ to improve environmental hygiene and prevent rats from breeding. “We don’t know if in future there will be a serious outbreak of the rat Hepatitis

information sources play in influencing how travellers perceive the risk of contracting a mosquito-borne disease while traveling.”

The researchers hope that meetings with public health and tourism stakeholders will help to develop management strategies and actions to address mosquito-borne disease threats. The ultimate goal of the work is to interact closely with tourism and public health stakeholders to share the results from the study and inform decision making.

indirect transmission mechanism were to pose a threat for international spread’.

The study’s recommendations for stopping the spread of disease at airport security areas were for airports to offer hand sanitisation with alcohol handrub before and after security screening and increase the frequency of tray disinfection. “Although this would not eliminate all viruses on hands, (e.g. alcohol gels have been found to be less effective than hand-washing for rhinovirus), it is effective for many viruses, including influenza,” the study said.

The study also stated that the rise in air travel has increased the likelihood of infectious diseases spreading rapidly between countries and continents and that the findings stress the need to investigate the role of various traffic hubs in transmission of respiratory viruses.

E virus in Hong Kong,” he said. “We need to closely monitor this issue.”

Although Dr Siddharth Sridhar, a clinical assistant professor from HKU’s department of microbiology involved in studying the patient, said that there is no evidence of an imminent major epidemic following the discovery of rat Hepatitis E in the patient, researchers take any new incidence of infections jumping from animals to humans very seriously.

“These kinds of unusual infections, rare infections, first instances – even one case is enough to make public health authorities and researchers very alert about the implications,” he said.

40 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

HEALTH MATTERS

41 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

HEALTH MATTERS

Epidemiological update: West Nile Surf resort closed down fever in Europe by brain-eating amoeba A surf resort in Texas, US was closed after a man who visited died from brain-eating amoeba. BSR Cable Park’s Surf Resort is being tested for Naegleria fowleri. The single-celled living organism is commonly found in warm freshwater such as lakes, rivers, and hot springs and soil. It infects people when they go swimming or diving in warm freshwater places. Infection cannot occur from drinking water contaminated with Naegleria; the amoeba can only infect people when contaminated water goes up into their nasal passages.

Fabrizio Stabile died in New Jersey earlier

this month after falling ill with Naegleria.

BSR Cable Park owner Stuart E. Parsons Jr said that the resort will continue to comply with requests related to the investigation of Stabile’s death. “Our hearts and prayers are with his family, friends, and the New Jersey surf community during this difficult time,” he said.

Parsons also said the surf resort is in compliance with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s ‘guidelines and recommendations concerning Naegleria fowleri’. The surf resort has closed pending the test results from the CDC.

Number of West Nile fever cases in EU/EEA and EU enlargement countries by epidemiological week of notification, 2014 to 2018, as of 20 September 2018 Credit: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

As of 20 September 2018, 1,505 confirmed and probable locally acquired human West Nile Virus (WNV) infections were reported

by European countries. European Union (EU) Member States reported 1,135 human cases, with the majority (453) coming from Italy. Greece reported 225 cases, Romania 216, Hungary 167, Croatia 36, France 16, Austria 15, Bulgaria four and Slovenia three.

EU neighbouring countries reported 370 human cases in Serbia, Israel and Kosovo.

To date, 115 deaths due to West Nile virus infection have been reported, with 35 by Italy, 29 in Serbia, 25 in Romania, 24 in Greece, and one each in Hungary and Kosovo.

The case fatality ratio (CFR) in 2018 has not exceeded the CFR in the previous two years

(7.6 per cent in 2018 compared with 11.1 per cent in both 2016 and 2017). The proportion of cases with West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) among symptomatic cases is lower than the previous two years (70 per cent in 2018 compared with 82 per cent in 2017 and 86 per cent in 2016).

All human cases reported during the current transmission season were in previously affected countries. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control recommended that ‘personal protection from mosquito bites is advisable for any person residing in or visiting affected areas, especially the elderly and immunocompromised who are at higher risk of developing severe symptoms’.

Surge in hepatitis A in Chile

Zika alert for Vietnam Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued a travel alert for Vietnam after it confirmed a new case of Zika virus infection that was imported from the Southeast Asian country. This is the second confirmed imported case of Zika virus this year.

In response to the newly confirmed case, the CDC has raised its travel advisory level regarding the Zika virus for Vietnam to the second-highest level, an alert that urges travellers to affected areas to be on their guard against infection.

There has been a surge in cases of hepatitis A in the regions of Bio Bio and Nuble in Chile, with cases having increased by 140 per cent since last year. In 2018, 779 cases have been reported so far.

Possible reasons for the increase are the incorrect preparation of seafood for consumption, poor-quality drinking water water and insufficient hand washing.

Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable viral disease passed onto humans primarily through oral contact with the faeces of an infected person, which can occur through contaminated food and water, by handling everyday items and sexual contact. The disease poses a

significant risk for travellers to developing countries where sanitation and hygiene are lacking. Travellers can protect themselves with a course of hepatitis A vaccine, which offers highly effective immunity that protects for 20-30 years.

When it comes to minimising infection from contaminated food, travellers are advised to wash all fruit, salad ingredients and vegetables before eating, peel all fruit and vegetables that are to be eaten raw, protect food that is left out by covering it with a fly net, washing hands before eating, and avoiding dairy food and food that has been left unrefrigerated for more than three or four hours.

42

For example, travellers to Zika infected areas should: use a suitable repellent, wear neutral coloured clothing and garments that are long-sleeved, pre-soak or spray outer layer clothing with permethrin (an insecticide), and apply sunscreen before repellent.

Travellers are advised to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms of fever, accompanied by a rash, joint pain and/or conjunctivitis within two weeks of their return from Zika-affected areas, and inform their physician of their travel history.

We provide expertise and care HEALTH MATTERS

European Air Ambulance

European Air Ambulance (EAA) is one of the largest specialised air ambulance service providers in Europe offering worldwide air ambulance repatriation with outstanding end-to-end patient care.

The aircraft are dedicated to ambulance missions and equipped with a customised stretcher system, ICU medical equipment as well as all necessary drugs.

All missions are staffed with a medical team consisting of a specialised physician and a flight nurse. We are ready to take off day and night, 365 days a year for missions worldwide.

For quotes please contact: Tel: +352 26 26 00 / Fax: +352 26 26 01 alert@air-ambulance.com 43

www.air-ambulance.com

HEALTH MATTERS

Ebola still active in DRC

Potential health and safety risks in Central Sulawesi The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that, due to the recent earthquake and tsunami that struck Indonesia on 28 September, travellers to Central Sulawesi may experience serious health and safety risks, and medical care may not be available. It has therefore recommended that travellers avoid all nonessential travel to the province, and if they must travel to the region, they should protect themselves with the following health advice before their trip: make an appointment with a travel medicine specialist to get required vaccines and medicines; pack a travel health kit containing prescription medicines and over-the-counter medicines, first aid supplies, and health insurance card; monitor the Department of State’s Travel Advisory and Alerts for Indonesia; and prepare for the unexpected. The CDC’s

According to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains active and the cities of Beni and Butembo have become the new ‘hotspot’ of the disease.

Although response teams are continuing to enhance activities to mitigate potential clusters in these areas and prevent spread to other areas, significant risks for further spread of the disease remain. The WHO report states that continued challenges include: contacts lost to follow-up, delayed recognition of EVD in health centres, poor infection prevention and control in health

centres, and reluctance among some cases to be treated in Ebola treatment centres.

WHO said that the priority is to strengthen all components of the public health response in all affected areas and to continue to enhance operational readiness and preparedness in the non-affected areas of the DRC and neighbouring countries. It has advised against restriction of travel and trade to the DRC based on the information that is currently available and is continuing to monitor and verify travel and trade measures if necessary. It said that travellers should seek medical advice before travel and should practise good hygiene.

advice for travellers during their trip is to: prevent illness and injury by exercising caution, avoiding driving through moving water and avoiding contact with human remains; avoiding insect bites; following food and water safety guidelines; avoiding animal exposures; avoiding mould contamination; and getting medical care if they are injured or sick. Following their trip, travellers should see a doctor if they are not feeling well.

Monkeypox found in traveller returning to UK Two cases of monkeypox have been diagnosed in England; the first in a resident of Nigeria visiting the UK, and the second in a UK resident who had recently visited Nigeria.

Monkeypox is a rare viral infection which can be transmitted via respiratory droplets, through infected body fluids, or from an infected animal (rodents are thought to be the main reservoir of infection in animals).

The incubation period is between five and

21 days. The disease does not spread easily between people and is usually mild and self-limiting, with recovery within two to four weeks, although occasionally severe illness occurs. Monkeypox is found mainly in central and west African countries; during 2018 monkeypox cases have been reported from Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia and Nigeria.

• Croatia • Slovenia • Montenegro • MAcedonia • Serbia • Bosnia

We are one call away TBS Team – your first choice Assistance company in the Western Balkans.

• Kosovo • Albania

We simply love what we do!

TBS24_Oglas-Western-Balkans_A4_okt2018.indd 1

44

16. 10. 2018 17:48:30

REAL HELP IN AFRICA AND WORLDWIDE As a premier private emergency medical care provider based in South Africa, ER24 Global Assist is committed to being the first port of call in any emergency.

Mediclinic International and ER24 Global Assist are uniquely positioned to provide real help, real fast.

For more information, please email flight@er24.co.za

1466LNCS

ER24 is a 100% subsidiary of Mediclinic Southern Africa.

Cambridge Manor Office Park, Manor 1, Cnr Stone Haven and Witkoppen Roads, Paulshof, Sandton, South Africa 2056 • PO Box 242, Paulshof, Sandton, South Africa 2056 Tel SA: 0861 084 124 • International: +27(0) 11 319 6300 • www.er24.co.za

EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

FEATURE

ABI Travel Insurance Conference 2018: Choosing the right travel companion – travel insurance in a changing world

The Association of British Insurers’ (ABI) inaugural Travel Insurance Conference took place on 9 October at the Association’s offices in central London, bringing together Association members and representatives from the wider travel insurance industry for an afternoon of discussion and debate. The topics at hand were broadly based around how to increase consumer awareness about travel insurance, and how to improve access to such insurance, especially for travellers with pre-existing medical conditions. ITIJ was there as the official media partner. Here’s our round-up of the key points covered The conference was introduced by Huw Evans, Director-General of the ABI, who emphasised the vital role of insurance for travellers in today’s world and said that the insurance industry needs to help customers choose the right travel insurance product, and harness digital technology to explain to customers what is covered and what is not. The industry, he said, needs to become more sophisticated at underwriting cover for travellers with pre-existing medical conditions, offering affordable cover and developing better signposting for those it can’t help. Huw also addressed the issue of Brexit, saying the industry needs to make sure customers don’t notice any disruption. Travel can be unpredictable, he concluded, but travel insurance is there to provide peace of mind.

Harriett Baldwin MP Harriett Baldwin MP gave a keynote address explaining how the UK’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) is developing its consulate and embassy services for today’s travellers. In her role as Minister of State for Africa at the FCO, she is responsible for consular support, and explained to attendees that more

understand what they are and are not covered for. She thanked the insurance industry for its support of the FCO’s Travel Aware campaigns and said the government very much values the part the industry plays in protecting travellers and the benefits travel insurance brings.

The role of travel insurance The first panel session of the conference followed, bringing together representatives from a diverse range of travel-related sectors to discuss the role of travel insurance in the changing world of travel. Through questions from the panel Chair, Mark Shepherd, Assistant Director, Head of Property, Commercial and Specialist Lines at the ABI, and from

A claim can be badly handled even if fairly declined embassies will be opened over the coming years. The FCO, she said, carries out research to assess how people access consular support, and its Travel Aware service – which has the support of the ABI and the wider industry – provides online resources to help prevent travellers getting into difficulty abroad by giving advice about visas, vaccinations, local laws and customs, the importance of having the right travel insurance, and up-to-date travel information for 225 countries and territories. It also raises awareness about such issues as the risks of balconing, theft, and the importance of staying safe during sporting events.

People are still travelling without insurance, said Harriet, so the FCO is targeting university campuses to educate young people about the importance of such cover and welcomes ideas from the insurance industry on other ways to reach out to such groups and help customers

The industry needs to become more sophisticated at underwriting cover for travellers with pre-existing medical conditions the audience, the panellists covered a range of issues centring on consumer awareness around travel insurance.

Simon Powell, CEO of Transfer Travel, expressed concerns about how many people don’t have travel insurance, especially in the 18-35 demographic.

But even those that do have travel cover, he said, don’t realise what is covered and what is not. On the issue of cheap travel insurance, Simon said that insurers should make it clear what the policy predominantly aims to cover, and that, generally, more travel insurance would be purchased if travellers were made more aware of some of the details of what they are covered for. A good way of spreading such awareness, suggested Simon, is through influencers and sharing real customers’ experiences.

Katherine Atkinson, Chief Executive of the Safer Tourism Foundation, spoke about how the risks associated with travel are changing, with people now more commonly booking directly with accommodation providers, more personalisation of travel, more longhaul travel and a younger cruise market. Younger travellers perceive the biggest risks of travel to be terrorism, crime and infectious diseases, but the most common accidents that occur abroad – slips and trips – are within their own control. Travellers, thus, need to use more common sense and take responsibility for their actions. Katherine’s organisation has conversations with the public about the real versus perceived risks of travel and works on campaigns around the importance of proper parental supervision and awareness around alcohol consumption when on holiday.

A fundamental issue, said Katherine, lies around customers’ perception of what travel insurance is for and the reality of where insurers’ main costs lie.

46 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

FEATURE However, she conceded, it is difficult to engage with customers to increase awareness of the medical aspect of travel cover – many customers are more interested in whether their smartphone is covered. It’s also difficult to know when the right time and place to talk to customers about travel insurance is; the aim is to try to avoid losing the customer.

In any case, we need to get people to understand the value of spending a little more time disclosing personal information, so that they get a product that meets their needs. At the same time, travellers need to be more curious about all aspects of what they’re purchasing when booking a holiday – from their accommodation to their insurance cover.

David Allen, Underwriting Strategy Manager at Direct Line Group, told delegates that the insurance industry is aware of changing travel trends and is working on customer engagement and offering a broader range of policies. The industry does need to help enhance customer understanding around the risks of travel, the importance of travel insurance, and what it covers; and it is working on customer engagement.

Cavalier travellers will always be an issue, though, David admitted.

On the issue of compulsory travel insurance, he stated that this would not solve the core problem of travellers having the right cover. He also said that no matter how much effort insurers put into making policies more readable, customers just don’t read them. More can be done by the industry in this regard, he concluded, but it is making strides in the right direction.

The digital space is certainly one

Huw Evans, Director-General of the ABI, with Harriett Baldwin MP

area in which customer education and engagement is becoming more important, said Julia Longbottom, Director of Consular Services at the FCO. She told attendees that the FCO deals more often with people who don’t have travel insurance, and that people rely on consular support without actually knowing exactly how the consulate can help them.

Alcohol, she stated, is a ‘massive’ factor in a lot of the cases the FCO deals with.

Consular services, then, tend to focus on prevention, including working with the insurance industry to get more people

the government very much values the part the industry plays in protecting travellers

47

to buy travel insurance, and working with foreign governments to enhance road safety; encouraging travellers to look after themselves when abroad; and looking after people who can’t help themselves – usually those without travel insurance. Regarding cover, one issue Julia highlighted was the need for insurers to be clearer about whether or not they cover private medical treatment, with some Turkish hospitals now refusing to work with certain UK insurers due to their refusal to cover this type of treatment.

Attention turned to Brexit, naturally, with Julia saying that the FCO is looking at different scenarios regarding a Brexit deal and looking at what the UK’s healthcare industry can agree with other healthcare systems. It is a significant challenge, she said, though it is good for customer confidence that travel insurers are still writing policies that extend beyond the exit date.

Brexit is a good time to engage with travellers about what the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) does and does not cover, suggested Katherine, and the importance of travel insurance.

David agreed, saying the EHIC name had always been a bit misleading; however, insurance products will develop after Brexit to meet new demands, such as health insurance top-ups.

Consumer understanding Following a short networking break, attendees enjoyed another keynote address, this time from Caroline Wayman, Chief Ombudsman and Chief Executive at the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), who gave her insights

>>

FEATURE

C

M

Y

on customer understanding of the need for the right travel insurance. The FOS, she said, received around 340,000 complaints in 2017/8, with 3,000 relating to travel insurance. Around 36 per cent were upheld i.e. found in favour of the consumer. This was a decrease on 2016’s figure of 48 per cent, but clearly, said Caroline, more work needs to be done, so the FOS is keen to work with the ABI and its members to make things better and narrow the gap between what people think they’re getting when they buy travel insurance and what they actually get.

Issues predominantly arise, explained Caroline, within three areas: sales, claims and support. Insurers, then, need to ask clear questions at the point of sale, in clear English, staying mindful of jargon.

Consumers don’t always know what they should disclose, she said, and it’s important they understand what they’re covered for by being provided with clear policy terms and exclusions. Claims issues can come from insurers not interpreting policy terms fairly, for example in the case of alcohol exclusions – although, said Caroline, fairness applies both ways and the FOS expects travellers to act responsibly and mitigate losses.

Insurers can help avoid complaints by dealing with issues quickly and sensitively. A claim can be badly handled, said Caroline, even if fairly declined.

Finding the right cover The final session of the conference was a panel debate, chaired by Charlie Campbell, Senior Policy Advisor, Protection, Health and Travel at the ABI, which addressed the question: how can insurers help customers find the right travel insurance?

Kate Huet, Chair of the Association of Travel Insurance Intermediaries, kicked off the discussion, saying that

with a significant proportion of the UK having a young reading age, it’s hard to communicate with them in industry language. The length of policy documents, consumer education and signposting all need to be worked on. For those aged under 60, access to insurance has never been better, said Kate, but for those with pre-existing medical conditions, those travelling to less safe areas, and those participating in unusual activities, better signposting is needed. There are, however, around one per cent of customers that we simply can’t cover, she said.

The challenges of finding travel insurance when you have cancer can be a very

its users so it needs to keep a distance with the insurance industry although it very much wants to work with it to help people find appropriate cover.

Medical screening is an essential part

people rely on consular support without actually knowing exactly how the consulate can help them

Travellers need to use more common sense and take responsibility for their actions negative experience, continued Leonora Miles, Policy Manager (Financial Services) at charity Macmillan Cancer Support.

Travel insurance is one of the most searched for terms on the Macmillan website, but the charity finds it frustrating that it still can’t help customers as well as it wants to. Cancer sufferers, said Leonora, feel as though they are fighting insurers – being quoted premiums of thousands of pounds and not being able to purely purchase online. However, the charity is excited about working with the Financial Conduct Authority on new signposting rules, and insurers, she said, should set customers’ expectations early in the conversation, and be up front and honest about exclusions. In terms of selling its own insurance, Macmillan would rather leave this to the professionals – the charity needs to maintain the trust of

of finding the right cover for those with a medical condition. It’s a term that inherently implies that a customer can come out the other side having been denied cover, though, said Dr Paul Beven, Managing Director of Verisk Risk Rating.

Instead, he suggests insurers should use the term ‘medical risk assessment’.

In any case, said Paul, there is a difference in perception today between what insurers think travel insurance is and what customers think it is. Customers, he said, really need to be educated on

the benefits of travel insurance; as an industry, insurers aren’t very good at explaining what it’s for, what it can do for you, and what can happen if you don’t buy it. However, the development of internet sales has allowed greater product personalisation, as it has allowed medical screening to happen online. Aggregator sites have also allowed customers to make declarations online then choose between a range of providers, said Paul. In future, he concluded, the renewal process for annual and multi-trip policies needs to be made smoother; but for now, he welcomes discussions about how people can more easily get comprehensive, inclusive cover.

The role of technology Internet purchasing and technological developments in general have changed what insurers need to provide to travellers and how they provide it, said Nel Mooy, Head of Travel, Personal Intermediary & Corporate Partnerships at AXA Insurance.

They have also allowed for an enhanced customer journey, she said, with videos about such things as medical screening and assistance proving beneficial in educating customers about risk.

Meanwhile, mobile technology is allowing for a better customer journey, and online claims are helping to make customers feel less interrogated and are thus enhancing the customer experience. Technology has, on the other hand, made access to insurance trickier, said Nel, in that there may now be too much choice. Signposting on a more personal level is much better.

Following concluding remarks by Mark Shepherd, conference attendees enjoyed a networking reception – a relaxing end to an afternoon of wellpaced discussion covering some of the most pertinent topics on today’s travel insurance industry agenda. ■

48 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

FEATURE

Tricky black?

On-demand upgrades… on the slopes!

Sometimes, even the best planned travel insurance isn’t quite enough.

Like when a client decides on that black…or even blue run for that matter…or maybe wants to try their hand at a local ‘extreme’ sport.

No problem. Aquarium’s technology means upgrades can be made on the spot. And if support is needed, that can be on-demand too.

Smart thinking. Smart insurance.

Now on any smart phone.

To find out more about ‘travelling’ with your clients, get in touch today.

49

ITIC NEWS

Global gathering in Geneva for the industry event of the year The International Travel & Health Insurance Conference’s (ITIC) annual ‘Global’ event is taking place in Geneva as this issue of ITIJ launches to the world, and it promises to deliver a packed agenda full of educational speakers, debate, and networking. ITIC Global is the world’s leading industry event for international travel and health insurers and their partners across all sectors – from medical assistance, funeral repatriations and claims, to air ambulances, medical providers and technology firms. ITIC Global provides a unique space for these sectors to come together to discuss the issues that matter most to them, forge new business relationships, and push the industry forward.

On the agenda This year marks the 26th annual ITIC Global event, with over 850 representatives from around the world gathering to tackle some of the most pertinent issues affecting the industry and work together to meet the challenges it faces today. Some of the topics under discussion during the presentations and panel sessions include fraud detection and prevention, meeting the needs of international students, building medical networks, cost containment issues in the Caribbean and keeping up with technology. A variety of

panel sessions, speaker presentations, forums and case studies will see a broad spectrum of industry representatives give their invaluable insights on these, and many more, key subject areas.

The industry representatives sharing their knowledge in Geneva are drawn from all sectors of the global industry and include Robert E. Gallagher, Senior Vice-President & CEO of AIG Travel; Renaud Million, CEO of SPIXII; Dr Anne Lepetit, Group Chief Medical Officer of Allianz Partners; and Danny Quaeyhaegens, Head of the International Insurance Department at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya. They are joined by representatives including Steve Knox, Lead Fraud Investigator and ISIU Manager for Aetna International; Manny Soar, Insurance Manager at the International Association of Student Insurance

ITIC Global is the world’s leading industry event for international travel and health insurers and their partners across all sectors Services; and Graham Williamson, CEO of LIFESUPPORT Air Medical Services, who will all be taking part in discussions on topics that are pertinent to their roles and the wider travel insurance industry.

2018 ITIC Global sponsors

50

Besides the speaker presentations and panel sessions, ITIC Global plays host to a number of annual forums and general meetings, including the European Aeromedical Institute’s (EURAMI) members meeting; the International Provider Network Forum, chaired by Laura Hilton, Head, Global Health and Safety Resources, GeoBlue; and the Medical Directors Forum, chaired by Dr Thomas Buchsein, Medical Director of FAI rent-a-jet AG and Dr Terry Martin, a Consultant in intensive care medicine, anaesthesia and aerospace medicine. The annual Air Ambulance

Forum has been broadened this year to incorporate Medical Assistance and is chaired by key representatives from the global air ambulance industry. Attendees of ITIC Global are invited to attend any of the forums and to take part in focused conversations that aim to find common solutions to specific industry challenges and create better ways of working together.

A meeting of minds Nowhere provides a better opportunity to meet with existing industry partners and meet new ones than ITIC Global.

With its wide range of networking opportunities spanning the four-day event, there is plenty of time to mingle and meet with other attendees. From coffee breaks and networking lunches in the Exhibition Area, to the sensational social functions and dedicated Networking Lounge, those attending ITIC Global are never short of opportunities to get to know their fellow attendees.

If you’re the extremely motivated type, this year sees the return of the ITIC Running Club, brought to you by Life Flight International, which takes in an earlymorning 5km run along Lake Geneva – a great way to start the day and get to know other like-minded attendees. If a gentler pace is more your thing, ITIC Global’s networking coffee breaks and buffet lunches are a great opportunity to take >>

51

ITIC NEWS

in the Exhibition Area, where a range of suppliers to the industry are available to provide first-hand information on how their businesses can help yours. Elsewhere, the Networking Lounge, sponsored again this year by REVA and CME, provides a quieter space to meet face-to-face or do business in a more relaxed environment.

Kicking off proceedings at ITIC Global is, as always, the spectacular Welcome Function, sponsored by New Frontier Group. This evening event is always impressive for its beautiful setting, delicious refreshments and friendly atmosphere, and it really sets the scene for the days ahead. For those new to ITIC, there is a New Attendees Welcome Reception,

ITIC APP

sponsored again this year by AIG, on the evening prior to the main welcome event to allow new attendees to meet the ITIC committee and get to know a few friendly faces before more formal conference proceedings commence.

Conference at your fingertips This year the ITIC Global app is back – and better than ever. As well as being given a sleek facelift, the app – which is sponsored by Atrium Health and available for download on all smartphones – is now bursting with new features. Once downloaded, users will be able to access a treasure trove of information about the conference, including session times, speaker profiles, a floor map and details for all the social events.

The app also makes networking faster and easier. Users will have access to a list of every attendee at this year’s ITIC Global, and can message them, send a business

52

meeting request or access their email address. It’s a one-stop networking shop.

The app is also a place to find out what other attendees have been up to during ITIC Global. Whether it’s an absorbing panel session or even a snap of beautiful

Nowhere provides a better opportunity to meet with existing industry partners and meet new ones than ITIC Global Lake Geneva, app users can share insights and photos in the ITIC App news feed – a constantly updating hub of all things ITIC. This year also sees the introduction of the specific ITIC photo feed in the app – a special ITIC Instagram, if you like – so attendees can help document the conference from every angle, and then relive the memories.

No more phone memory to download the app? Don’t worry; for the first time the app is now fully functional in a mobile internet browser. Attendees just need to sign in, and then the whole conference is at their fingertips.

The last exciting new feature to come to the ITIC Global app helps users to keep track of all the exciting information attendees pick up during the week. The ‘Conference Bag’ is the place to store all the email addresses, web links or any other important information users have collected and then, at the end of the week, sends users an email with everything in it.

ITIC NEWS

Setting the bar high Each year, during the Finale Dinner of ITIC Global, the ITIJ Awards bring together the brightest and the best from all sectors of the global travel and health insurance industry. A chance to recognise those companies that have stood out over the last 12 months for their exceptional contributions to the industry, the ITIJ Awards are judged by an independent panel of experts and shine a spotlight on excellence and innovation within this international marketplace.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE 2018 ITIJ AWARDS FINALISTS! Acibadem | Air Alliance Medflight GmbH | Air Ambulance Worldwide | Albin International |Allianz Partners | Anubis | Aquarium Software | AXA Partners | Cambridge Global Payments | CEGA Group | Fit to trip | Generali Global Health | GPDQ | Insure my trip | Jackson Memorial Hospital | Marm Assistance | MJM Corporate Risk Services | MSH International | New

Frontier Group | REVA, Inc. | Rowland Brothers International | SARPA | Star Healthcare International | Tangiers International | Trawell Tag Cover-more Sarah Watson, Editor of ITIJ, commented: “The standard of all the entries this year has been really high, and the judging panel has had a tough time even narrowing down their selection to the top three companies in each category.

I can’t wait for 1 November, when we announce the winners at our awards ceremony at ITIC Global in Geneva.”

For those unable to join us on Awards night in Geneva, there is the opportunity to watch the action unfold live online on the ITIJ website via our streaming service, sponsored by Allianz Partners! Tune in just before 22:00 hrs on 1 November at www.awards.itij.com and you can watch all the action as it unfolds.

There are nine awards up for grabs this year, with categories for all the different entities that play a part in delivering travel and health insurance

solutions to customers in every part of the world. The categories are: International Travel & Health Insurer of the Year International Assistance Company of the Year Aggregator/Broker/Affinity Partner of the Year Air Ambulance Company of the Year Cost Containment/Claims Management Company of the Year Medical Provider of the Year Ancillary Assistance Service Provider of the Year Specialist Service Provider of the Year ITIJ Marketing Campaign of the Year

ITIC in 2019 While our attendees are still enjoying the educational sessions and networking opportunities at ITIC Global in Geneva, the organisational team behind the ITIC events is already looking ahead to 2019, which is shaping up to be an exciting time as we take our industry gathering on the road to three new destinations ITIC Americas is heading for Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic in February, offering the opportunity to further develop networks throughout Central America and the Caribbean. The oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas is our destination to talk travel and insurance trends for our international audience. We will be tackling issues including traveller security, treatment and evacuation options in the Caribbean, equating medical technology breakthroughs with increasing costs, assistance needs during hurricane season, cybersecurity, US regulatory issues, regional treatment cost variations and sharing insights into unique cases from across the region.

With record numbers of UK travellers opting to take a cruise in 2018, Cruise

53

Lines International Association statistics indicate figures for the year may exceed two million for the first time. Cruise issues are high on the ITIC UK agenda, making Southampton, a major port on the south coast of the UK, the ideal destination to get to grips with the key issues affecting the ITIC UK travel insurance industry. Look out for the full agenda for ITIC Southampton, which takes place on 9 May and launches in early 2019. Brexit is sure to feature, so come and be part of the debate.

ITIC APAC offers attendees the opportunity to connect with industry peers to discuss the unique challenges and opportunities that exist within the travel and health insurance market in the diverse Asia Pacific region. This year, hosted once again in the vibrant metropolis of Hong Kong, the conference takes place between 17 and 19 June, so make a special note in your diary now.

Our third brand new ITIC destination for 2019 is Malta – host to ITIC Global for next year’s world-leading gathering of the global travel and health insurance community. More details on this event will be revealed in due course but, in the meantime, further information on all our other conferences can be found at itic.co.

FEATURE

A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN? We are in a technology-driven era and nothing stays the same for very long, especially as far as business practices are concerned. So, it should not be surprising that the relationship between travel insurers and the travel industry, particularly travel agents, has changed dramatically over the last two decades, as Anthony Harrington explores

54 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

FEATURE

T

he major driver of change, of course, has been the internet and the channels it has opened up for a direct relationship between consumers and travel insurers, often via price comparison websites. Julie Remmington, a UK-based consultant with many years in the business, points out that whereas in the 1990s around 80 per cent or more of travel insurance would have been sold to customers by travel agents, today the figure is down to around 30 per cent.

In the ‘90s, then, the volume of business being put the insurers’ way by travel agents provided a very considerable incentive for the industry to engage closely with the travel sector. The aim then was to ensure that travel agents had at least a working knowledge of the various travel insurance policies and options and understood the importance of explaining things like exclusion clauses for ongoing medical conditions to the consumer.

However, as Remmington notes, today, with so much travel insurance being bought over the web by consumers, and with travel agents so often not in the picture at all, there is considerably less incentive for travel insurers to put a great deal of time and effort into building bridges with the travel sector.

Circumstances now tend to push the industry towards focusing much more effort on educating consumers directly.

Rules, regulations and small print Moreover, it is not just the web that is standing as an obstacle in the way of a tight relationship between the travel industry and travel insurers. The last two decades have seen a considerable tightening in the rules, specificially in the UK, regarding who can give financial advice to consumers. As Remmington notes, travel insurance is a non-advised sale. This means that third parties, such as travel agents, can only sell the policy that they are affiliated with.

“Thomas Cook, for example, only sells

White Horse travel insurance, since that is its own insurance,” she explained. “What travel agents cannot do is to look over the universe of travel insurance policies and advise consumers in detail as to the travel insurance product that best suits their needs. That would take them into the realm of providing financial advice.

They can only talk very generally.”

Remmington points out, too, that one of the problems with travel insurance is that it is actually a very complex product that is bought very rapidly. From the travel agent’s perspective, the commission they would get from selling a travel insurance product is far too small to warrant them spending much time on it.

The travel agent’s main driver, then, as far as selling travel insurance is concerned, comes down to them wanting to provide a great service to the consumer – which, of course, is part of the agency building its own brand.

Where agents are charging some level of premium pricing to preselect and provide the best array of travel insurance products for their clients, that additional level of pricing will tend to make whatever they are offering uncompetitive by comparison with a direct buy by a consumer from a travel insurance price comparison site or the insurer’s direct site.

Co-operation is key Having said all this, it is still very much in the travel industry’s interests to work

From the travel agent’s perspective, the commission they would get from selling a travel insurance product is far too small to warrant them spending much time on it with travel insurers wherever possible, so that whatever is sold through them is sold correctly. “One of the things I see

all the time, and there are new cases almost every week, is travel insurers either rejecting a claim or looking to the agency to provide compensation where they have not passed on relevant information to the insurer,” Remmington told ITIJ. A frequent cause of concern, she points out, is where the consumer who is buying both a package holiday from the travel agent, and travel insurance, has told the travel agency that they have a pre-existing serious medical condition, but the agency has not filled in the form correctly and has not passed

that information on to the insurer.

Sales of travel insurance products sold through travel agents might be down to 30 per cent in the UK, but that is still almost a third of all sales, which provides plenty of scope for things to go wrong. The emergency evacuation and massive medical cover contingency provisions in travel insurance provide plenty of opportunities for things to go wrong in the three-party loop that consists of the consumer, the travel agent and the travel insurer.

This is not good for any of the parties involved. It can end up with the insurer paying out a very large sum to the consumer who has had a bad medical emergency abroad, and then looking to the travel agency for recompense for not passing on relevant information.

It can also lead to the travel agent selling a policy that is a mismatch with the consumer’s package holiday.

“If part of that package deal involves the opportunity to go scuba diving and the travel insurance excludes scuba diving, that can lead to real difficulties,” said Remmington. If the consumer has bought both the package holiday and the travel insurance from the travel agent, that is an issue.

Ball in their court One way round this, as noted by Daniel Durazo, Communications Director at Allianz Partners US, is for the travel agent to sell Allianz’s travel insurance products, but to direct questions about those products back to Allianz: “This not only allows travel agents to steer clear of regulatory issues. It also provides their customers with the best possible resource for answering questions about how travel insurance and assistance can help in specific situations.”

One refinement on this process is for the travel agency to make use of Allianz’s AgentMax travel agent portal, which looks to suggest the best travel >>

55 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

FEATURE insurance product for each customer, based on the specifics of their trip and their personal circumstances.

“By entering the traveller’s details into AgentMax, travel agents will be provided with the coverage and benefits that best match the details of their customer’s itinerary,” Durazo told ITIJ. He then pointed out that regardless of declining travel insurance sales through the travel trade, Allianz regards the

“What we look to do is to align our communications with theirs,” he told ITIJ. “We sponsor and attend their events to develop important, mutually beneficial relationships and to help shape regulations that may impact our respective industries. We also support organisations like Tourism Cares, which is the charitable arm of the tourism industry that organises service events that help the communities that welcome tourists.”

when travel agents become educated about the benefits of travel insurance and assistance, they become an even stronger resource for their valued clients relationship with travel agents as crucial: “We think it is very important that our distribution partners understand the benefits of travel insurance and assistance.

That’s why we sponsor an educational programme on the Travel Agent Academy that includes an informative and modular series that can be easily reviewed in short chunks. The series explains the benefits of travel insurance and provides information on our products and services. We believe that when travel agents become educated about the benefits of travel insurance and assistance, they become an even stronger resource for their valued clients.

We also produce a blog and newsletter called AgentSmart that provides travel agents with important information on the benefits of travel insurance.”

Support structure In addition to their own individual efforts to extend the know-how of travel agents, travel insurers also look to their industry bodies to work both with travel specialist bodies around the world and with travel agencies. There are a number of initiatives ongoing at this level. Durazo points out that Allianz USA works closely with the American Society of Travel Advisors and other trade associations on a variety of issues that are of mutual interest to both the travel sector and travel insurers.

Megan Cruz, Executive Director at the US Travel Insurance Association, commented: “While acknowledging that most advisors are not insurance agents, it remains critically important that travel advisors understand how they can assist their clients in learning more about helping to protect their travel investment.”

She points out that it is simply best practice for travel agents to maintain a working understanding of the various types of travel insurance coverage and the differences between third-party insurance and supplier insurance.

“That said, it is a bit of a fine line to walk, and travel advisors should not hold themselves out as insurance experts unless they are a licensed insurance agent.

It’s okay to pass along general information on travel insurance and understand the basics as a travel retailer, but detailed questions should always be handled by the licensed insurance provider,” she noted.

Which brings us back to the basic problem: namely, that compliance regimes distinguish between those qualified to give detailed advice and those who can simply point, as it were, to a spread of travel insurance products, and advise customers to look to the insurance providers for detailed advice if they feel inclined to dig deeper. Given the complexity of travel insurance

products, with the inevitable exclusion clauses, and the huge sums that could potentially be involved, there are plenty of cracks in this approach for both travel agents and consumers to drop through.

educating consumers directly about the complexities of travel insurance. Instead, as Sarah Cordey, Manager, Communications and Campaigns at the ABI, explained, the Association focuses its efforts on

compliance regimes distinguish between those qualified to give detailed advice and those who can simply point, as it were, to a spread of travel insurance products, and advise customers to look to the insurance providers for detailed advice if they feel inclined to dig deeper This is perhaps the main reason why the Association of British Insurers (ABI), while it maintains a relationship with ABTA and supports its members in liaising with the travel trade, tends to focus its efforts on

educating consumers directly about the complexities of travel insurance.

“We collaborate very fully with our travel insurance provider members to address the public directly with the most effective campaigns we can come up with,” she told ITIJ. “You have to remember that the days where the vast majority of people bought package holidays from travel agents are long gone.”

Today, the majority of holidays have either all or most of their elements booked direct by the customer. Even when people go to travel agents to book some aspect of their holiday, they will generally book additional elements of the holiday online from a variety of sources.

As part of this direct-to-the-consumer approach, the ABI’s latest campaign on its website features a series of animations illustrating various aspects of travel insurance. “In my view, there is a very good level of awareness between the travel industry and the insurance sector,” said Cordey, “but there is no complacency. Travel policies tend to be bought by consumers on price alone and that is very unfortunate.

“Our campaigns try to educate people directly on the importance of having a good level of medical cover as part of the insurance and ensuring that there is medical evacuation cover to get you back home if necessary. There are huge, life-altering sums potentially involved and in travel insurance, like anything else, you get what you pay for.” ■

56 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

FEATURE

57 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

FEATURE

Made to measure David Kernek asks how insurtech startups and other disruptive advancements are helping the industry in its goal of providing tailor-made products to an ever more demanding customer

D

o tech startups – the dreaded disruptors – have an inherent advantage in the travel and health insurance industry’s search for made-tomeasure and add-on products? After all, they’re new, lean and unencumbered by the weight of accumulated experience that can stifle risk and creativity in large, longestablished companies. Evidence presented at one of last year’s International Travel & Health Insurance Conferences (ITIC) by Spain-headquartered Coverontrip’s CEO Rafael Senén carried a warning for the sector’s big beasts. He noted that, while many insurers realised the market was changing, only 36 per cent believed that insurtech would disrupt it with new products and services in the near future, and cited a 2017 industry survey, which found that only one-third would be focusing on the evolving needs of consumers in 2018.

“Most insurers,” Senén said, “are still selling the same policies as they did 20 years ago, but customer needs are changing, and tailor-made policies will be more sought after. If we do not start disrupting the industry, others surely will.”

Seeing which way the wind is blowing A big beast that not only saw that the market was changing but also moved to meet the challenge was Generali Group.

Was it deterred or held back by its size and

corporate load? No – it created its own startup in 2015, Generali Global Health (GGH). “Our business started as, really, a corporate startup within the group in 2015 to look at customer needs identified by

Most insurers are still selling the same policies as they did 20 years ago, but customer needs are changing, and tailormade policies will be more sought after a number of people, including our CEO, Marco Giacomelli,” said GGH’s Business Development Manager Darren Fletcher.

“They were the needs of what we call the globally mobile customer, from a medical perspective beyond domestic private medical insurance and what national healthcare in many places delivers. As a startup within a very traditional and long-established group, with its backing, infrastructure and investment, our bespoke products and systems have been built with a real focus on customer needs. Because we have that startup mentality, we are constantly reviewing the market to see what services are

available, and we are very fast – we can do it in months – in delivering to the market once we’ve identified them. Just like the small startups we work with, we are very nimble.

We can get things done at a faster pace than some more mature organisations can manage.” Most Generali Group business, he explained, are focused on particular countries, but GGH was conceived from the start as an international business, with hubs in London, Hong Kong, Dubai and Madrid.

Making it personal On the subject of personalised cover, Fletcher explained that, historically, in the wider market that just meant a three-plan choice, starting with relatively cost-effective cover and rising to something more comprehensive: “Beyond choosing what level you want, you don’t get much say in what’s included in that cover. That’s driven, largely, not because people have neglected

Everyone is working towards personalisation customer needs but because systems couldn’t cope with much more complexity than that. Our system was able to develop a modular product, which means our members can choose from three inpatient plans and

58

three outpatient plans, and then add extra services such as maternity, for example.”

Maternity is quite a powerful add-on, he told ITIJ. “When it’s built into one of the fixed plans you might see in the market, the cost is spread across a group of people who might not ever use it, but being able to add it on means we are saving costs for those members who do not wish to use it. We’ve seen in other companies a situation where you have a group of 10 male engineers working on an oil rig, and wanting the top policy, but that policy would include maternity cover they were never going to use.”

Everyone, according to Fletcher, is working towards personalisation. “It’s a trend we see in almost every aspect of our lives,” he said. “You can personalise almost anything. Innovation, particularly in the insurance sector, has been slower than other industries, but providers are focusing on accelerated innovation and personalisation now. Yet changing systems is a big process, so we’ve got a head start.”

So, who are the globally mobile people whose special requirements were spotted

by Generali? “They fall largely into two categories,” Fletcher explained to ITIJ. “The person who is going somewhere abroad for work, either as an individual or an employee, and those who want to travel overseas to get better medical care, and that might especially be the case in parts of Africa,

>>

FEATURE

Providing Peace of Mind for our Patients

Compassion, Comfort, Superior CARE

100% CERTIFIED WOMAN OWNED BUSINESS

International Air Ambulance Services Providing a unique approach to patient care with: • Noise cancelling headsets with therapeutic music, hand massages with aromatherapy to help reduce stressors of flight • A critical care team offering bedside to bedside service for Neonates | Pediatrics | Adults | Bariatrics • Transportation in company owned Learjets configured as hospital intensive care units

Worldwide Commercial Medical Escort Services Offering an affordable alternative for medically stable patients with the following: • All travel arrangements including First/Business class air and ground transportation for patient comfort • Experienced critical care nurse escort utilizing FAA approved oxygen and medical equipment • Travel arrangement for accompanying patient family members

Dual accreditations. Our commitment to the highest standard of care.

www.aircareone.com US 1.877.760.7760

Int’l 505.242.7760

59

FEATURE

for example, where you’d want to go to a centre of excellence to get the best care.

There are quite different needs across those two groups. So, we have different products, which we can tailor by geography: do you want cover for the US, for example, or for just Europe? We’re not saying you have to take global cover if that’s not what you need. And cover can be tailored to different populations within a group. An HR director would be able to look at their different populations and their different needs and tailor cover down to segments of three employees, and say we want cover configured this way for these three members and that way for others.”

GGH creates tailored products by combining its medical insurance services with skills provided by technology partners. Such products include an employee assistance programme, offered in partnership with Morneau Shepell, comprising counselling services via app, video and telephone specifically for international employees and travellers; and My Digital Doctor, with Advance Medical, a Generali Global Healthbranded app through which members can access a doctor from anywhere with a mobile phone signal. The company is also partnering with TicTrac to launch BRIA, a wellness app that enables members to track their healthy habits and exercise routines, and it currently has two other additional services which are less technology driven: “One is a second medical opinion service,” said Fletcher, “and the other is genetic testing after diagnosis for cancer, which tells you what the best treatment is. That’s arguably the ultimate tailoring of the customer experience: it looks at the cancer’s genome. From a cancer perspective, it’s less now about where the cancer is, it’s more about the genome of the cancer; one person’s lung cancer could be completely different from someone else’s.”

The times they are a-changin’ The health insurance industry, according to Aetna’s Senior Vice-President, Customer Propositions, Caroline Pain, is at a tipping point now. “It’s undergoing a transformation that’s being led by changes in healthcare delivery,” she told ITIJ. “The status of tailored products right now is typically more attuned to the distribution channels that are being used. The majority of insurance products are still sold either direct to corporates – and that’s a pretty small proportion – or through insurance brokers and, as a result, the shape of the industry’s product set

has been largely configured to suit the needs of the corporates. The large-group insurance products are highly tailored, but they have been tailored classically for them.

What’s happening now is that as healthcare undergoes transformation, becoming more consumer and technology-led, insurers have to respond to that and be able to deliver products that cater to the needs of the insured member as well as the corporates.”

Until recently, she explained, IPMI products were shaped by distribution: “But the demand now is for insurers like us to be able to support people in the workplace with preventive care instead of always sick care. That’s a part of the transformation;

The health insurance industry is at a tipping point now healthcare delivery was focused on episodic, acute and chronic care management – by which time, obviously, the patient is already ill – but now we’re moving toward a different world in which technology is unlocking the potential to be able to deliver proper, personalised, preventive care for people.”

A major aspect of preventive care is engaging with patients on a personal level in order to change their mindset, said Pain. “You are not going to change someone’s behaviour overnight,” she told ITIJ, “but what you can do, using technology such as Apple watches, is provide timely nudges: things you know have worked for them in the past, things you know have worked for other people at similar life stages and with similar health conditions.

The nudges can be physical. A lot of these devices will set off a vibration if you’ve been sedentary for too long; if you’ve been sitting in front of a laptop for hours, the watch will vibrate and make you get up. It’s about bringing that mindfulness into the moment, to make sure people are working on the things they said they wanted to work on and not retrospectively sending them a report saying they should have walked more last month.”

Aetna has, according to Pain, pinpointed two significant trends: the growing awareness of the interface – in both directions – between mental and physical health, and the ‘massive’ growth in cardiovascular

disease, hypertension and mental health problems. “These are, to a degree, classic conditions of lifestyle, but they’re also things that have at least in part a genetic element,” she explained. “In newspapers and on the internet, you see advertisements for some of the big consumer genetics companies such as 23andMe and Ancestry.co.uk. This reflects an interest in precision medicine

A major aspect of preventive care is engaging with patients on a personal level in order to change their mindset and precision care, with people wanting information that’s about ‘me’, not people like ‘me’, not people of exactly the same age, not people who live in England. They’re asking: what are my unique circumstances? What are my unique needs, what might they be in the future, and how might they affect my family? These trends together are driving an interest in technological solutions – a lot of the healthtech startups are in this space – and fueling interest among consumers. One of the big genetics consumer companies sold a million tests on Black Friday last year. It’s becoming mainstream, and it’s leading to a couple of other trends we see around health literacy with the more informed consumer driving demand. You see people going to their general practitioner with a genetic test report and data from their home cholesterol tests, their blood glucose readings, their blood pressure monitor, and their wearables. There’s a huge proliferation of data, which is given to the doctor, who says: ‘Now what do I do?’”

Chasing data So, what happens to all that data? Is it available when and where it’s needed,

especially by corporate employees overseas?

Is there an insurance product for them that can be made-to-measure? “You read a lot about electronic health records and personal records,” said Pain, “but much of this data isn’t integrated. At Aetna, we’re building over time what we call a portable healthcare system that brings together the data that members have about themselves and the data we hold for them about their interactions with healthcare systems. We serve many people who move between countries, and they often don’t have access to their health records. If you don’t have an integrated healthcare record, this is when mistakes can be made. You might be diagnosed with something that had previously been tested for and ruled out. You might be prescribed or over-prescribed a drug for which there’s a contra-indication, or you might be given an additional CT or MRI scan when it’s not needed, because there’s something in the data that’s been missed. So, integration and portability are really important parts of the proposition for individual consumers and corporates. There are regulatory boundaries and barriers to be addressed, but potentially it enables health data to cross frontiers, and puts the member back in control.”

Customers, she continued, want to do genetic testing, they want to do cholesterol testing, they want to understand what’s going on in their own bodies and, Pain suggested, it’s not too much of a jump to see they also want control of the data that’s held about them. “We, obviously, then want to be able to use that data – with their consent, of course, if they choose to give it – so that we can work with them and offer the right health services and support at the right time and, we hope, prevent them getting into a chronic condition that is debilitating mentally and expensive for the patient, and obviously also costly for the insurer.”

Meet the new paradigm According to Pain, current healthcare trends and concerns date back to the 1950s and the pioneering work of the French immunologist and Nobel prize winner

>>

60 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

FEATURE Jean Dausset, whose research laid down principles that were later reflected in the Human Genome Project and contributed to what’s known as the P4 medicine model, the four Ps being predictive, preventive, personalised and participatory.

“They’re the cornerstones of the propositions being developed now,” she told ITIJ. “It’s back to the future! Technology is actually making this real now. We embrace healthtech startups. One of the things many of them are brilliant at is building consumer engagement platforms. What we’re great at is building the insurance element of that proposition, making sure the funding and distribution mechanics are in place, so we’re going to see more partnerships

as data science and business intelligence – but I think there is a hesitance among key insurance industry players to harness innovative technology to its fullest potential.

The insurance industry is just starting to receive attention in the startup world, both from entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.

This is disrupting a century-old industry, causing many of the key industry players to re-think their products and strategies.

Overall, this is an exciting time to be a part of the insurtech industry. With so much potential to innovate and improve, change is inevitable. Consumers and the industry have a whole lot to gain. The more we grow technologically within the industry, the more companies and consumers alike will benefit.”

travel insurers are looking to technology between the traditional insurance world and the healthtech one. The two are complementary; it’s a winning combination.”

Having designed cover for niche interest and activity groups – such as amateur photographers, hill walkers and bird watchers – travel insurers are looking to technology in the quest for even narrower traveller categories. “As data becomes ever more available and segmented,” said Greg Lawson, Head of Travel Insurance at Collinson in the UK, “it enables travel insurance providers to gather more information about individual customer travel plans than ever before, allowing us to provide more specific, tailored insurance offerings. For example, when insurance is offered within an airline or via an online travel agent booking path, there is a wealth of travel booking information available to create these tailored solutions without using any directly personal data. Not only does it allow us to tailor a more suitable product, it also presents an opportunity to show dynamic imagery and messaging tailored to the customer’s trip which enhances the overall booking experience, makes the insurance offering much more engaging and increases the chance of conversion.”

Rajeev Shrivastava, Founder and CEO of VisitorsCoverage, explained to ITIJ that the industry is on the road to greater policy personalisation – but adds a note of caution about its date of arrival. “Technology certainly has the capability to completely transform the insurance industry,” he said, “and in many ways we’re already starting to see this disruption. The growing interest in the insurtech industry is a prime example of this. Many aspects of the insurance industry are based on technology – such

Data-driven technologies, he explained, are already allowing insurers to make better, more informed decisions more rapidly and efficiently than before: “These technological capabilities, along with artificial intelligence, certainly have the potential to help insurance companies create more customised products on an on-demand basis. It’s always been the strategy to create one-size-fits-all products that fit many different needs, but this strategy doesn’t work for everyone. With the help of technology, it’s within the realm of possibility that a few years down the road we could start seeing entirely customised insurance plans and benefits based on the unique and individual needs of each consumer.”

Lawson served up a few examples of personalisation, along with a caveat suggesting that enthusiasm for bespoke cover might need to be tempered. “Data and technology share certain trip characteristics,” he said, “creating a travel persona and serving up the most suitable product for that persona, based on past conversion and transactional experience. For example, a customer flying to a city airport for a midweek trip without checking in any luggage is likely to be travelling on business and the system will therefore serve up a product (and messaging and imagery) with business-specific benefits, including gadget add-ons. This type of tailoring provides individual customers with a valuable and usable product more suited to their needs.

That said, to ensure that it is not a negative experience, an alternative generic product should also be offered alongside the initial offering in case the first option is not suitable. In addition, the use of geo-tagging and location-tracking is enabling insurers to consider how to offer insurance directly

related to where the customer is at that time.

When arriving at a ski resort, if the customer appears not to have any ski insurance, it seems sensible to send a push-message to them to offer an upgrade at that time.”

However, he warned, with GDPR and increasing regulatory oversight ensuring customers receive appropriate messages and that they make an informed and active

New distribution channels are analysing data to better personalise the user experience choice for any insurance cover, especially add-ons, the technology is an enabler but not the whole solution: “With digital experiences often requiring less visual real estate to work with, and conversion pressure centred upon speed and ease of purchase, it is essential to find the balance between innovation and meeting the regulatory requirements without one smothering the other.”

Exploring new routes New distribution channels, said Lawson, are analysing data to better personalise the user experience and increase customer retention, basket value and, ultimately, brand advocacy, which in turn cuts acquisition costs. It could be a ride hailing company wanting to offer gadget and baggage cover while tracking customer travel duration, or a hotel chain offering cancellation and delayed arrival benefits as part of its booking purchase path.

“Collinson is already working with brand partners such as Columbus and easyJet to personalise the product offering,” he told ITIJ, “and we are also looking to improve the user experience while travelling and, if necessary, when making a claim. Whether it is our SmartDelay product that delivers a real-time lounge access benefit in the event of a one-hour flight delay, a customer portal allowing pre-travel country-specific health and security advice, the ability to talk to a UK doctor by phone or video and

get a prescription issued locally in hours without leaving your hotel room, or tracking customers via Wi-Fi hotspots to be able to push a safety message in the event of a major incident – they are all increasing the value of travel insurance providers as well as creating more touchpoints to help prevent or manage when things go wrong.”

Having started this survey of what’s happening on the not-always-smooth path to highly personalised cover with Coverontrip’s Rafael Senén, he wrapped it up with his thoughts on what’s possible – and on what might not always be desirable. Narrowing cover down to subgroups and individuals, he explained, can sometimes be easier said than done.

“It’s not easy if you use the usual technology of databases and acquiring knowledge based on queries,” he said. “The truth is that, nowadays, customer segmentation involves the use of artificial intelligence that learns and allows you to draw conclusions from the combination of the few elements requested of the client when offering travel insurance. Keep in mind that, especially in the acquisition of online consumers, the entire journey is designed to let him or her enter as little information as possible, to speed up the sale and make the experience friendlier. Logically, the less information you collect, the more difficult it becomes to know the client’s tastes and characteristics.

On the other hand, from the point of view of underwriting, travel insurers tend traditionally to create products and tariffs for large blocks of circumstances. The destinations and ages are grouped so that, in the end, personalising too much becomes difficult.

And it’s not because insurers do not have the information; they have very complete historical data. The problem, sometimes, is what you do with that information.”

For individuals, said Senén, specialisation is about the offer of non-packaged products, permitting clients to choose the products and coverages they need: “I am not very supportive of this solution because I believe it is the responsibility of the professionals to advise and offer adequate products and not to delegate this important issue to the insured, who does not have enough knowledge to put together cover that protects them adequately.” ■

62 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

FEATURE

63 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

FEATURE

GREAT EXPECTATIONS Travel insurers are striving to better meet consumer expectations through customer education and embracing new technologies. Robin Gauldie finds out more

64 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

FEATURE

C

ynical consumers often seem to perceive travel insurers as cumbersome entities that are slow to handle claims, difficult to communicate with and reluctant to settle. A common complaint is that exclusions are often buried in small print or couched in language that is hard for the customer to understand. For insurers, finding ways to meet customer expectations – and ensuring that those expectations are realistic – has become a key issue. Digital technology enables consumers to shop around for their policies, meaning that companies that fail to meet their demands will lose out. Digital technology in the insurtech age is an ever more useful tool, offering swift online handling of claims and settlements and, for insurers who embrace it, a closer and mutually beneficial means of communicating with their insureds.

“Over the last few years, there have been some incredible initiatives among travel insurers and their supporting third-party administrators to improve the customer experience and embrace the growth of app, mobile, and online journeys in the education, sales and servicing of policyholders and claimants alike,” said Carl Carter, Managing Director of Voyager Insurance.

Voyager, Carter said, has been working with its insurers and third-party administrators to deliver ‘innovative solutions that add real benefit to the customer’, including eClaims Solutions, a fast and effective online alternative to the customer having to print out, fill in and post claims forms, which Voyager has rolled out on 'virtually all' of its products. “On our high-risk Voyager travel insurance product, the customer has access to an emergency 24/7 app that can even share geographic co-ordinates with the

emergency response team, as well as giving them one big red button to push rather than having to rely on saving or remembering the helpline number,” Carter said. “We are also working with insurers that can deliver access to video doctor services while abroad,

Part of the problem is the ridiculous language the industry uses, which means nothing to customers saving costs to the insurer and the hassle in some cases for the customer by saving them having to attend a local clinic for routine nonemergency medical advice and support.”

from the customer as to what they are buying. The use of well-placed information tips and pop-ups during the customer journey can really be effective, as can maintaining an updated FAQ page or live chat service.” Carter also said that Voyager engages with its audiences via email and social media to help improve understanding.

“In addition to this, on some products we even have situational awareness advice built into an app or country information files available for download to keep the travellers up to date and informed of developments on the ground in country,” he said. “A lot of focus is about putting yourself in the position of the applicant or customers and helping them to make informed and educated decisions. It’s also important to gather live customer feedback on service and systems

so as to learn from these and apply the feedback to seek further improvement in terms of product, service and systems – before, during and after the sale.”

Paul Firkins, Business Development Director at UK-based data- and tech-driven insurance specialist Hood Group, is scathing about the sector's failure to educate consumers around issues such as exclusions and declaring pre-existing conditions. “Travel insurers aren't getting the message through to customers,” he said. “Part of the problem is the ridiculous language the industry uses, which means nothing to customers. The industry needs to do a lot more to simplify things for the customer.”

Craig Morrison, Managing Director of New Zealand-based Holiday Rescue Travel Insurance, is if anything even more critical of >>

Customer education is key There is widespread recognition within the travel insurance sector that customer education is key to meeting customer expectations and encouraging consumers to read the small print and understand exclusions and the need to declare preexisting medical conditions where relevant.

“There have been some great initiatives to help customers understand how to get the most out of their travel insurance policy and to ensure they understand what they need to declare and how, as well as the consequences of non-disclosure,” Carter said. “We undertake a mountain of work reviewing, improving and optimising customer journeys for our products and those of the brands we support, both to help maximise sales but also work towards maximum understanding and awareness

One Call Does It All Medway Air Ambulance simplifies air medical transport.

Just one call to Medway Air Ambulance means all arrangements are handled quickly and efficiently. We have safely transported patients and their families worldwide since 1987.

• • •

Bed to bed service – managing the entire trip Providing our own skilled team of doctors, nurses, paramedics, and pilots State-of-the-art fleet of Lear 35 Jets

Expect exceptional care, safety, reliability, and customer focused communication. Medway Air Ambulance works with all major health insurance companies.

Contact Us Today!

001-770-963-1412

www.medwayair.com 65

FEATURE the failure of some industry giants to engage with the issue of customer education. “I don't think that travel insurers are working to correct that image, even though they might say they are doing so,” he said.

“The message is not getting through to customers, because by and large the policy wordings are written by underwriters, not marketing or consumer advocacy types of people. Policy wordings are 50 or more pages long because not everyone is honest and lots of people drink too much and do stupid things while on holiday.”

Persuading potential insureds to read and engage with travel insurance policy wording is another uphill struggle, Morrison said, arguing that independent specialist travel insurers may be better able to address the issue. “There are strategies to better and more clearly communicate to consumers to build trust. It's possible, but it's difficult for a large insurer to do it, due to competing internal priorities,” he told ITIJ. “Most travel insurers are part of large behemoth insurance companies which owe allegiance to shareholders, not customers, hence their reputation for declining claims or slowing the process just to frustrate the customer into giving up. Some of us, like Holiday Rescue, are trying to change that image by making our policies easy to read and making our websites easy to use, but it's a long, slow slog to turn around the ship of public perception that has been ingrained for decades.”

But that isn't everyone's perception. Travel insurers are actually winning the battle, suggested Jenna Hummer, Director of Public Relations at the US travel insurance review and comparison site Squaremouth, who sees indications that – in the US at least – insurers are successfully shaking off negative consumer perceptions that stereotype them as cumbersome entities that are slow to process and settle claims and are generally frustrating to deal with. “In the US, we consistently see high customer satisfaction ratings from consumers purchasing policies from providers on our site, which features comprehensive search filters, side-by-side comparison and in-depth product information.” Hummer

said. “We have collected over 60,000 reviews from our users and can confirm that the customer experience is generally positive. Our Zero Complaint Guarantee allows us to mediate the claim process between consumers and providers. This gives us in-depth insight into the customer's experience and the ability to confirm that claims are handled in a timely fashion to the customer's satisfaction.”

All of Squaremouth’s customers have access to a mobile-friendly platform that offers them 24-hour emergency assistance, Hummer added: “We've seen a consistent drive for technology innovation across the industry, specifically with mobile apps.”

Carl Carter concurs: “Livechat and mobileoptimised service and support are very popular with our customers and the brands that we support,” he said. “We’re working on using AI and machine learning to help take the standard ‘FAQ’ page to a new level.

Of course, all technology still depends on the service and experience behind it, and even more so when operating in a heavily regulated environment.”

Any online travel insurer worth anything will have a smartphone and mobile device-enabled website Smart tech is expected “Any online travel insurer worth anything will have a smartphone and mobile deviceenabled website,” Morrison told ITIJ. “That's not a big deal in this day and age. It's expected: if you don't have it, you'll lose the customer quickly.” But he is more skeptical when it comes to some widely touted innovations. “There is lots of hype about AI, blockchain, fintech, and insurtech. While there are no doubt some useful things in there, in my view it’s too much gas, not enough executable tactics to either bring down the cost to the customer or to speed things up when they make a claim,” he said.

“Maybe a big breakthrough is coming, but to me it looks like it'll be a long time before

someone pays for their travel insurance with a cryptocurrency.”

Some major insurers are already embracing an array of solutions to improve customer experience. Nadia Quentin, External Communication and Reputation Officer for marketing, brand and external communications at AXA, said the company was the first major insurance group to begin development of new parametric insurance products such as its 'fizzy' retail insurance solution, introduced in September 2017, which uses blockchain technology to automatically compensate

All technology still depends on the service and experience behind it, and even more so when operating in a heavily regulated environment customers for flight delays longer than two hours. “Additionally, Setoo, an insurance and protection-as-a-service platform, is disrupting the insurance market by enabling e-businesses to create and sell

great protection tailored to the consumers’ needs and fit for the digital age,” she said.

“The first travel insurance products are flight delay, flight cancellation and missed connection. Two processes have been defined and already launched to simplify claims notification and provide a better customer journey.” A seamless teleclaims facility allows agents to assess a claim while talking to the customer and provide a claim pre-assessment directly at the end of the call. “The customer just needs to send a few pieces of evidence related to the claim and once they are received the claim is paid within 24 hours,” Quentin said.

AXA has launched a new online tool that customers can use to notify and track claims using any device and 'natural' language. The process adapts itself to customer answers to ask only relevant questions, has been launched in seven European markets and is now being fully rolled out, Quentin told ITIJ. AXA has also launched chatbot solutions, in addition to having radically reviewed its policy wording to make policies clearer and easier to understand. As a result, it has cut policy verbiage by as much as two-thirds, Quentin said, and has introduced 'a more conversational style' during the online purchase process, making it easier for customers to choose the right product for their needs.

Partnering can help Meanwhile, many companies are discovering that partnering with third parties is a useful way to enhance their offering by using technologies such as chatbots and provide products and services through mobile devices, according to Paul Firkins. “There is an emerging trend for tech to improve customer experience.

We are both creating our own solutions in areas such as geolocation and chatbots, while partnering with other areas, for example providing face time with doctors for medical advice,” he said. Firkins also said that insurers are increasingly looking to collaborate with other companies to solve this problem. “Rather than rebuild their own systems and processes, they are partnering with more nimble companies to provide various parts of the value chain in a more customer-friendly manner, particularly in claims,” he concluded.

It seems that headway is already being made and, through continued collaboration, acceptance of new technologies and customer education, insurers and consumers can ensure they are on the same page. ■

66 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

FEATURE jet rescue Worldwide Critical Care Air Ambulance

Connecting the Americas to the rest of the World

• • • •

• • • •

Superior Service Bases in Miami and Mexico Worldwide Authority Fleet of 10 Lear jets

Doctor/Paramedic Crew Latest Medical Technology Tri-lingual Staff Competitive pricing

877.704.8396 U.S. & Canada +1.786.619.1268 Worldwide Collect 01.800.681.1504 Within Mexico 67 www.medjetsusa.com | operations@jet-rescue.com EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

FEATURE

There’s snow business like winter sports cover With specific winter sports policies increasing in popularity, Lauren Haigh spoke to industry experts to trace the evolution of this type of cover, find out what makes it unique, and uncover why it’s more relevant than ever >>

68

UNPARALLELED PAN-AFRICAN SOLUTIONS Medical Assistance

Third Party Administration

Cost Containment

Direct Settlement

Global Reach Pre-authorisation Service Negotiated Tariffs

Tunisia

48 African Countries

Morocco

Libya

Algeria

5,000 Contracted Providers

Mauritania

Cape Verde Senegal Sierra Leone Guinea Mali

24/7 Contact Centre (English, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Swahili)

International Medical Assistance

Niger Burkina Faso

Cote d’lvoire

Ghana

Sudan

Eritrea

Chad Nigeria Benin

Liberia

Evacuation Management

Egypt

Claims Adjudication & Payment

Djibouti South Sudan

Ethiopia

Cameroon Uganda

Togo DRC

Equatorial Guinea Gabon

Rwanda

ROC

Kenya

Pharmacy Benefit Management

Burundi Tanzania

Angola Malawi

Zambia Zimbabwe Namibia

Botswana

Madagascar Mozambique Mauritius

Swaziland South Africa

Network Case Management

Lesotho Networks Offices

Accredited Database Offices in 8 Countries (South Africa, DRC, Kenya, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisa) Contact us: www.mso.co.za Info@mso.co.za

MSO Tashy changes 2.indd 1

2018/05/17 12:07

FEATURE

S

kiing, ice skating, sledding. Are these fun winter sports activities or accidents waiting to happen?

The answer is both. Winter sports can be dangerous, and fortunately consumers are increasingly wise to this and don’t want to risk having to pay out potentially thousands due to a broken leg or lost or stolen ski equipment because they didn’t take out relevant insurance. Indeed, according to official UK Government statistics, between 2012 and 2016, there were 118 hospitalisations of British skiers and snowboarders in European resorts, and 58 deaths – and when it comes to theft in ski resorts, recent research from the Ski Club of Great Britain found that theft and loss of snow-sports equipment has affected one in eight winter holidaymakers.

A standard single-trip policy is unlikely to cover consumers for winter sports, which has led to a surge in popularity of policies designed specifically for these holidays.

Even with a specialised policy, however, it is important for holidaymakers to check that they are covered for the specific activity they are planning while on their holiday, as the policy may have exclusions whereby an insurer doesn’t provide cover for certain activities – such as, for example, off-piste skiing when not accompanied by a fully qualified ski instructor. ITIJ asked industry experts to share their thoughts on the ins and outs of winter sports coverage and associated assistance provision, including how policy design and cover has evolved, the marketing of such products to consumers, and how winter sports travel insurers can stand out from the crowd.

An interesting incline Mark Colonnese, Director of Aquarium Software, which provides specialist software solutions for the travel insurance sector, told ITIJ that it is difficult to ascertain what is behind the uptake in the number of people talking out specific winter sports policies. “It’s an interesting trend,” he said. “I believe it speaks to the fact that consumers are becoming more savvy about what they want in terms of travel insurance cover and are seeking out specific products to suit their needs.”

This plays into the idea of personalisation, which is a growing trend when it comes to travel insurance. It goes without saying that travellers and holidaymakers have very different and specific needs and should have policies that suit them and their individual requirements, and

consumers are becoming more savvy about what they want in terms of travel insurance cover and are seeking out specific products to suit their needs this of course applies to winter sports coverage – as Colonnese pointed out, many standard annual policies only cover 10 days of skiing, and exclusions for other winter sports often apply, or are very restrictive, making specific policies more relevant and attractive.

Despite an overall increase in consumers seeking out specific cover for their winter sports holidays, a large percentage still don’t, and work remains to be done in this area, as Colonnese highlighted: “In brand new YouGov research commissioned by Aquarium Software, of those who had been on a winter sports holiday in the last five years, 53 per cent were still covered by an annual/multi-trip policy; so while things are changing, there remains a large number who are not taking out the specific cover they need – and in relying on a multi-trip policy, may not be as protected as they think.” According to Colonnese, 73 per cent of those surveyed were aware that they might not be covered for specific sports or activities with annual or multi-trip policies, but 27 per cent were not aware – and ‘this is 27 per cent too many’.

Increasing awareness of specific types of cover and the ability to personalise

policies comes down to marketing. Steve Howard, Head of Product at UK-based insurance firm tifgroup, said that this is why its consumer awareness campaign Travel Insurance Explained is trying to help consumers understand the policy they are buying and what to look out for to ensure they are buying the right policy to suit their individual requirements.

Howard said that more and more resorts are offering unique activities for which holidaymakers may not necessarily be covered: “The worry is, as more and more of the ski resorts are offering activities like ski biking, many of the standard policies which are easily available to the consumer would only offer extra cover for this type of activity if it was purchased in an additional activity pack. Which could leave the customer uninsured if they were to have an accident while taking part in the activity.”

Snowballing services With ski resorts offering diverse activities, better tailored and more specific policies are becoming a necessity. “At ski resorts, much more than skiing is now on offer and winter sports travel insurance providers have been slowly adapting their policies to fulfil the consumer’s requirements. It is no longer sufficient for an insurer to simply charge double the premium to enhance the medical cover,” said Howard.

When it comes to what cover to offer winter sports holidaymakers, Howard believes that there are a number of necessary requirements, depending on the level of specificity of the cover: “Winter sports policies should specifically include loss or damage to ski equipment, both owned and hired, delayed ski equipment, ski pack cover, piste closure and avalanche cover. A more specialist policy would also include off-piste skiing and cover all winter sports activities that might be offered in the resort as standard, with only a few especially risky activities requiring an additional premium.”

Alison Taylor, Travel and Personal Accident Account Manager at UK sports and leisure insurance specialist SportsCover Direct, has seen first-hand the uptick in demand for specialist cover. “More and more customers are now taking out our Activity

70 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

>>

FEATURE

Latitude Air Ambulance is an international aeromedical solutions provider with headquarters in Canada. Our organization is internationally recognized for exceptional customer care and accredited for our quality medical program, dedicated in house flight operations and maintenance departments. We are leaders in long haul and short haul medevac evacuations and repatriations, wing to wing transfers, medical escorts, worldwide bed finding services, and organ transfers.

We are also able to provide additional solutions for our clients as we are honoured to be partnered with the Toronto SickKids Children’s Hospital, enabling us to provide international neonatal transfers with the highest degree of care for these tiny patients.

Latitude Air Ambulance has a combined fleet of Lear Jet and Gulfstream aircraft to accommodate our clients’ requests. Having this fleet of five aircraft has enabled us to solidify our global long haul presence by offering exceptional value and comfort, to our clients, patients and escorts.

The addition of the third Gulfstream G100 to our existing fleet, gives us the capability to better service our clients’ needs in the international repatriation market. Our aircraft are owned, operated and staffed by Latitude. Our aircraft are

Integrity

fully equipped with ICU capabilities and for worldwide operations with dispatch in as little as 2 hours.

Latitude has positioned aircraft in Eastern Canada, Western Canada, and the Eastern Caribbean. This allows us to respond quickly to clients’ needs in Asia, Europe, Africa, South and Central America, Hawaii, and Australasia. This strategic fleet positioning enhances Latitude’s ability to provide cost effective and time sensitive repatriations.

We have become the “Long-Haul Go-To” air ambulance solutions provider.

Latitude is both EURAMI Accredited and ARGUS Certified. We proudly service the travel insurance industry, government, and the private sector conducting close to 1,000 repatriations and bed finds per year.

Compassion

Trust

Worldwide Dispatch in as Little as 2 Hours 24 Hour Contact information 1 (888) 693-1440 CAN & US

+1 289 426-1133 INTL

24.7@latitude2009.com

9300 Airport Rd, Hamilton International Airport, Mount Hope, Ontario, L0R 1W0, Canada www.latitude2009.com 71 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

FEATURE TopUp cover when they discover a new sport when they are already away that they want to try out during their trip such as heli-skiing or tandem paragliding and want cover at short notice for a day(s),” she said.

“This policy was created to fill that gap, as most insurers will not agree cover after a trip has already started, or would charge the rate for the higher risk sport for the full duration of the trip rather than just a day.”

When it comes to improving awareness among consumers of such products, Taylor highlighted the importance of the digital world, as well as more ‘traditional’ methods for marketing sports cover to travellers: “As a company, we focus much of our marketing efforts on digital. Social media, brand remarketing, search engine optimisation and online advertising play a large part in showcasing our products. We also believe that there is nothing better than word of mouth, so we let our customers do the talking for us though review platforms and refer-a-friend schemes.”

Through social media, it has become increasingly easy for insurers to better target consumers according to their online surfing habits, as Colonnese explained: “It’s now pretty easy to profile someone who is into looking at cool snowboarders on Instagram. You can propose specific cover for their potential forthcoming holiday, reinforcing that ad when they browse the online ski-store and possibly provide a promotion following a sale in that store.”

Despite this, he said, Aquarium Software found that 63 per cent of people feel insurers ‘try to rip them off’ by excluding many of the things they would expect to be covered. “The industry has a big marketing and PR job to do to turn some of these consumer perceptions around, and online will be a key battleground,” he said.

Taylor reiterated the fact that it is dangerous for consumers to rely on generic policies that may not meet their requirements.

“There are many generic travel insurance companies who include cover for winter sports as standard or at an increased premium,” she said. “However, customers are not always aware of small print, which in some cases excludes certain benefits such as permanent injury cover, or liability

cover for those kinds of sports. Standard policies also often have low amounts of cover for baggage and customers can get caught out when their high-value ski equipment gets damaged or stolen.”

She also pointed out that, in tandem with

The uptake in specific winter sports cover is to be welcomed and I think this is just another facet in the overall trend towards greater personalisation in insurance across the board an increase in people taking out specific winter sports cover, there is also a growing expectation for medical repatriation: “Expectations of medical treatment are perhaps also on the rise, with a growing trend for medical repatriation by air

ambulance back to the UK for ongoing treatment, rather than being treated in the country where the accident occurred.”

Taylor said that events such as the Winter Olympics are improving awareness among consumers about the variety of winter sports available, and that, alongside this, consumers are becoming more aware of the need for specific cover, sometimes due to unpleasant events. “Often, they have a wakeup call when a friend or family member gets injured and finds themself with a large bill for medical treatment and/or repatriation, or they have read a story in the press,” she said. “Many [UK] customers think that the EHIC will suffice and are not aware that it does not cover the costs of repatriation or private medical treatment. We have also seen an increase in the numbers of people with their own ski or snowboarding equipment, often of high value, which they require

cover for against damage or theft.”

Personalised piste products Colonnese believes that technology is playing an important role in providing consumers with personalised products to meet their individual needs. “Technology makes it increasingly easy to spin-up new products, deploy them online at relatively low cost, test them in the market and then back the ones that get the most traction,” he said. “Exclusions for things like off-piste and ski racing used to catch people out with multi-trip, and by having specific, tailored cover, you mitigate that risk. The advent of geolocation services makes this cocktail of consumer personalisation even more compelling.”

Colonnese also believes there is huge potential to take advantage of technology in the assistance industry, particularly in the form of so-called progressive web apps: “The installable app is dead, as far as we’re concerned. What we can do now with progressive web apps is tremendously exciting. These apps look, smell and feel like installable apps but are virtually frictionless to use, versus downloading and installing; their potential is growing all the time, and these can be used for services like virtual GP consultations or guided assistance based on geolocation; the latter could be very useful with a badly twisted knee that needs immediate specialist attention, for example.”

Growing numbers of holidaymakers taking out tailored coverage for their winter sports holidays is overwhelmingly positive, and Colonnese suggests that it is part of consumers’ evolving needs and wants for more tailored insurance solutions: “The uptake in specific winter sports cover is to be welcomed and I think this is just another facet in the overall trend towards greater personalisation in insurance across the board.”

Looking ahead, the hope is that more and more consumers will realise the benefits – and necessity – of tailored products for their winter sports holidays and invest in order to have peace of mind and ensure that, should the worst happen, they are covered for any eventuality. ■

72 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

FEATURE

The mission of AIMS is to become the premier provider of medical management and assistance within South Africa and neighboring countries We are committed to ensuring our clients that Humanity, Dignity and Respect is maintained at all times. AIMS provides an excellent needs-led service offering the most appropriate medical care and attention to the foreigner in crisis.

from the

heart of

Southern

Africa

ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES T: + 27 11 783 0135 | 24hr: + 27 83 228 7806 | F: + 27 11 783 2950 operations@aims.org.za | http://www.aims.org.za/ AIMS House | 3 West St | Bryanston | Sandton | Johannesburg | 2191 | South Africa 73 EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

PROFILE

for travel agents. It is not a key source, but a supplementary source. The ongoing challenge that travel agents face is online resellers of insurance products that are stripped down in order to look very cheap, but in fact do not serve the consumer or the industry well in the end, as in many cases the consumer ends up under insured or not informed correctly as to what exclusions, travel zones or other important aspects may apply to their trip. There is a duty of care by the travel agent and as such they remain best placed to ensure the correct insurance options are presented for the consumer to choose.

Does AFTA support its members with regards to education and training around selling appropriate travel insurance to their customers?

Due to the regulatory framework in which travel agents sell travel insurance, the process of education and training remains the responsibility of the insurance companies directly.

AFTA supports as needed, but in most cases insurance companies do a good job at this with agents.

Traversing the

landscape

ITIJ spoke to Jayson Westbury, Chief Executive of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA), about the landscape of travel insurance and travel agents in Australia, travel trends, and the importance of consumer awareness

What is your background in the travel industry?

I have been in the hotel, hospitality, tourism and travel industry my entire working life of 35 years. I have held operational positions in both large and small companies and have worked for the past 23 years in some form within the government relations environment of the industry via industry associations and representative forums.

Where does travel insurance promotion fit into the overall agenda for AFTA? AFTA is a strong supporter of the Department of Foreign Affairs and their Smartraveller initiative. In fact, AFTA works closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to educate Australians about safer, smarter travelling.

Travel insurance is an essential part of travel, as it is all about protecting the traveller against the unexpected.

Additionally, AFTA is committed to supporting the Government’s

important messaging to Australians that ‘if you can’t afford travel insurance, then you can’t afford to travel’.

There are many convincing reasons to buy travel insurance. Your flight has been cancelled or delayed, your passport or wallet has been stolen, you need to cancel your trip due to illness, you have a medical emergency in a foreign country, the airline loses your bag, there’s a family emergency back home, there’s a hijacking or terrorist attack. Or even just peace of mind!

Travel insurance is a key piece of the conversation that takes place between a travel agent and a client when booking travel and there is a commitment to support travel insurers who support the travel agency community.

What are some of the key issues that travel agents come up against when it comes to selling appropriate travel cover to customers?

Price is unfortunately the number one issue. This has not been something that the agents have created, it has been the online portals that have grown with the support of the insurance companies, we believe looking for volume over quality.

Has the changing regulatory landscape in Australia affected the sale of travel insurance by travel agents over the years? What are the current legal requirements on travel agents when it comes to recommending travel insurance to customers?

The regulatory landscape for selling travel insurance has been very stable and it is well understood by the industry and insurance companies. Travel insurance is a financial product and such travel agents

cases afoot in Australia in which insurance companies are placing the relationship at risk. It is bloody-minded and shortsighted. We remain concerned about these behaviours by some insurance companies.

You recently gave a presentation at the International Travel & Health Insurance Conference (ITIC APAC) in Sydney about Australian travel trends. What key travel trends have you seen over the last few years related to Australian travellers?

First and foremost, an immense increase in the number of Australians travelling overseas. Australia is the eighth largest by number (not per capita) outbound market in the world and for a small country on a global measure we punch well above our weight. Fifty-six per cent of Australians hold a valid passport, this is the second highest penetration rate in the world. The Australian economy, living standards, annual leave entitlements, wealth in retirement and political settings provide for a robust travel industry and we hope that this will remain for many years to come.

How does AFTA work with other industry bodies or governments (such as on the Smartraveller initiative) to promote safe travel practices?

AFTA has a strong working relationship with DFAT, in particular Smartraveller, in providing weekly notices of changes to the travel alert levels to our travel agent members to assist in communicating directly with their customers prior to travel. AFTA often communicates to our network strategic messaging from Smartraveller in regards to special alerts, passports, travel safety and consular services to help educate Aussie travellers before they depart overseas.

Going forward, what are your plans for AFTA in 2019?

AFTA administers ATAS – AFTA's Travel Accreditation Scheme, a national scheme which endorses businesses based on meeting strict criteria and industry standards. AFTA recently conducted consumer research which demonstrates the growing importance of industry accreditation, for the consumer, due to the endorsement, trust and peace of mind that the Scheme offers consumers purchasing travel.

The research revealed that 82 per cent of travellers will actively look for an accredited

Travel insurance is a key piece of the conversation that takes place between a travel agent and a client when booking travel are not licensed to give advice in this regard. What they do is ensure that choice is provided to the consumer and that they identify the key factors that they should consider when deciding which insurance the consumer wishes to purchase.

Would you like to see closer cooperation with Australian insurance associations – or other bodies – to ensure travel insurance sales are better supported in the travel industry?

Absolutely. There are currently several legal

How significant is sale of travel insurance to your members, not just in terms of revenue, but also in terms of their Duty of Care liabilities?

Insurance forms a part of the revenue mix

74

travel agent when booking travel, and 54 per cent of consumers want ATAS to be more strongly promoted to help them make informed purchase decisions.

In 2019, AFTA remains committed to elevating industry standards and ensuring that the 1,300 accredited travel agency locations around Australia continue to be compliant with Australian Consumer Law and the Scheme’s Code and Charter. Educating the consumer about industry accredited travel businesses is also of utmost importance. ■

ON THE MOVE

Key appointments at BIBA

Martin Bridges

Shaune Worrall

The British Insurance Broker’s Association (BIBA) recently announced two key appointments as part of efforts to enhance the operational benefits services that it offers to its members. Martin Bridges has

taken on the new position of Corporate Affairs Manager, while Shaune Worrall has stepped into Martin’s vacated Technical Services Manager role.

Martin joined BIBA as Technical Services Manager in July 2014; in his new position he will act as brokers’ go-to contact on issues relating to the BIBA Manifesto, as well as building and managing the Association’s responses to consultations relevant to brokers, incorporating member feedback, considered argument and necessary evidence.

Shaune, previously BIBA’s Property Committee Chair, brings commercial and technical knowledge across multiple broker models. He stated that he ‘looks forward to investigating issues and providing insight to brokers to help meet their technical challenges and scheme needs’.

“These are key appointments for BIBA,” said Executive Director Graeme Trudgill.

“More and more we are faced with calls for input from the regulator and Government, and Martin’s expertise will be invaluable in ensuring member’s opinions count. He will also continue to work on some important long-term projects to help members, such as our work on letters of appointment and other matters being progressed by our Insurance Brokers’ Standards Committee … we are delighted to welcome Shaune on board. He brings a wealth of experience and knows many of our members already and will certainly hit the ground running helping brokers and managing some of our technical projects. This is all good news for members.”

Willis Towers Watson names new Head of CEEMEA region Global advisory, broking and solutions company Willis Towers Watson has announced the appointment of Pamela Thomson-Hall as its new Head of the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA) region. Pamela has also been named Head of Corporate Risk and Broking for the region, starting both roles with immediate effect.

In the dual roles, Pamela’s goals will include driving business growth across a major geographic region, focusing specifically on client engagement and innovative practices. She will also be tasked with setting strategic and operational direction for Willis Towers Watson’s extensive

ITIJ SelectCare 0918.indd 1

risk advisory and broking network.

“Having worked for many years at Willis Towers Watson across this broad geographical area, with our extensive African footprint and insurance distribution network, I am delighted to be leading this extraordinary team of dynamic and experienced colleagues in the delivery of our combined value proposition to our local and multinational clients,” said Pamela. “This next stage of our evolution will see us harness our energy and desire to deliver exceptional client experiences, enabling us to help our clients unlock their own untapped business opportunities, in a region that continues to have such a positive development outlook.”

Jones joins Campbell Irvine

Stella Jones

Stella Jones has joined London-based specialist insurer Campbell Irvine as Associate Director. In her new role, she will help to manage the continued development of Campbell Irvine’s travel insurance partnerships and complementary personal lines product.

She brings three decades of experience in travel and personal lines to the role, having previously served with UK General Insurance, Collinson and Europ Assistance.

“The Board of Campbell Irvine is delighted

to welcome Stella in strengthening the existing management team as we look to expand through new strategic partnerships and value-added products,” commented Anthony Kaye, Managing Director. “Stella has a natural aptitude and proven track record for bringing new products to market. Utilising the Campbell Irvine Group’s resources, Stella will be looking to capitalise on our independence and ability to react quickly to the demands of a continuously evolving market.”

Collinson appoints Sunderman

Scott Sunderman

Global loyalty and benefits provider Collinson has announced the appointment of Scott Sunderman as its new Head of Assistance.

In his new role, Scott will take on responsibility for expanding the company’s assistance offering and supporting its ambitions to deliver an ‘innovative and customer-centric claims and assistance service’. He will focus particularly on developing travel risk management, medical and security assistance provision, as well as

supporting the ongoing delivery of services to existing clients. Having previously served as Group CEO of Healix International, he brings a high level of expertise to the role.

“Collinson has an excellent reputation and enviable track record of delivery in the field of assistance,” said Scott. “I am looking forward to becoming a part of this dynamic and determined team, helping to deliver on its ambition to grow Collinson’s client base and deliver the best possible customer experience.”

Cindy Hill joins NHSI

National Healthcare Solutions, Inc. (NHSI), a single-source solution for cost control, claims management and patient support for global health insurance companies, has announced the appointment of Cindy Hill as Vice-President of business development. In her new role, Cindy will be reporting directly to Harry Gulliford, Executive Vice-President of

international business development.

Harry stated the following of his new team mate: “Cindy comes to us with over 17 years’ experience in assistance and cost containment. Her knowledge, professionalism and client dedication are a perfect fit for our growing organisation as well as for our clients. We believe she will be a great addition to the NHSI team.”

Swiss role for Markus Hefel

Markus Hefel

75

Liberty Specialty Markets, part of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, has announced the appointment of Markus Hefel as Deputy Country Manager for Switzerland. In his new role, he will be based in Zurich, reporting to Felix Böni, General Manager for Switzerland.

He joins the company from Ironshore, where he served as Country Manager and Senior Underwriter for Liability and Accident.

“Markus is a great addition to the team,” said Felix Böni, “with broad experience of the Swiss and pan-European insurance markets.

He will be responsible for the development of our liability and personal accident businesses across the country and continental Europe.”

2018-09-25 7:22 PM

Want the winning solution?

Have all options in hand

Contact Global Excel at StandbyMDinfo@globalexcel.com or at +1 819 566 8833

HEALTHCARE RISK MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS globalexcel.com

EDITOR SIGN.

IMAGE ED SIGN.

SALES SIGN. 1

SALES SIGN. 2

CONFR. SIGN.

PAGE UPDATE

SERVICE DIRECTORY

1

For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)

JOIN US FOR ITIC AMERICAS 2019 ITIC Americas offers excellent insights into the travel and health insurance industry and connects you with key resources to optimise your company’s position in the globalised marketplace. At this conference the focus is firmly on US and Canada, the Caribbean and Latin American regions. Register now at itic.co

24TH–26TH FEBRUARY 2019 SPONSORED BY

HOTEL EL EMBAJADOR

For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)

Ace Air & Ambulance (Pvt) Ltd.

AIR AMBULANCE (ASIA-PACIFIC)

AIR AMBULANCE (AFRICA)

SERVICE DIRECTORY

James Halsted, – Managing Director 2 Mount Road, Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe +263 (4) 302 141 +263 (782) 999 901/2/3/4

tel: tel:

james@ace-ambulance.com www.ace-ambulance.com

email: website:

AMREF Flying Doctors Dr Bettina Vadera – Medical Director

Medic’Air International 每递安国际 Dr Li Tao – Medical Director 885 Renmin Road, Huaihai China Building, Room 808, 200010 Shanghai, CHINA

email: website:

Dr.Sura Jaidwatee, M.D. – Medical Flight Manager 222 Don Mueang International Airport Office Building 3rd Floor, Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Sanambin, Don Mueang, Bangkok 10210, THAILAND 24h tel: +662 247 3392 email: m.w@medicalwings.com fax: +662 535 4734 website: www.medicalwings.com

emergency@flydoc.org www.flydoc.org

(EUROPE)

+254 20 6000 090 +254 20 344 170

Awesome Air Evac Shane Marais – General Manager Hanger 104C, Gate C, Lanseria Airport, Lanseria, SOUTH AFRICA tel:

+27 11 430 1777

email: website:

rescue@awesomeairevac.com www.awesomeairevac.com

Air Alliance Medflight GmbH Eva Kluge – Director of Sales & Business Development SIEGERLAND AIRPORT, Werfthalle G1, 57299 Burbach, GERMANY +49 170 366 4933 +49 2736 4428 45

mob: 24/7 tel:

e.kluge@air-alliance.de www.air-alliance.de

email: website:

AIRLEC Air Espace

ER24 24/7 Flight Desk

Paul Tiba – Managing Director

Cambridge Manor Office Park, Manor 1, Stone Haven Road, C/o Witkoppen & Stone Haven Roads, Sandton, Paulshof, SOUTH AFRICA tel: +27 (0) 10 205 3100 email: flight@er24.co.za fax: +27 (0) 866 781 507 website: www.er24.co.za

Zone Aviation Générale, 33700 Mérignac Cidex 05 FRANCE paul.tiba@airlecairespace.com www.airlecairespace.com

email: website:

Capital Air Ambulance

Dr Jean-Philippe MATTEI – Medical Director

Lisa Humphries – Sales Director

Dar El Bacha - Tizougarine 5, 40000 Marrakech Medina, MOROCCO

Airport House, Exeter International Airport, EX5 2BD, UK

tel: fax:

+212 5 24 38 13 88 +212 524 428 436

email: website:

tel: fax:

operations@medic-air.com www.medic-air.com

+44 845 055 2828 +44 1392 350 039

email: website:

sales@capitalairambulance.co.uk www.capitalairambulance.co.uk

CEGA Group

AirMed Australia Matthew Kline & Mark Wardrop – Executive Directors

Mr Nick Simon – Business Development Manager

Hangar 650 Drover Road, Bankstown Airport. NSW, Sydney, AUSTRALIA 2200 tel: +61 2 8700 0685 email: ops@airmed.com.au fax: +61 2 8700 0663 website: www.airmed.com.au

Funtington Park, Funtington, Chichester, UK, PO18 8RG, UK tel: fax:

+ 44 (0) 1243 621 107 + (0) 1243 621 006

privaterepats@cegagroup.com cegagroup.com

email: website:

DRF Luftrettung / German Air Rescue

Alia MedFlight Scott Everson – Vice President

Dr. Peter Huber – CEO

German Air Rescue – Claim-Variante rot / schwarz

Rita-Maiburg-Str. 2, D-70794 Filderstadt, GERMANY

9382 E Bahia Drive, Suite B202, Scottsdale, AZ 85260, USA tel: fax:

602-800-7070 855-831-5092

email: website:

German Air Rescue

ops@aliamedflight.com www.aliamedflight.com

24h tel: fax:

+49 7007 3010 +49 7007 3119

email: website:

ops@drf-luftrettung.de www.drf-luftrettung.de/air-ambulance

DRK Assistance

Asia Air Ambulance Mr. Toranit Sripal – Managing Director

Andreas Speich – Managing Director

Asia Air Ambulance Co. Ltd., Bangkok599/59 Ratchadaphisek Road, Jatujak, Bangkok 10900, THAILAND tel: +668 9896 9000 email: operations@asiaairambulance.com fax: +662 192 1801 website: www.asiaairambulance.com

Aufm Hennekamp 71, 40225 Düsseldorf, GERMANY tel: fax:

+49 (211) 917 499 38 +49 (211) 917 499 27

email: website:

moc@drkassistance.de www.drkassistance.com

European Air Ambulance

CareJet Anthony Decoste – President & CEO

Patrick Schomaker – Director Sales & Marketing

Level 24 Robinsons Cyberscape Beta, Topaz & Ruby Roads, Ortigas Center, 1605 Pasig City, PHILIPPINES email: ops@carejet.com tel: +63 2 226 6911 website: carejet.com

Luxembourg Airport, B.P.24, L-5201, Sandweiler, LUXEMBOURG 24hr tel: fax:

+352 26 26 00 +352 26 26 01

email: website:

alert@air-ambulance.com www.air-ambulance.com

FAI – rent-a-jet AG

EDS AVIATION PTE LTD

AVIATION

+335 56 34 02 14 +335 56 55 98 18

24Hr tel: fax:

Medic’Air International

(ASIA-PACIFIC)

operations@medic-air.com www.medic-air.com

email: website:

Medical Wings

Wilson Airport, LangataRoad, PO Box 18617, Nairobi, KENYA tel: fax:

+86 2163 558289 +86 2163 558285

tel: fax:

Shik – Managing Director

Volker Lemke – Director Sales and Marketing CSO

33 Ubi Avenue, #08-13, Vertex Tower B, SINGAPORE, 408868

Flughafenstasse. 124; 90411 Nuremberg; GERMANY

tel: fax:

+65 9836 3265 +65 6846 9542

email: website:

tel: fax:

info@eds-aviation.com www.eds-aviation.com

email: website:

Volker.lemke@fai.ag www.fai.ag

Jet Executive International Charter

Flying Doctors Asia

Irena Dimitrijevic – Marketing & Sales

Prithpal Singh – CEO , Director

Mündelheimer Weg 50, D-40472, Düsseldorf, GERMANY “Homebase FRA & MUC” tel: +49 211 602 7775 email: sales@jetexecutive.com fax: +49 211 602 77766 website: www.jetexecutive.com

A’Posh Bizhub, 1 Yishun Industrial St 1, #08-03, SINGAPORE, 768160 tel: fax:

+49 911 36009 31 +49 911 36009 59

+65 6483 5412 +65 6734 1338

email: website:

prithpal@flyingdoctorsasia.com www.flyingdoctorsasia.com

LifeFlight

JOIN JET Peter Elliott – Fixed Wing Operations Manager

Carsten Vistisen – General Manager

PO Box 15166, City East, QLD 4002, AUSTRALIA

Cumulusvej 10, 7190 Billund, DENMARK

24/7 (int) tel: fax:

+61 7 5553 5955 +61 7 5553 5965

email: website:

24hr tel: fax:

ops@lifeflight.org.au www.LifeFlight.org.au

3

+45 701 040 90 +45 701 040 90

email: website:

ems@joinjet.com www.joinjet.com

SERVICE DIRECTORY

Malteser Service Center Johannes Hoischen – International Network and Repatriation Erna-Scheffler-Strasse 2, 51103 Köln, GERMANY +49 221 98 22 9333 +49 40 694597 61339

tel: fax:

ambulance@malteser.org www.malteser-service-center.de

email: website:

Medic’Air International Dr Herve Raffin – General Manager

AIR AMBULANCE NORTH AMERICA

AIR AMBULANCE (EUROPE)

For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)

JET ICU Mike Honeycutt – President

Jet icu

+33 141 72 1414 +33 148 57 1010

email: website:

ops@jeticu.com www.jeticu.com

Carlos Salinas – CEO

operations@medic-air.com www.medic-air.com

email: website:

+1 352 796 2540 +1 352 796 2549

Suite 100, 7777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33434, USA tel:

North Flying a/s

+1 786 619 1268

email: website:

operations@jet-rescue.com www.medjetsUSA.com

Latitude Air Ambulance Jesper Kragelund – Sales Manager

Diana Iaquinto – Director Sales & Medical Ops.

North Flying Terminal, Aalborg Airport, DK-9400, Nørresundby, DENMARK tel: +45 9632 2900 email: jkr@northflying.com website: www.northflying.com fax: +45 9632 2909

John C. Munro / Hamilton International Airport, 9300 Airport Rd. Mount Hope, Ontario, L0R1W0 CANADA tel: +1 289 426 1133 email: 24.7@latitude2009.com fax: +1 289 426 1132 website: www.latitude2009.com

Quick Air Jet Charter GmbH

REVA Inc

Philipp Schneider – Account Manager

Stuart Hayman – CEO 2101 W. Commercial Blvd., Suite 1500, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309, USA tel: +1 954 730 9300 email: operations@flyreva.com fax: +1 954 485 6564 website: www.flyreva.com

Hangar 3, Cologne Airport, 51147 Cologne, GERMANY +49 2203 955 700 +49 2203 955 7020

tel: fax:

ops@quickair.de www.quickair.de

email: website:

Swiss Air-Rescue (Rega)

Skyservice Air Ambulance

Stefan Becker – Head of Corporate Development

David Ewing – Executive Vice-President, Global Markets

Rega-Center, PO Box 1414, CH-8058 Zurich, SWITZERLAND

Montreal/PE Trudeau Int Airport, 9785 Avenue Ryan, Montreal (Quebec), H9P 1A2, CANADA tel: +1 514 497 7000 email: alert@skyservice.com fax: +1 514 636 0096 website: www.skyserviceairambulance.com

stefan.becker@rega.ch www.rega.ch

email: website:

Tyrol Air Ambulance Manfred Helldoppler – Managing Director Fuerstenweg 180, A-6026 Innsbruck-Airport, AUSTRIA +43 512 22422 100 +43 512 288 888

tel: fax:

taa@taa.at www.taa.at

email: website:

AC Global Medical Transports

Milan Floribus – President 8775 Aero Drive, Ste 120, San Diego, CA 92123, USA +1 858 437 5131 +1 858 408 7856

tel: fax:

email: website:

milanfloribus@gmail.com acglobalmedicaltransports.com

ASSISTANCE COMPANIES (AFRICA)

+41 44 654 33 11 +41 44 654 33 22

tel: fax:

Aeromedevac Air Ambulance

Bernadette Breton – Chief Executive Officer AIMS House, 3 West St, Bryanston 2191, Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA tel: +27 11 783 0135 email: operations@aims.org.za fax: +27 11 783 2950 website: www.aims.org.za

AMREF Flying Doctors Dr Bettina Vadera – Medical Director Wilson Airport, Langata Road, PO Box 18617, Nairobi, KENYA tel: fax:

+254 20 6000 090 +254 20 344 170

emergency@flydoc.org www.flydoc.org

email: website:

Dr Helmy El Tanahy – CEO

Gillespie Field Airport, 681 Kenney Street, El Cajon, CA 92020, USA +(800) 462 0911 +(619) 284 7918

toll free: fax:

AIMS

CONNEX Assistance

Adam Williams – President

email: website:

Office 11, Floor 1, 6 El Sad El Aali st, Dokki, Cairo, EGYPT

awilliams@aeromedevac.com www.aeromedevac.com

tel: fax:

AirEvac International

+202 3 336 0005 +202 3 762 0003

alarm@connexassistance.com www.connexassistance.com

email: website:

Inter Secours Assistance

Raul Mendoza – President / CEO

Mr. EL MOUADDEN Abdelhamid – Directeur Général

3404 Bonita Rd, Chula Vista, Ca. 91910, USA

8, Rue Grasset, Quartier des hôpitaux, CP 20360,Casablanca, MOROCCO tel: +212 5 22 46 72 22 fax: +212 5 22 26 00 27

+1 619 754-6755 +1 619 330 4551

tel: fax:

email: website:

info@aeiamericas.com www.aeiamericas.com

Alia MedFlight

email: website:

mouaden@isas.ma www.isas.ma

Medical Services Organisation (MSO) Scott Everson – Vice President

Brenda Durow – General Manager - Assistance

9382 E Bahia Drive, Suite B202, Scottsdale, AZ 85260, USA

PO Box 1578, Gallo Manor, 2052, SOUTH AFRICA

tel: fax:

602-800-7070 855-831-5092

email: website:

ops@aliamedflight.com www.aliamedflight.com

tel: fax:

CEGA Group

(ASIA-PACIFIC)

NORTH AMERICA

tel: fax:

Jet-Rescue Air Ambulance

35 rue Jules Ferry, 93170 Bagnolet, Paris, FRANCE tel: fax:

2561 Rescue Way, Brooksville, FL 34604, USA

When Experience Matters.

Mr Nick Simon – Business Development Manager Funtington Park, Funtington, Chichester, UK, PO18 8RG, UK + 44 (0) 1243 621 107 + (0) 1243 621 006

tel: fax:

email: website:

privaterepats@cegagroup.com cegagroup.com

Global Jetcare, Inc.

+27 (0)11 259 5403 +27 (0)11 259 5001

24hr email: website:

assistance@mso.co.za www.mso.co.za

AA International Sharon Tan – Director ASIA tel: fax:

+603 7965 3883 +603 7629 8288

email: website:

marketing@aa-international.com www.aa-international.com

AA International Indonesia

Bart Gray – President

Brandon Heng – CEO

15421 Technology Dr. Brooksville, FL 34604, USA

Tifa Building, 10th Floor, No.1003, Jl. Kuningan Barat 1 No. 26, Mampang Prapatan, Jakarta 12710, INDONESIA

tel: fax:

+1 352 799 7771 +1 352 799 7776

email: website:

bart@globaljetcare.com www.globaljetcare.com

tel: 24/7:

4

+62 21 2927 9600 ops-jakarta@aa-international.co.id

email: website:

marketing@aa-international.co.id www.aa-international.co.id

For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)

AIG Travel

ASSISTANCE COMPANIES

ASSISTANCE COMPANIES (ASIA-PACIFIC)

SERVICE DIRECTORY

Martin Villarino – General Manager, AIG Travel Asia Pacific Level 15 Menara Worldwide, 198 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA tel: +603 2772 5555 email: martin.villarino@aig.com fax: +603 2685 5673 website: aig.com/travel

ASIAN TRAVEL AND MEDICAL SERVICES Rahul Gupta – Sr. Manager - International Business 131/1 , PICNIC GARDEN ROAD , KOLKATA - 700039 , INDIA 0091-9836309173 033-23440170

tel: fax:

rahul.gupta@asiantms.com www.asiantms.com

email: website:

Ekikaran Sadak, 16 Kha.2.37, Naya Bazar - 16, Kathmandu, Nepal, POBOX: 21100; NEPAL 24/7 tel: +977 1 436 2652 email: 24/7 fax: +977 1 442 5111 website:

tel: fax:

info@alpine-rescue.com www.alpine-rescue.com

email: website:

+63 (02) 555 5228 +63 (02) 863 0650

+ 7 727 350 52 76

+81-(0)3-3811-7520 +81-(0)3-3811-7511

email: website:

Cibis Nine, 5th Fl, Jalan TB. Simatupang No. 2, Cilandak – Pasar Minggu, Jakarta 12560, INDONESIA tel: +62 21 299 78 999 email: global@global-assistance.net fax: +62 21 299 78 9555/66 website: www.global-assistance.net

email: website:

KZT@ap-companies.com www.ap-companies.com

Global Assistance Partners Co.,Ltd. Gna KH CHUNG – CEO

Ilhom Sadikov – Business Development Manager

412 Vabien III, 86, TongIl-ro,Jung-gu, Seoul 04517, REPUBLIC OF KOREA

4a, Uzumzor street, Ulukbek region,Tashkent, UZBEKISTAN +9 987 123 890 41

email: website:

tel: fax:

uzb@ap-companies.com www.ap-companies.com

+82 1670 0722 +82 2 720 8839

email: website:

Regina Zheng – Operations Manager

Dr Yin – Chief Medical Officer

Unit 808/811, Level 8, No.88, Bai Zi Wan Nan Er Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, P.R.,100022 CHINA tel: +86 10 5815 1188 Ext. 812 email: regina@globaldoctor.com.au fax: +86 10 8775 9138 website: www.globaldoctor.com.au

No 29,3rd floor,35th Street, Kyauttada Township,Yangon, MYANMAR email: website:

Myanmar@asian-assistance.com www.asian-assistance.com

Global MediCALL Assistance

Asian Assistance – Philippines Marby Cervantes Madulara – Team Leader, Operation and Medical Development

Sridhar K – Chief Operations Officer

504P to 508P, Pacific Drive Five E Com Center Bldg. Pacific Drive Extension Block 18 Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, PHILIPPINES

MALAYSIA

email: website:

tel: fax:

Philippines@asian-assistance.com www.asian-assistance.com

+6 03 3359 6969 +6 03 3359 6161

email:

marketing@globalmedicallassistance.com

MEDIKA PLAZA

Asian Assistance – Thailand

Dr Nino Susanto – Operational Director

Susanne Mørch – Director

Beltway Office Park Tower C 2nd floor Jl. TB Simatupang Kav. 41, Jakarta 12550, INDONESIA tel: +6221 80866000 email: med.assistance@medikaplaza.com website: www.medikaplaza.com

Viphavadi Tower 15th floor, 51/3 Ngamwongwan Road, Ladyao, Chatchuchak, 10900 Bangkok, THAILAND +66 2 056 1800

operations@globalassistance.co.kr www.globalassistance.co.kr

Global Doctor China

Asian Assistance – Myanmar

tel:

network@emergency.co.jp emergency.co.jp/english

Alain Durand – President Director

AP Companies UZBEKISTAN

+63 999 878 6990

jay@emaglobal.com.ph www.emaglobal.com.sg

Global Assistance & Healthcare

4, 148 Mamir, Auzovskiy region, Almati, KAZAKHSTAN

tel:

dexter@emaglobal.com.sg www.emaglobal.com.sg

NRK Koishikawa Bldg., 1-21-14 Koishikawa, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-0002, JAPAN

Elmira Turmagambetova – General Manager

+95 979 584 3944

email: website:

+65 6753 9133 +65 6244 0030

tel:

Takaaki Chiyo – Executive Officer, Head of Network Division

AP Companies KAZAKHSTAN

tel:

1 Farrer Park Station Road, #15-18, Farrer Park Medical Centre, SINGAPORE 217562

Emergency Assistance Japan

Mr. Ram Nepal – Executive Director

tel:

Dexter Tan – Business Development Director

24hr tel: fax:

arms@armsindia.com www.armsindia.com

Alpine Rescue Service Pvt Ltd 'Mission: Save Life'

tel:

EMA Global Pte Ltd

Unit 2314 Centuria Medical Makati, Century City, Kalayaan Ave. cor.

Salamanca St. Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City - 1210, PHILIPPINES

Flat 2B, Jaivijay Apartment , 61 B Palm Avenue Kolkata – 700019 West Bengal, INDIA email: website:

7/F Unit 702, 58 Changliu Road, Zendai Cube Edifice, Pudong, Shanghai, CHINA 200135 tel: +86 21 12591222 email: ops-shanghai@covermore.com.cn website: www.covermore.com.cn

Jay Bajas – Senior Manager - Operations

Dr.Anraj Singh – Director

+91 983 1090 831 +91 033 4060 4013

Wilson Chan – CEO

EMA Global Pte Ltd

ASIA RESCUE & MEDICAL SERVICES PVT. LTD

24/7 tel: 24/7 tel:

Covermore Assistance Online

email: website:

contact@asian-assistance.com www.asian-assistance.com

Asian Assistance – Vietnam Nick Wongkuan – Director of Finance and Business Development 5th Floor, 106 Ton Due Thang street, Quae Tu Giam ward, Dong Da district, Hanoi, VIETNAM tel:

+84 915 618 860

email: website:

To have your company listed in our service directory, contact the sales department now:

Vietnam@asian-assistance.com www.asian-assistance.com

BrightCare Assist Gloria Lee Carmen V. Matti – CEO Unit 10-1, Fort Legend Tower, 31st Street corner 3rd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City Taguig, 1632, PHILIPPINES tel: (632) 785-0055 email: ops@brightcare-assist.com fax: (632) 224-4152 website: www.brightcare-assist.com

sales@itij.com

CareJet Anthony Decoste – President

+44 (0)117 925 51 51 (opt.1)

Level 24 Robinsons Cyberscape Beta, Topaz & Ruby Roads, Ortigas Center, 1605 Pasig City, PHILIPPINES email: ops@carejet.com tel: +63 2 226 6911 website: carejet.com

5

SERVICE DIRECTORY

ADAC Ambulance Service Christoph Ullrich – Senior Manager International Network Hansastr. 19, D - 80686 Munich, GERMANY tel: tel:

+49 897 676 2912 +49 171 555 2912

email: website:

christoph.ullrich@adac.de www.adac.de/ambulance

AIG Travel Sally Waithe – General Manager, AIG Travel EMEA 21 Cecil Pashley Way, Shoreham Airport, Shoreham-By-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 5FF, UK tel: +44 (0)1273 456 484 email: sally.waithe@aig.com website: aig.com/travel

ASSISTANCE COMPANIES (EUROPE)

(EUROPE)

ASSISTANCE COMPANIES

For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)

Global Voyager Assistance - Black Sea Oxana Razorenova – General Manager 77-79 Nezhinskaya Str., 65023, Odessa, UKRAINE tel: fax:

+38 048 7373 441 +38 048 7373 442

gmbs@gvassistance.com www.gvassistance.com

email: website:

Global Voyager Assistance - Russia Costas Danilenko – CEO PO Box II, 125124 Moscow, RUSSIA tel: fax:

+7 495 775 0999 +7 495 775 0998

email: website:

cdanilenko@gvassistance.com www.gvassistance.com

IFRA Assistance GmbH – Austria

AP Companies Natalya Butakova – Business Development Manager

Mr. Christian Steindl M.D. – CEO

17 Varshavskoye Shosse, Moscow 117105, RUSSIA

IFRA Assistance GmbH, Schießstattring 21, A-3100 St. Pölten, AUSTRIA

+7 495 989 1120 +7 495 989 1130

tel: fax:

natalya@ap-companies.ru www.ap-companies.ru

email: website:

tel: fax:

+43 (0) 2742 49 11 +43 (0) 27 42 89165

email: website:

office@ifra.at www.ifra.at

Inchcape Medical & Assistance Services

Argos Assistance Srl Marco Rinalducci – Claims & Administration Director

Mara Mytilineou – Operations Manager

Via Torino, 2 20123 Milano, ITALY / FRANCE

3, Agiou Dionysiou street, 18545 Piraeus, GREECE

tel: fax:

+39 027 254 6325 +39 069 933 5053

operations@argosassistance.com www.argosassistance.com

email: website:

tel: fax:

AU International Service / ASSIST UKRAINE

assistance@iss-shipping.com www.iss-assistance.com

email: website:

Intana Global

Andrey ZIMIN – Director

Denise Groom – Head of Commercial Sussex House, Perrymount Road, Haywards heath, West Sussex, RH16 1DN, UK email: enquiries@intana-global.com website: www.intana-global.com

Str. Sholudenko 3, 04116 Kiev, UKRAINE tel:

(+30) 210 42 24 805 (+30) 211 79 07 790

+38044 251 28 11

assist@assist-ukraine.com assist-ukraine.com

email: website:

BMC HEALTH SOLUTIONS 24hr Medical Assistance

Interamerican Assistance S.A.

Antonio Magliocca – Medical Director

Inez Tissink – Coordinator International Activities

Via del pozzo 30, Monteriggioni, 53100, Siena, ITALY

Syngrou Avenue 350,17680 Kallithea, Athens, GREECE

24hr tel: fax:

+39 0823 966 694 +39 0823 966 694

info@assistenzamedicah24.it www.medicalassistanceh24.com

email: website:

tel: fax:

CNAS

tissinki@interamerican.gr www.interamerican.gr

Carole Luisy – Managing Director

Johannes Hoischen – International Network and Repatriation

80 rue des alliés, 38100, Grenoble, FRANCE

Erna-Scheffler-Strasse 2, 51103 Köln, GERMANY

+33 438 49 83 49 +33 438 49 83 40

email: website:

carole.luisy@cnas-assistance.com www.cnas-assistance.com

tel: fax:

DRF Luftrettung / German Air Rescue

+49 7007 3010 +49 7007 3119

email: website:

ambulance@malteser.org www.malteser-service-center.de

Mahmut Kadirbeyoglu – CEO

Rita-Maiburg-Str. 2, D-70794 Filderstadt, GERMANY 24h tel: fax:

+49 221 98 22 9333 +49 40 694597 61339

Marm Assistance

Dr. Peter Huber – CEO German Air Rescue

email: website:

Malteser Service Center

tel: fax:

German Air Rescue – Claim-Variante rot / schwarz

(+30) 210 94 61 750 (+30) 210 94 61 004

email: website:

AirPort Plaza, Ankara Caddesi, No:486, Kurtkoy 34912, Istanbul, TURKEY

ops@drf-luftrettung.de www.drf-luftrettung.de/air-ambulance

tel: fax:

DRK Assistance

+90 216 560 07 24 +90 216 560 07 07

email: website:

marm@marm.com.tr www.marmassistance.com

Medicall AG Andreas Speich – Managing Director

Markus Detel – Manager International Network

Aufm Hennekamp 71, 40225 Düsseldorf, GERMANY

Zurichstrasse 38, CH-8306 Bruttisellen, SWITZERLAND

tel: fax:

+49 (211) 917 499 38 +49 (211) 917 499 27

email: website:

moc@drkassistance.de www.drkassistance.com

tel:

EgyCross Assistance

+41 44 655 16 67

email: website:

MRI Assist

Dr. Hany Benyamen – CEO

Denise Rogers – Network Manager

Av. del General Perón, 25 . Planta 10 F, 28020 Madrid, SPAIN

C/Porto Pi, 8. 07015 Palma de Mallorca SPAIN

tel: tel:

mservices@medicall.ch www.medicall.ch

+34 910 602 414 +20 100 6222 910

email: website:

ecanetwork@egycross-assistance.com www.egycross-europe.com

tel: fax:

Eurocross Turkey

+34 971 919 244 +34 971 919 255

email: website:

info@medicalresponse.es www.mri-assist.com

National Health Service LLC

Mehtap Baylam Akkaya – CEO

Dr. Ashfaq Rizvi – Financial Director

Altunizade Mahallesi, Ord. Prof. Fahrettin Kerim Gökay Caddesi, Eşref Çakmak Plaza, No:32 Kat:3 34662 Üsküdar, İstanbul, TURKEY tel: +90 216 265 15 25 email: int@eurocrossturkey.com.tr website: www.eurocrossturkey.com.tr fax: +90 216 265 15 65

101000 Russia, Moscow, Potapovsky lane 5-2, RUSSIA tel: fax:

Global Assistance a.s.

email: website:

drrizvi@nhsassist.ru www.nhsassist.ru

contact the sales department now:

Dopraváku 749/3, 18400 Prague 8, CZECH REPUBLIC +420 266 799 770 +420 266 799 797

email: website:

To have your company listed in our service directory

Ing. Marek Jaroš – General Manager

tel: fax:

+7 (495) 374-88-24 +7 (495) 374-88-24

sales@itij.com or telephone: +44 (0)117 925 51 51 (opt.1)

ops@1220.cz www.1220.cz

6

For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)

Save Assistance France

ASSISTANCE COMPANIES (NORTH AMERICA)

ASSISTANCE COMPANIES

(EUROPE)

SERVICE DIRECTORY

Thomas Blanchet – Key Account Manager / Responsable Grands Comptes 6 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, Le Campus, Bat. B1, 78180 Montigny-Le-Bretonneux., FRANCE tel: +33 (0)13062 6752 email: blanchet@saveassistance.com 24 tel: +33 (0)13062 1122 website: www.saveassistance.com

Savitar Group Ltd. Maria Berkova – General Manager 3rd floor, entrance #4, 20/3 Bolshoy Karetniy lane, Moscow, 127051, RUSSIA tel: +7 495 987 1775 email: svg@savitar-gr.com fax: +7 495 987 1776 website: www.savitar-gr.com

Semesur

Active Care Management Paul Schlosser – Client Relationship Manager 3600 Rhodes Dr., Windsor, ON, N8W 5A4, CANADA tel: fax:

pschlosser@active-care.ca www.active-care.ca

email: website:

AIG Travel Jim Koziol – General Manager, North America 3330 Business Park Drive, Stevens Point WI 54482, USA tel:

+1 715 295 9105

jim.koziol@aig.com aig.com/travel

email: website:

ASSIST CARD Eugenio Crenes – General Manager

Federico Tarling – Chief Service Officer ASSIST-CARD Building, 175 South West 7th Street, Suite 2407, Miami, FL 33130, USA tel: +1 305 381 9959/69 email: federico.tarling@assistcard.com toll free: +1 800 874 2223 website: www.assistcard.com

Paseo de la Castellana 18, 7ª Planta, 28046 Madrid, SPAIN +34 911 010 470 +34 902 001 410

tel: fax:

email: website:

info@semesur.com www.semesur.com

Tangiers International

AXA Partners US

Jane Hegeler – Managing Director

Simon Jackson – Chief Commercial Officer

54 Melita Street, Valetta, VLT 1122, MALTA

122 South Michigan Ave, Suite 1100, Chicago, IL 60603, USA

+356 277 800 16 +356 272 055 00

tel: fax:

email: website:

tel:

info@tangiersinternational.com www.tangiersinternational.com

+1 312 935 1771

email: website:

simon.jackson@axa-assistance.us www.axa-assistance.us

CanAssistance

TBS Team 24 d.o.o

Fabienne Lavoie – Director, International Operations and Claims

Edvard Hojnik – General Manger

550 Sherbrooke Street West, Suite B-9, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 3S3, CANADA tel: +1 514 286 7707 email: fabienne.lavoie@canassistance.com fax: +1 514 286 8413 website: www.canassistance.com

CROATIA, SLOVENIA, SERBIA, MNE, BH, KOS, MAC +386 2616 5819 +386 2618 5800

tel: fax:

email: website:

info@tbs-team24.com www. tbs-team24.com

GORAL ASSISTANCE CANADA INC.

Tyrol Air Ambulance Manfred Helldoppler – Managing Director

David Ohayon – Local Manager

Fuerstenweg 180, A-6026 Innsbruck-Airport, AUSTRIA

2155 Vincent St, Montreal, QC H4M 1M6, CANADA

+43 512 22422 100 +43 512 288 888

tel: fax:

(MIDDLE EAST)

+519 945 8256 ext.4111 +519 251 5165

email: website:

tel: fax:

taa@taa.at www.taa.at

+1 514 448 1343 +1 514 448 1835

email: website:

info@goralassist.ca www.goralassist.com

MD ABROAD

CONNEX Assistance JLT Lara Helmi – International Network Director

Ignacio C. Marquez – COO

#204 Gold Crest Executive Tower, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES tel: +97 14 368 36 25 email: dubai@connexassistance.com fax: +97 14 420 49 12 website: www.connexassistance.com

2999 NE 191st Street, Suite 608, Aventura, Florida, USA tel: fax:

+1 (786) 475-5475 +1 718 847 0533

email: website:

operations@mdabroad.com www.mdabroad.com

SunMed International, LLC

Fakeeh International Dr. Fatih Mehmet GUL – Executive Director

Dra. Kinyi Haber – Medical Director. VP International Operation

Palestine Street, Al Hamra District P.O. Box 2537 21461, JEDDAH/SAUDI ARABIA tel: 00966 12 6603080 email: ops@fakeehinternational.com website: www.fakeehinternational.com

2000 NW 89th Place. Miami FL 33172, UNITED STATES tel: fax:

+1 786 888 6792 +1 786 551 0763

email: website:

khaber@sunmedint.net www.sunmedint.net

TMCA Group Corp

GORAL ASSISTANCE LTD Marcel Kadoche – International Network and Development Manager

Crystal Wharton – President

Maskit 27 str. Herzeliya Industrial Park 46733, ISRAEL

217 Broadway Suite 608, New York, New York 10007, USA

tel: fax:

+972 9 9579930 +972 9 9579931

email: website:

tel: fax:

info@goralassist.com www.goralassist.com

+1 646 398 9021 +1 646 398 9025

email: website:

Crystal@tmcatravel.com www.tmcatravel.com

IRAN ASSISTANCE Ashkan Lahiji – International Network Manager No 24,SOS building,15th Street, Gandi Avenue, Tehran,15175, IRAN tel: fax:

+98-21-88648620 - 24 +98-21-88648502

email: website:

To have your company listed in our service directory, contact the sales department now:

operation@iranassistance.com www.iranassistance.com

LGA - LIFE GULF ASSISTANCE Dr. Ahmed Monir – CEO Al Salam Tower, Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES tel: mob:

+971 55 314 5045 +971 52 758 1032

email: website:

sales@itij.com

dr.ahmed@lgadubai.com www.lgadubai.com

SWAN INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE – MUTUAL CARE

+44 (0)117 925 51 51 (opt.1)

Mr. Joseph Akiki – CEO P.O. Box 2265 Jounieh, Lebanon tel 24/7: fax:

+961 9 224 008/009 +961 9 224 010

email: website:

request@swanassistance.com www.swanassistance.com

7

Global Excel Management John Spears – VP Business Development & Marketing 73 Queen St, Sherbrooke, QC J1M 0C9, CANADA tel: fax:

+1 819 566 8833 +1 819 566 8447

email: website:

corpinfo@globalexcel.com www.globalexcel.com

New Frontier Group Gitte Bach – President and CEO 1024 Bayside Drive, Suite 144, Newport Beach, California, 92660-7462, USA tel: +1 949 429 7130 email: Bach@NewFrontierGroup.com fax: +1 949 666 6520 website: www.newfrontiergroup.com

COST CONTAINMENT (AFRICA)

SERVICE DIRECTORY

(EUROPE)

CATASTROPHIC CLAIMS SPECIALISTS

For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)

Plotkin Health Inc – A Subsidiary of MacroHealth LP Shaun A. Plotkin BA (Uvic), LLB (Monash), GDLP – President 27-3088 Francis Road, Richmond, British Columbia V7C 5V9, CANADA tel: fax:

+1 604 241 9639 +1 604 241 0733

email: website:

shaun@plotkinconsulting.com www.plotkinconsulting.com

To have your company listed in our service directory

AIMS Bernadette Breton – Chief Executive Officer AIMS House, 3 West St, Bryanston 2191, Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA tel: +00 27 11 783 0135 email: operations@aims.org.za fax: +00 27 11 783 2950 website: www.aims.org.za

Medical Services Organisation (MSO) Brenda Durow – General Manager - Assistance PO Box 1578, Gallo Manor, 2052, SOUTH AFRICA tel: fax:

assistance@mso.co.za www.mso.co.za

24hr email: website:

AP Companies Natalya Butakova – Business Development Manager 17 Varshavskoye Shosse, Moscow 117105, RUSSIA tel: fax:

+7 495 989 1120 +7 495 989 1130

email: website:

natalya@ap-companies.ru www.ap-companies.ru

ChargeCare International Mary-Jo McDonald (MJ) – Managing Director

contact the sales department now:

Sanderum Centre, 30a Upper High Street, Thame, OX9 3EX, UK

sales@itij.com or telephone: +44 (0)117 925 51 51 (opt.1)

tel: fax:

Claims at TuGo

+44 1865 400 007 +44 845 003 1351

contact@chargecare.net www.chargecare.net

email: website:

Eurocross Turkey Taka Katsube – Director Assistance & Cost Managment

Mehtap Baylam Akkaya – CEO

10th Floor, 6081 No.3 Road, Richmond, BC V6Y 2B2, CANADA

Altunizade Mahallesi, Ord. Prof. Fahrettin Kerim Gökay Caddesi, Eşref Çakmak Plaza, No:32 Kat:3 34662 Üsküdar İstanbul, TURKEY tel: +90 216 265 15 25 email: int@eurocrossturkey.com.tr website: www.eurocrossturkey.com.tr fax: +90 216 265 15 65

tel: fax:

+1 604 303 2113 +1 604 276 4593

email: website:

tkat@tugo.com www.tugo.com

Eurocross Turkey

Marm Assistance

Mehtap Baylam Akkaya – CEO

Mahmut Kadirbeyoglu – CEO

Altunizade Mahallesi, Ord. Prof. Fahrettin Kerim Gökay Caddesi, Eşref Çakmak Plaza, No:32 Kat:3 34662 Üsküdar, İstanbul, TURKEY tel: +90 216 265 15 25 email: int@eurocrossturkey.com.tr website: www.eurocrossturkey.com.tr fax: +90 216 265 15 65

AirPort Plaza, Ankara Caddesi, No:486, Kurtkoy 34912, Istanbul, TURKEY tel: fax:

Global Assistance & Healthcare

(NORTH AMERICA)

CLAIMS MANAGEMENT

+27 (0)11 259 5403 +27 (0)11 259 5001

Alain Durand – President Director Cibis Nine, 5th Fl, Jalan TB. Simatupang No. 2, Cilandak – Pasar Minggu, Jakarta 12560, INDONESIA tel: +62 21 299 78 999 email: global@global-assistance.net fax: +62 21 299 78 9555/66 website: www.global-assistance.net

Global Excel Management John Spears – VP Business Development & Marketing 73 Queen St, Sherbrooke, QC J1M 0C9, CANADA tel: fax:

+1 819 566 8833 +1 819 566 8447

email: website:

marm@marm.com.tr www.marmassistance.com

email: website:

Claims at TuGo Taka Katsube – Director Assistance & Cost Managment 10th Floor, 6081 No.3 Road, Richmond, BC V6Y 2B2, CANADA tel: fax:

+1 604 303 2113 +1 604 276 4593

tkat@tugo.com www.tugo.com

email: website:

Global Excel Management John Spears – VP Business Development & Marketing 73 Queen St, Sherbrooke, QC J1M 0C9, CANADA

corpinfo@globalexcel.com www.globalexcel.com

tel: fax:

Intana Global

+90 216 560 07 24 +90 216 560 07 07

+1 819 566 8833 +1 819 566 8447

email: website:

corpinfo@globalexcel.com www.globalexcel.com

Global Medical Management Denise Groom – Head of Commercial

Raija Itzchaki – COO

Sussex House, Perrymount Road, Haywards heath, West Sussex, RH16 1DN, UK email: enquiries@intana-global.com website: www.intana-global.com

880 SW 145th Ave., Suite 400, Pembroke Pines, FL, 33027, USA tel: fax:

New Frontier Group

+1 954 370 6404 +1 954 370 8613

email: website:

info@gmmi.com www.gmmi.com

MD ABROAD

Gitte Bach – President and CEO

Ignacio C. Marquez – COO

1024 Bayside Drive, Suite 144, Newport Beach, California, 92660-7462, USA

2999 NE 191st Street, Suite 608, Aventura, Florida, USA

tel: fax:

+1 949 429 7130 +1 949 666 6520

email: website:

Bach@NewFrontierGroup.com www.newfrontiergroup.com

tel: fax:

Star Healthcare Network, Inc.

+ 1 (786) 475-5475 +1 718 847 0533

email: website:

operations@mdabroad.com www.mdabroad.com

New Frontier Group

Gigi Galen Grobstein – President

Gitte Bach – President and CEO

120 Bloomingdale Road, Suite #304, White Plains, NY 10605, USA

1024 Bayside Drive, Suite 144, Newport Beach, California, 92660-7462, USA

tel: fax:

+ 1 914 358 9121 + 1 914 358 9206

email: website:

Ggalen@starhealthcarenet.com www.starhealthcarenet.com

tel: fax:

To have your company listed in our service directory

+1 949 429 7130 +1 949 666 6520

email: website:

Bach@NewFrontierGroup.com www.newfrontiergroup.com

Penfield Care Mr Stephen Zatylny – President

contact the sales department now:

A1-130 Terence Matthews Crescent, Ottawa, Ontario, K2M 0J1, CANADA

sales@itij.com or telephone: +44 (0)117 925 51 51 (opt.1)

tel: fax:

8

+1 613 703 9861 +1 819 200 0281

email: website:

info@penfieldcare.com www.penfieldcare.com

For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)

Plotkin Health Inc – A Subsidiary of MacroHealth LP

FUNERAL DIRECTORS

COST CONTAINMENT (NORTH AMERICA)

SERVICE DIRECTORY

Shaun A. Plotkin BA (Uvic), LLB (Monash), GDLP – President 27-3088 Francis Road, Richmond, British Columbia V7C 5V9, CANADA +1 604 241 9639 +1 604 241 0733

tel: fax:

shaun@plotkinconsulting.com www.plotkinconsulting.com

email: website:

Star Healthcare Network, Inc. Gigi Galen Grobstein – President 120 Bloomingdale Road, Suite #304, White Plains, NY 10605, USA + 1 914 358 9121 + 1 914 358 9206

tel: fax:

email: website:

Ggalen@starhealthcarenet.com www.starhealthcarenet.com

Funerarium International repatriation and embalming Maurizio Fantozzi – Director

Indirizzo dell’Azienda: Via Roma 255, Capistrello, Aquila, ITALY

FUNERARIA OFFICIA ROBERTO ZEGA - Worldwide Repatriations Specialist Cristina Zega – Repatriations Manager Via Clelia, 26 / 28 - 00181 Roma, ITALY tel: fax:

email: website:

info@zega.it www.zega.it

Zona Franca Local 110, Rionegro, Antioquia, COLOMBIA & USA tel: tel:

sales@itij.com or telephone: +44 (0)117 925 51 51 (opt.1) CRITICAL CARE PATIENT TRANSPORT

0039 06 78 40 300 0039 06 78 02 488

Christian Correa – Operations Director

contact the sales department now:

+1 203 343 8111 +57 4 562 1142

email: website:

info@g7ms.com www.g7ms.com

Rowland Brothers International Ltd.

DRK Assistance Andreas Speich – Managing Director

Fiona Greenwood – Operations Director

Aufm Hennekamp 71, 40225 Düsseldorf, GERMANY

299-305 Whitehorse Road, West Croydon, Surrey CR0 2HR, UK

+49 (211) 917 499 38 +49 (211) 917 499 27

tel: fax:

email: website:

tel: fax:

moc@drkassistance.de www.drkassistance.com

+44 20 8684 2324 +44 20 8684 8000

email: website:

info@rowlandbrothersinternational.com www.rowlandbrothersinternational.com

Singapore Casket Company Ltd

European Air Ambulance Patrick Schomaker – Director Sales & Marketing

Calvin Tang

Luxembourg Airport, B.P.24, L-5201, Sandweiler, LUXEMBOURG

131 Lavender Street, Singapore, 338737, SINGAPORE

24hr tel: fax:

+352 26 26 00 +352 26 26 01

email: website:

tel: fax:

alert@air-ambulance.com www.air-ambulance.com

GROUND TRANSPORT - MEDICAL

David Ewing – Executive Vice-President, Global Markets Montreal/PE Trudeau Int Airport, 9785 Avenue Ryan, Montreal (Quebec), H9P 1A2, CANADA tel: +1 514 497 7000 email: alert@skyservice.com fax: +1 514 636 0096 website: www.skyserviceairambulance.com

To have your company listed in our service directory contact the sales department now: sales@itij.com or telephone: +44 (0)117 925 51 51 (opt.1) Extreme Care Repatriation Petar Chernaev – Manager

email: website:

email: website:

contact@spainuneralservices.com www.spainfuneralservices.com

DRK Assistance Andreas Speich – Managing Director Aufm Hennekamp 71, 40225 Düsseldorf, GERMANY +49 (211) 917 499 38 +49 (211) 917 499 27

tel: fax:

email: website:

moc@drkassistance.de www.drkassistance.com

Gateway International EMS Oliver L. Müller – Managing Director 1440 G St. NW, Washington DC, 20005 , USA tel: fax:

+1-888-828-5258 +1-201-205-2239

email: website:

operations@gateway-ems.com www.gateway-ems.com

GroundMed Australia Matthew Kline & Mark Wardrop – Executive Directors Hangar 650 Drover Road, Bankstown Airport. NSW, Sydney, AUSTRALIA 2200 tel: +61 2 8700 0685 email: ops@airmed.com.au fax: +61 2 8700 0663 website: www.airmed.com.au

1 Gevgeliiski, Sofia 1309, BULGARIA +359 882 52 9557

+34 902 008 407 +34 627 053 979

tel: tel:

ambulance@malteser.org www.malteser-service-center.de

email: website:

Skyservice Air Ambulance

tel:

customerservice@singaporecasket.com.sg www.singaporecasket.com.sg

calle jesus 25-29200- ANTEQUERA, SPAIN

Erna-Scheffler-Strasse 2, 51103 Köln, GERMANY +49 221 98 22 9333 +49 40 694597 61339

email: website:

Mourad Messaoud – General Manager

Johannes Hoischen – International Network and Repatriation

tel: fax:

+65 6293 4388 +65 6296 5993

Spain Funeral Services

Malteser Service Center

FUNERAL DIRECTORS

segreteria@funerarium.it funerarium.it

email: website:

G7 Mortuary Shipping - Latin-American Funeral Assistance

To have your company listed in our service directory

office@extremecare.eu www.extremecare.eu

Flying Home Pte Ltd

LifeMed Worldwide

Mr Ang Ziqian – Director

24/7 Chauffeured Transportation & Ground Ambulance

Blk 4 Lorong 8 Toa Payoh #01-1345A, SINGAPORE

990 Biscayne Blvd. Suite 502 Miami, FL 33132, USA

tel: fax:

+65 6253 0001 +65 6353 5801

email: website:

tel:

enquiry@flyinghome.com www.flyinghome.com

+1-305-501-2009

email: website:

ops@lifemedworldwide.com www.lifemedworldwide.com

One Call Medical Transport

Funeral Home AURIGA Ltd. Helena Sulikova – Chief of International Department

24 Hour Worldwide Ground Transports

B. Nemcové Street 1052/1, 412 01 Litomerice, CZECH REPUBLIC

3815 E Main St., Suite C St. Charles, IL 60174, USA

tel: fax:

Funeralia

+39 327 328 7979 +39 (0) 863 186 1635

tel: tel:

+420 724 257 899 +420 416 732 582

email: website:

tel: fax:

repatriations@pohrebni-auriga.cz www.funeral-assistance.cz

+1 630 444 2100 +1 630 823 2900

email: email:

ops@ocmt.com www.ocmt.com

To have your company listed in our service directory Oleg Antoni Milinski – Funeral Director

contact the sales department now:

International funeral services, UKRAINE, POLAND, ITALY tel: fax:

+38 0971 498 785 +48 5131 236 78

email: website:

sales@itij.com or telephone: +44 (0)117 925 51 51 (opt.1)

funeralia.org@gmail.com www.Funeralia.org

9

SERVICE DIRECTORY

Anatolia Hospital Dr. Irfan Erdogan – General Coordinator Caybasi Mh 1352 Sk No 12 , 07100 Antalya, TURKEY +90 242 249 33 00 +90 242 311 67 78

tel: fax:

drirfan@anatoliahospital.com www.anatoliahospital.com

email: website:

Jackson Memorial Hospital International Dominick Destefano – Associate Director of Sales 1500 NW 12th Avenue, Suite 829 East, Miami, FL 33136, USA +305-355-1211 +305-355-5545

tel: fax:

email: website:

Dominick.destefano@jhsmiami.org www.jmhi.org

MEDICAL ESCORT ON COMMERCIAL AIRLINES

HOSPITALS

For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)

Franziska Hollenstein – CEO / Founder 1918 Harrison Street, Suite 215, Hollywood, Florida, 33020, USA + 1 754 999 0460 + 1 754 222 5051

24/ 7 tel: fax:

www.primenursingcare.com contact@primenursingcare.com

email: website:

PARKVIEW AIR MEDICAL

Graham Mitchell – President #11 Zina Street, Orangeville, (Ontario) L9W-1E2, CANADA 1 519 942 8143 1 519 941 4213

tel: fax:

email: website:

repat@parkviewairmedical.com www.parkviewairmedical.com

SkyCare Global LLC.

Luz Saúde SA

Stephen Avise – VP of Operations

Eve Jokel, MPH – International Director

835 Seminole Blvd., Tarpon Springs FL, 34689, USA

Rua Carlos Alberto da Mota Pinto, 17-9.º 1070-313 Lisboa, PORTUGAL

Sharp Global Patient Services Jacquie Schwoerke – Vice President, Sharp GPS 8695 Spectrum Center Blvd., San Diego, CA 92123, USA toll free: tel:

+1 888-265-1513 +1 858-499-4967

email: website:

US tel: EU tel:

intlpatientservices@luzsaude.pt luzsaude.pt/en

email: website:

Sharp.GlobalPatientServices@sharp.com www.sharp.com

MEDICAL PROVIDER

+351 213 138 260 +351 213 530 292

tel: fax:

Larry Baker – Managing Director

email: website:

AC Global Medical Transports

Milan Floribus – President 8775 Aero Drive, Ste 120, San Diego, CA 92123, USA +1 858 437 5131 +1 858 408 7856

tel: fax:

email: website:

milanfloribus@gmail.com acglobalmedicaltransports.com

AirMed Australia Hangar 650 Drover Road, Bankstown Airport. NSW, Sydney, AUSTRALIA 2200 tel: +61 2 8700 0685 email: ops@airmed.com.au fax: +61 2 8700 0663 website: www.airmed.com.au

Dr Bettina Vadera – Medical Director Wilson Airport, Langata Road, PO Box 18617, Nairobi, KENYA tel: fax:

+254 20 6000 090 +254 20 344 170

email: website:

emergency@flydoc.org www.flydoc.org

Cambridge Global Payments Brad Loder – VP Marketing & Corporate Sponsorships 212 King Street West, Suite 400, Toronto, ON M5H 1K5 CANADA tel:

email: website:

+1 (416) 646 6401 ext. 2392

bloder@cambridgefx.com www.cambridgefx.com

Firemelon (Magenta Insurance System) 40-42 Lisburn Road, Belfast,BT9 6AA, NORTHERN IRELAND tel:

02895 213 831

email: website:

david.corney@firemelon.com www.firemelon.com

Nordic Insurance Software

AMREF Flying Doctors

Elliott Draga – Head of Sales and Marketing

Dr Bettina Vadera – Medical Director

Aarhusgade 88, 6th Floor, 2100 Copenhagen, DENMARK

Wilson Airport, Langata Road, PO Box 18617, Nairobi, KENYA email: website:

Andreas Speich – Managing Director Aufm Hennekamp 71, 40225 Düsseldorf, GERMANY +49 (211) 917 499 38 +49 (211) 917 499 27

email: website:

tel:

emergency@flydoc.org www.flydoc.org

moc@drkassistance.de www.drkassistance.com

TRAVEL AGENTS

+254 20 6000 090 +254 20 344 170

DRK Assistance

tel: fax:

AMREF Flying Doctors

David Corney – Managing Director

Matthew Kline & Mark Wardrop – Executive Directors

tel: fax:

info@skycareglobal.com www.skycareglobal.com

sales@itij.com or telephone: +44 (0)117 925 51 51 (opt.1)

lbaker@ucsd.edu health.ucsd.edu/international

TECHNOLOGY

+1 619 471 0466 +1 619 543 5282

email: website:

contact the sales department now:

136 W. Dickinson Street, Suite 109, San Diego, CA 92103-8222, USA tel: fax:

+1 727 230 2263 +39 345 461 8122

To have your company listed in our service directory

UC San Diego Health System International Patient Program

MEDICAL ESCORT ON COMMERCIAL AIRLINES

Prime Nursing Care, Inc.

+1 (905) 866-8262

email: website:

elliott.draga@nisportal.com www.nisportal.com

Voyageur Aeromedical Travel Marc Banting – Director 19 Lower Park Row, Bristol, UK tel: fax:

+44 (0)117 921 0401 +44 (0)845 384 7008

email: website:

marc@voyageur.co.uk www.voyageur24.com

European Air Ambulance Patrick Schomaker – Director Sales & Marketing

To have your company listed in our service directory, contact the sales department now:

Luxembourg Airport, B.P.24, L-5201, Sandweiler, LUXEMBOURG 24hr tel: fax:

+352 26 26 00 +352 26 26 01

email: website:

alert@air-ambulance.com www.air-ambulance.com

LIFESUPPORT Air Medical Services Graham Williamson – CEO VANCOUVER – CALGARY – TORONTO – FRANKFURT tel: fax:

Medical Wings

+1 250 947 9641 +1 877 288 2908

email: website:

sales@itij.com

graham.williamson@LifeSupportTransport.com www.LifeSupportTransport.com

+44 (0)117 925 51 51 (opt.1)

Dr.Sura Jaidwatee, M.D. – Medical Flight Manager 222 Don Mueang International Airport Office Building 3rd Floor, Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Sanambin, Don Mueang, Bangkok 10210, THAILAND 24h tel: +662 247 3392 email: m.w@medicalwings.com fax: +662 535 4734 website: www.medicalwings.com

10

Make booking flights easy We are the leading medical repatriation specialist, a 24/7 medical travel agency uniquely skilled to route your passengers home.

www.voyageur24.co.uk +44 (0)117 9210401 repats@voyageur.co.uk