ITIJ Issue 216 January 2019 by Voyageur Group

NEWS ANALYSIS:

p.10

FEATURE:

Tackling insurance fraud in Nepal

Rise of the cybervillains

An update on the ongoing problem

It’s the new battleground

p.30

SERVICE DIRECTORY

p.34

– how can insurers protect themselves?

ESSENTIAL READING FOR TRAVEL & HEALTH INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS

It’s raining millennials – hallelujah!

JANUARY 2019 • ISSUE 216

Take care, mate Australians are being warned about engaging in risky behaviours while travelling, including – but not limited to – failing to take out appropriate travel insurance cover According to new figures recently released by the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, almost 11 million overseas trips were taken by Australian citizens in 2017, with more than one in five of these involving some time spent in a location in South East Asia. Unfortunately, Australians seem to be running into trouble in this region. “[South East Asia is] like our playground out the back,” said Phil Sylvester, Travel Safety Expert at Travel Insurance Direct, “and we forget it’s not actually the same country and that the same rules and standards don’t necessarily apply.” Worryingly, deaths of Australian tourists abroad have reportedly increased by 36 per cent over the past half a decade, with significant spikes noted in Thailand and the Philippines, according to the results of a joint survey undertaken by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Smartraveller website and the Insurance Council of Australia’s Understand Insurance project. Thailand was found to be the most dangerous country for Aussies, with 238 deaths in 2017, a 17-per-cent rise from the year before, followed by the Philippines – 153 deaths, a rise of 21 per cent – and Indonesia – 117 deaths, a rise of nine per cent. The US and Vietnam made up the rest of the top five, with 98 and 85 deaths in 2017 respectively (although these both represented

According to a new report, the greatest increase in intent to buy travel insurance has been noted among the millennial demographic insurance company Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection’s (BHTP) recent State of Travel Insurance research report found that, for the second consecutive year, younger travellers (those aged 25-44) are increasingly likely to purchase travel insurance. According to the report, 33 per cent of millennials with children intend to purchase more travel insurance in 2019, while 29 per cent of travellers aged 55 to 74 (boomers) said

they plan to buy less travel insurance. “Now in our fourth year of conducting the State of Travel Insurance research, we are seeing a trend that not just millennials, but more specifically millennials with children, are showing the most notable increase in travel insurance purchase intent,” said Dean Sivley, President of BHTP. “Millennials with children are also reporting that they travel to the most places and have indicated they are doing so even if risk, real or perceived, is involved.” Millennials with children are most concerned about threats that could impact their family, with 47 per cent of this segment citing disease outbreaks as a travel fear, compared with 38

per cent of millennials without children. Further findings included that: younger travellers cite tech-driven and customisable travel insurance as most important, with 43 per cent of younger travellers indicating that they would buy more travel insurance if they were able to customise their travel insurance compared to 21 per cent of older travellers; 38 per cent of younger travellers wish their travel insurance was as technologically advanced as the rest of their travel experience, compared to 16 per cent of older travellers; and younger travellers are much more likely than older travellers to be mindful of travel issues, with millennials pointing to long-term concerns such as climate change and vanishing destinations.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Editorial comment @ITIJonline Stefan Mohamed - Deputy Editor @itijonline

Editor-in-Chief:

Ian Cameron ian@itij.com

Editor:

Through the pearly, silken mists of 2018, a chink of light can be observed, breaking fragile but sprightly gold over yonder horizon. Can you see it? Can you feel its warmth? That, loyal readers, is 2019. Welcome! We’re glad you could join us. Many things have changed since last we greeted the turning of a new calendar year. Indeed, 2018 was a year of great fluctuations, from the small scale – some painful personnel changes here at ITIJ Towers – to the larger scale – yet more political, social and technological upheaval around the world. And through it all, ITIJ offers you protection (and a lot of love and affection – whether you’re right or wrong). And you can rest assured that, at least where our dedication and fortitude are concerned, nothing has changed on that front. We will continue to bring

you the most cutting-edge reportage of the issues affecting the global travel and health insurance industry and its ancillary tentacles. In fact, we’re off to a pretty good start this year, with an industry voice piece from Ian Hughes, CEO of Consumer Intelligence, who speaks of the importance of maintaining humanity in the face of rampant technological change. What could be more pertinent, as we stare down the barrel of the oncoming age of automation? Additionally, this month’s feature looks at the increased threat of cyberattacks, and the villainous operators seeking to disrupt business through coordinated assaults on digital infrastructure. What can be done to battle these virtual hucksters? We dive into the deep web to fish out the facts. All that, plus the usual bountiful selection of news and analysis. Good luck with the year ahead – something tells me we’re all going to need it.

Sarah Watson sarah@itij.com

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 Marlon Stanley sales@itij.com Isabel Sturgess Kate Knowles Kane Rich

CONTENTS HIGHLIGHTS Finance:

News

p4 Insurance Matters

Unusual travel insurance claims SCTI spills the beans on a strange 2018

Examining climate risk

p16

Apocalypse nowish

Travel Matters

Crime soars in Barcelona

Elspeth Reid Alex Rogers Kirstin Reid

Design team:

Tommy Baker William McClelland

Webmaster:

p20

Tom Reed

Director of events:

Telephone:

Police force operating beyond capacity

editorial desk: advertising desk: subscriptions desk:

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

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Industry Voice

Health Matters

p24

Measles: 2017’s least welcome comeback

Tech won’t save us (on its own)

news@itij.com www.itij.com

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Go digital – but keep the humanity

extension 4

WHO releases damning report

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Company Brief

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INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL & HEALTH INSURANCE JOURNAL

ISSN 2055-1215

Pre-ex cover for Singaporeans New local travel insurance package

PEFC/16-33-447

NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Take care, mate decreases from the previous year). The top causes of death were illness (instances of which were up by 15 per cent), natural causes (down by seven per cent) and accidents (down by two per cent). “It was an area of concern that had shown up through insurance claims but also calls to consular officials in various destinations,” said Lisa Kable, a spokesperson for Understand Insurance. “These are population destinations that are reasonably priced and ones that often predispose themselves to some activities that aren’t commonly found at home in Australia.” Two-thirds of Australians who had been to South East Asia in the past two years

Unusual travel insurance claims were found to have engaged in some form of risky behaviour, while around 10 per cent took their trips without securing travel insurance coverage.

Two-thirds of Australians who had been to South East Asia in the past two years were found to have engaged in some form of risky behaviour “It’s about the unexpected,” warned Sylvester. “It’s not a horrible world out there, but it’s always best to be prepared. Having a good safety net by having travel insurance is the only way to look after yourself.” New Zealand-based Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) has released a list of the most bizarre claims that it has received over the course of 2018. Many of the claims involved animals in some form or another. For example, one customer in Asia who had to drive a bat out of their hotel room with a pillow claimed – successfully – for a rabies shot. Another had his glasses stolen by a monkey at a temple; the monkey subsequently ate them. “I had absolutely no idea monkeys could act like that,” said the man, who was reimbursed for his spectacles. “After 35 years of operation you might think we’ve heard it all, but we’re still surprised by some of the claims we receive each year,” said Chris White, Chief Executive of SCTI. “While the

vast majority of claims are for common illnesses or lost or damaged personal possessions, this list shows how travellers can end up in all sorts of unexpected situations. Although you can never fully predict what may happen overseas, we recommend Kiwi tourists research their destinations to better understand what they may come across in their travels.” Other claims in SCTI’s list include a customer whose rental car was severely damaged when they hit a deer while driving in Europe; a customer claiming for personal liability after they injured themselves in the Pacific, requiring a wheelchair, and then falling into a swimming pool, damaging the wheelchair beyond repair; and a woman whose mobile phone was broken when her baby threw it out of the window of a moving car.

NEWS

Editorial Cover-More’s year in claims in Australia has Blog Cover-More released data showcasing its most common travel insurance claims for 2018 – as well as a few of the weirder ones Another new year beckons, and what wonders will await us in 2019? Well, once you’ve read the News Analysis on page 10, about the goingson in Nepal, some of you may feel less disposed to wishing the traditional New Year’s greetings to some, at least in that part of the world ... On a happier note, and talking of New Year, which we’re not anymore, Southern Cross’s unusual claims on page 4 will brighten up the bleakest day (or further brighten up … depending on which hemisphere you’re in). And finally, just to bring us back down to earth again, particularly if you live in the UK or EU, there’s the wonders of the Brexit deal/no deal fiasco to look forward to and cheer you up … NOT. You do wonder ... Well, a happy and prosperous New Year to all! Mostly.

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

The fastest rising type of claim in 2018, according to Cover-More’s data, was being denied permission to board a flight, with claims for this issue rising by a staggering 350 per cent compared with last year. The number of claims related to missing a connecting flight doubled this year, while claims for stolen or damaged rental cars rose by 75 per cent, general travel delays rose by five per cent and illness claims rose by 19 per cent. The insurer also noted some new types of claims, including ‘cabin confinement’, whereby cruise passengers had to stay in their cabins after falling ill; missing ports while on a cruise trip was also a common new type of claim, while many customers also made claims to cover amendments to their holidays mid-trip. And now for the weird ones But, of course, what everybody always wants to know is the nature of the strangest claims – and Cover-More had some gems this year. These included an airline passenger whose luggage was delayed, but who only claimed for the cost of a razor, as they were travelling to a nudist camp and therefore did not have any clothes with them. A holidaymaker in New York, US, meanwhile, was attacked by a squirrel while trying to take a picture of the animal, resulting in a nasty bite that led to a medical

bill of US$3,000. Another had to cancel their trip because their puppy fell ill, resulting in a claim of $3,000 in cancellation costs. Finally, and perhaps most bizarrely, during a visit to the Malua Turtle Feeding Pool in Upolu, a woman was bitten by a turtle mid-feed and pulled into the water; her husband dived in to rescue her, and they ended up having to make claims for smartphones and sunglasses. “It has been a big year in travel and our

Watch out for Michaels and Sarahs! Have you ever wondered whether there is any connection between a person’s first name and how likely they are to make a travel insurance claim? No? Us neither, to be honest – but now that World Nomads has brought it up, we’re certainly intrigued. The insurer combed over its claims data for the past half a decade and discovered an intriguing anomaly – 10 per cent of all insurance claims came from people with the same names. These names were: Michael, Sarah, David, Matthew, Andrew, Daniel, Peter, Thomas, Jessica. “Are Michaels and Sarahs inherently more adventurous?” asked Phil Sylvester, a travel safety expert at World Nomads. “Who knows. [But] if you’re thinking of starting a family and want them to be safe when

trending claim figures show how important it is to have appropriate insurance cover in place when you’re travelling,” said Glenn Broadhurst, Cover-More’s Executive General Manager of Digital and Direct. “It’s better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to things like medical cover, missed connections and holiday cancellations, which can be extremely costly for travellers who aren’t adequately covered for these unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances.”

Award for Religare Health Insurance

they venture out into the world, you should consider giving them a different name.” As well as the aforementioned names, the other male names that are most commonly related to travel insurance claims, according to World Nomads’ data, were Christopher, James and Paul. The female names (apart from Sarah and Jessica) were Emma, Rebecca, Kate (or Katherine), Emily, Hannah, Elizabeth, Nicole (or Nicola) and Laura. At the other end of the spectrum, the names that were least likely to be attached to a claim were Yael, Kazia, Sylvie, Sunny, Saxon, Wilfried, Yolanda, Dakota, Zara and Tobi. One could argue that these names are comparatively less common than the others, but that might be treating the whole debate with more gravity than it deserves.

Religare Health Insurance, a provider of travel, health and other insurance packages based in India, has been bestowed the accolade of Best Travel Insurance at the recent India Travel Awards. This year’s India Travel Awards were the fifth to be held. The event, the first internet-based voting ceremony of its kind to be set up in India, is organised by Indian publication house and creative platform DDP Group in order to

recognise and celebrate the achievements of travel trade professionals across India, with support from the Ministry of Tourism, various regional trade bodies and the Indian Government’s new ‘Incredible India’ publicity initiative. More than 4,000 nominations were counted in 20 categories. Satyajeet Rajan, Director-General of the Ministry of Tourism, was this year’s guest of honour.

NEWS

Supporting customers with pre-existing conditions

Legal & General to sell insurance unit

The British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) and AllClear Travel Insurance, along with a number of medical charities in the UK, have announced the formation of a new ‘Action Group’ that will help to improves access to travel insurance for customers with preexisting medical conditions The Group, which was officially formed at a recent roundtable event hosted by AllClear, is developing a plan of action to help the travel insurance industry and the charity sector to improve awareness, understanding and accessibility for this demographic, while also working to improve signposting and make exclusions within travel insurance policies more transparent. BIBA said that every year it receives as many as 550,000 enquiries from people needing access to specialist insurance for their pre-existing conditions. Unfortunately, according to Chris Rolland, CEO of AllClear,

that charities want to help inform their beneficiaries and supporters and want this information to come from industry experts.” One of the medical charities present at the roundtable was Kidney Care UK. The charity’s Policy Director Fiona Loud commented: “Every week we hear from patients asking us about travel insurance and providers, worried about the costs and confused about how insurance works for people with kidney disease. Many patients simply don’t understand why their insurance quotes are so high and or what is covered. More worrying is that patients may be travelling without insurance. We’re delighted to be part of this Action Group and look forward to helping insurers understand the complexity of a condition like kidney disease and helping patients understand how they can get the best out of travel insurance.”

Many patients simply don’t understand why their insurance quotes are so high and or what is covered as many as one in five people travel without insurance: “Medical travel insurance claims can reach hundreds of thousands, or even millions of pounds. A night in a US hospital can easily cost £10,000 and it is vital these costs are understood and correctly weighed against the risk of travelling without cover. It was clear from our roundtable

Also present at the roundtable was medical risk assessment provider Verisk Risk Rating. Representatives from the company explained how risk assessment software can help insurers to get a clearer picture of the individual needs of a customer with pre-existing medical conditions, better tailoring coverage and reducing the risk to the insurer. “We have been analysing medical travel insurance risk since 1999, working with AllClear since day one, and have worked hard to obtain a level of detail that is required by insurers and is not unnecessarily arduous for the consumer,” said Paul Beven, Managing Director of Verisk Risk Rating. “The forum was very useful, and I welcome the further collaboration between ourselves and charities to support the best outcomes for travellers with medical conditions.”

UK-based financial services group Legal & General is reportedly hatching plans to sell its general insurance business unit. The unit encompasses multiple lines including travel, lifestyle, car, pet and home insurance, and according to Sky News, the likely sale price will sit at at least £300 million. The news network reports that Nigel Wilson, Group Chief Executive of Legal & General, has called in the services of Fenchurch Advisory Partners, and potential buyers have been informed that the transaction is on the cards. Further news will no doubt be forthcoming in the new year. Earlier in 2018, Legal & General announced a partnership with American insurtech firm Slice Labs, through which the companies will develop an on-demand homesharing insurance product. Additionally, Legal & General Affordable Homes Limited recently registered as an official provider of social housing in the UK.

Staysure named Best Travel Insurance Provider

The post-Brexit insurance landscape As the UK stumbles towards Brexit, some new developments have been forthcoming that will come as a relief to the insurance industry The US Treasury and US Trade Representative’s office announced in December the intention to sign a bilateral insurance agreement with Britain, which would promise regulatory certainty and continuity for the insurance market once Brexit occurs. This is scheduled to happen at the end of March, although various political developments in Britain have cast a measure of doubt on this. The US-UK Covered Agreement would, according to the US Treasury and USTR,

UK-based over-50s insurance and financial service specialist Staysure was recently named Best Travel Insurance Provider at the British Travel Awards 2018 for the third year running. Staysure was shortlisted against some of the UK’s most well-known insurance providers and praised for its continuous commitment to customer care and co-operation. The British Travel Awards is established as the consumers ‘symbol of excellence’. It is an independent organisation, verified by leading global business practitioners, Deloitte. “We are thrilled to be named the UK’s Best Travel Insurance Provider for a third time. As a leading provider of specialist travel insurance, we are constantly striving to maintain the

be similar in principle to an agreement that the US signed with the EU in 2017. The announcement marked the beginning of a 90-day notification period that US Congress requires before the agreement can be signed and implemented. “I am very pleased that we’ve been able to preserve the benefits of the EU-US covered agreement for UK firms in the US, the largest insurance market in the world, once the UK has left the EU,” commented Antony Phillipson, Britain’s Trade Commissioner for North America. It is hoped that the agreement will benefit the competitiveness of American insurers and reinsurers.

highest standards of products and customer care, and it’s great for this to be recognised by the prestigious British Travel Awards,” said Ryan Howsam, Staysure Chairman. Other award categories were: Best Holiday Companies by Holiday Type; Best Holiday Companies to Destinations; Best Travel Planning & Booking Companies; Best Cruise Lines & Airlines; Best Villa Accommodation & International Hotel Brands; Best Car Hire & Holiday Add-on Companies and Best UK/Domestic Holidays, Accommodation & Leisure Attractions. The presentation ceremony saw 130 awards presented to 98 companies along with 292 silver and bronze finalist accreditations for excellence in product offering and customer experience.

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INDUSTRY VOICE

Go digital – but keep the humanity The pace of change in the digital world is having a transformational effect on the global insurance industry, as new digital-only brands bite at the heels of traditional providers. Ian Hughes, CEO of Consumer Intelligence, looks at the importance of keeping a human connection amidst the rise of tech Digital-only brands are faster and leaner and do not have the system legacies to hold them back. In regions such as China and Africa, providers are now able to build fresh from the ground up and market to consumers who nearly all have smartphones. Customers worldwide are eager to engage with their insurers online – exclusive research by Consumer Intelligence for industry platform The Digital Insurer showed that among consumers in the UK, US, Hong Kong and South Africa, 81 per cent believe technology generally makes their lives easier. They are a receptive audience to digital change – around 62 per cent believe insurers use technology to improve customer service and nearly half (47 per cent) agree insurers are using technology to reduce the cost of insurance. But they are not entirely happy with the digital reality they see from their providers – 76 per cent said there was room for improvement in how insurers use technology to improve their digital experience, and the global study found insurers were rated a mediocre fourth from bottom in a list of 10 sectors. Insurers did beat high street banks and high street retailers, plus furniture and homeware companies,

Intelligence. The developments in China are literally mind-blowing. Anyone who talks about the US and Silicon Valley as being leading tech hubs is dead wrong, and one visit to Shenzhen will prove that. When you see what is happening in Asia it gives you some good clues about what is going to happen in the UK, Europe and the US. I absolutely think insurers need to learn about Chinese digital platforms such as the messaging, mobile payment and social media app WeChat. They also need to look at apps such as Singapore-based Grab or Indonesian GoJek and insurtech platforms such as ZhongAn. The only way to do this is through immersion. Providers cannot sit and read this article and then believe they have all the answers. old-fashioned and out of date and just 27 per cent believe insurers provide first-class online and digital services. Trust in the insurance market is at an all-time low and UK insurance customers seem to have a very cynical view when it comes to the digital experience. However, not all hope is lost – it’s nice to see

when consumers were asked to rank the quality of online and digital services. But they lagged behind supermarkets, airlines, music companies, phone firms, TV and entertainment groups and digital retailers. Insurance needs to change, and the digital transformation of the industry can only be achieved by listening to the tough messages that customers want to be heard.

The real challenge that insurers face is becoming part of the travel ecosystem so they can take on cover in slices and integrate with those who are supporting travel

The UK stands out for the wrong reasons The global ranking would have been better if it was not for the UK. Sadly, it was the stand-out worst performer, producing deeply worrying results massively out of kilter with the rest of the world. More than two out of five (42 per cent) UK consumers warned the industry is

that 69 per cent of UK customers would be willing to engage with their insurer via digital if a portal was made available, while 59 per cent say that they would be more likely to use digital if insurers provided an easy and straightforward experience. Around three-quarters of UK motor insurance customers have access to an online portal, while 63 per cent of home insurance customers are aware of an online portal. The message to companies is, however, clear: they need to raise their tech game. Part of the reason may be legacy issues, as in the UK it is necessary to build new digital systems on top of AS400 green screens. As I heard someone working in the digital arena say the other day: “If it’s on AS400, then by definition it is wrong.”

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Look east for digital lessons Legacy issues are not a worry in other parts of the world and China is firmly established as the region to watch, with its digital tech-first approach driven by a developing middle class. They have the advantage of a totally mobile customer base, along with huge volumes of data to help fuel Artificial

Keep the humanity Consumers nowadays demand instant access to everything, with ease and for free. But they also want to feel like a human, so it’s crucial that insurers don’t just go digital and dump the humanity in the process. If insurers are working in a global market, then they need to understand that one standard approach won’t work all over the world. They need to be conscious of the opportunities they have to take a different perspective and to use that perspective to travel to different countries and get their own view on the world. Insurance has a strong future, but it will change. The days of the large annual policy renewal are ending and customers in the future are more likely to want to take their risk in slices. The real challenge that insurers face is becoming part of the travel ecosystem so they can take on cover in slices and integrate with those who are supporting travel. This will answer the question ‘How can insurance go where the customers are? And how can it enrich the travel experience?’ The models we see in Asia around this space are indicative of a very different future. Digital transformation is an opportunity, but I am not going to give up my humanity to technology; I am going to enrich it with tech. ■

Ian Hughes

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NEWS ANALYSIS

Tackling insurance fraud in Nepal For several years, ITIJ has been reporting on the questionable practices surrounding helicopter evacuations in Nepal, tracking the efforts of the global insurance and assistance industry to bring change in the country. Danny Kaine recounts the issues faced and reports on the latest help offered by the Nepalese Government

ystematic fraud in Nepal is estimated to have cost insurers millions of dollars and has allegedly caused the deaths of a number of travellers. Traveller Assist, a medical assistance and cost containment company, believes it has uncovered a network of fraudulent activity that involves a number of trekking operators, helicopter companies and even hospitals. As part of these activities, travellers have become commodities and are traded as valuable assets. The fraudsters have preferred insurance brands that are known to pay invoices quickly and without question, and travellers holding those policies have therefore become valuable assets. In a typical scenario, a traveller might complain of a minor ailment while trekking in Nepal’s mountain region. The trekking guide would then send a message to a helicopter

charter company, and a commission would be agreed upon (based on their perceived value of the particular insurer covering the traveller). In turn, the helicopter charter company would message hospitals to negotiate a commission, with the highest bidder ‘winning’ the traveller. Insurers are then presented with inflated helicopter invoices and medical bills, and often left with no recourse, as the rescue and socalled treatment had already taken place. Trawling the evidence During the investigation, Traveller Assist was granted access to 1,000 invoices from prior claims that had happened over a two-year period in Nepal. We were able to cross-reference these claims with over 300 of our own cases from 2017-18, and this allowed us to build a comprehensive

intelligence picture that revealed, over and over, the same trekking operators, heli-charter companies and hospitals. These companies became the main focus of the investigation, and ultimately led to three sting operations in the country where crucial evidence against these operators was recorded and documented, and a 200-page report was handed over to the Ministry of Law and Justice in Nepal, and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. As this was happening, we simultaneously brokered an agreement between three insurance underwriters to give leverage with the Government of Nepal. The reason for this was that the Ministries refused to investigate the fraud claims, despite being presented with evidence of corruption. This resulted in a very public ultimatum to the Government that was broadcast on major

news channels, and published in over 30 newspapers and magazines around the world, in 13 languages. The ultimatum was that if action was not taken, insurers would stop issuing policies for travellers visiting Nepal, which would likely result in millions of

systematic fraud in Nepal is estimated to have cost insurers millions of dollars dollars in loss for the Nepalese government. Within 11 days of almost daily media interviews, a Ministry representative informed us that a taskforce was being formed to investigate the reports of fraud, and the

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NEWS ANALYSIS Ministry requested that we do not comment to the media further until their investigation was complete. We complied, and within 30 days the Ministry had announced charges against every company in the report that we had presented to them. In addition, five other companies that the task force had found to be complicit in fraud against insurers were charged. Trekking operators There are over 3,000 licensed trekking companies registered in Nepal, and for many travellers, the trekking guide is the first point of contact in the event of sickness or injury. During the investigation, it was found that some trekking guides were making up to US$30,000 in commissions paid to them by heli-charter companies. It was also found that some trekking companies were purposely making their travellers sick by feeding them unrefrigerated chicken or adding baking soda to food, causing diarrhoea and vomiting. Some trekking guides have also been known to make a call to an insurer, or send an email, to inform them of the ill or injured traveller, so that they can prove they informed the insurer, but then they will switch off their phone and blame poor signal connection so the insurer cannot call them back; all the while having another phone that they use to communicate with the helicopter company. In two documented cases, guides were found to have a signal jammer that would stop the travellers from using their phones and contacting their insurers. By the time the insurer has received the case notification, the traveller is often already in the air, on the way to a hospital. Guides have also been known to hold travellers for longer, until a helicopter is available from a commission-paying company. This has resulted in sick and injured travellers being forced to stay overnight on the mountain, and in one case, resulted in the death of a traveller who was not provided with timely treatment. From the investigation, it was also found that some trekking companies who charged less than $1,000 for a five-day trek were often the ones involved in fraudulent cases – they could afford to charge less for the trek because they knew they would make up the difference from the pending medical ‘rescues’. Unsuspecting travellers would set off on the trek of a lifetime, not knowing that they will never actually make it to their destination. It was also these companies who would willingly take travellers to higher altitudes within 24 hours of arriving in the country, not allowing the travellers to acclimatise to the altitude, often resulting in symptoms of acute mountain sickness (AMS). It’s advised that travellers should acclimatise for at least five days upon arrival in Kathmandu, before embarking on an altitude trek. Symptoms of AMS usually develop between six and 24 hours after reaching altitudes of more than 3,000 metres (9,842 feet) above sea level. These symptoms can disappear by descending to a lower altitude of at least 500 metres (1,600 feet). An experienced and reputable trekking operator will descend with a traveller at the first signs of AMS. The fraudulent operators will either keep pushing the traveller, or immediately call for a helicopter. Helicopter companies It’s important to note that while there are over 20 helicopter companies registered in Nepal, only 10 actually own helicopters. The rest are heli-charter companies.

This is the key to fully understanding the extent of the fraud that happens, and how it happens. For us to better understand it, we focused on the owners of each company, which led us to the promoters. In every single case of fraud that we found, we narrowed it down to five helicopter charter companies. These companies act as umbrella organisations (promotors), and represent hundreds of trekking companies, and are typically aligned with one helicopter company and one hospital. This facilitates the flow of commissions between the organisations. While there are five charter companies, two of them represent the same helicopter company and same hospital, and another two promote a different helicopter company and a different hospital. The fifth one is smaller, and represents less than 100 trekking operators, and promotes a smaller helicopter company and smaller hospital. What we then found is that owners, or investors, of these three hospitals also own shares in, or have invested in, the same helicopter companies, same hospitals, and have also invested collectively in over 2,000 trekking companies. When all of the layers are peeled away, a majority of the money defrauded from insurers is being funnelled to a handful of business people, and in one case, a medical doctor. Other questionable practices by heli-charter companies have included multiple travellers being loaded onto a helicopter, and then multiple claims being made for that one helicopter. In one particular case, seven claims of over $5,000 were made for one heli rescue, totalling almost $40,000, for a flight that should have cost less than $4,000. Hospitals Dishonest schemes involving travellers in Nepal don’t always involve a helicopter, but they almost always involve a hospital and, from the results of our investigation, it’s typically one of three hospitals who pay these commissions. In some cases up to $1,000, and not always to helicopter companies. Taxi drivers, hotel operators, and bar owners have also reported being paid commissions by hospitals to direct travellers to their facilities. A common tactic used by at least two hospitals is to exaggerate medical symptoms, in some cases even convincing the traveller that they are sicker than they are. The

difficulty with AMS is that when a traveller descends to a safer altitude, they start to recover very quickly, which makes it very difficult to prove that a related heli-rescue was unnecessary or that treatment was excessive.

for many travellers, the trekking guide is the first point of contact in the event of sickness or injury Hospitals have also been known to hold travellers’ passports until the bill has been paid in full, causing the traveller to panic, and at times blame the insurer. We have also seen the traveller being held in the hospital for three days until their daily card payment limits are reached to pay the outstanding medical bill. During our investigation, information also came to light that doctors at one private hospital were conducting surgical procedures on travellers that they are not qualified for, and this has resulted in at least two deaths, including one very recently that is currently under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Division of the Nepal Police.

Danny Kaine is the Head of Assistance for Traveller Assist, a medical assistance and cost containment company specialising in Latin America, Nepal and parts of Africa. He is an ex-soldier and adventurer, with 20 years of experience in complex regions.

Travellers Some travellers have also been involved themselves in dubious practices in Nepal, being offered up to $750 to take a helicopter from the mountain back to Kathmandu, and then promised that after one night in a hospital, they will be transferred to a luxury hotel for a couple of nights until their flight home. For some travellers who have spent their savings travelling to Nepal and trekking to Everest base camp, the offer of being paid to take a helicopter back is far too tempting an offer. Travellers are also being asked to lie and exaggerate their symptoms when speaking to their insurer. In some cases, being told exactly what to say by the trekking guide,

and even by the hospital. The traveller becomes scared that their insurance won’t cover the costs and so, in some cases, they say exactly what they are told to. Conclusion Statistics released by the department of tourism in Nepal estimate that 20-per-cent more travellers arrived in the country this season (September to November) than last season, yet there have been 60-per-cent fewer helicopter rescues in the country during that time. At the time of writing, heli-rescue flights logged with the tower in Lukla are at just over 1,400, with 70 per cent of those being from one helicopter company. That same helicopter company is promoted by two of the largest heli-charter companies in Nepal, both of which have been charged with fraud, yet they are still operating. While unnecessary heli-rescues have fallen significantly, this is not to say that fraud has stopped in the country. This season, our company has provided medical assistance for 123 cases in Nepal, 94 of which involved a helicopter; and in only six of those cases, we received extremely inflated invoices that we were able to negotiate down to reasonable amounts. From 14 January 2019, Traveller Assist in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism will staff a kiosk at Kathmandu Airport to educate arriving travellers on how to avoid sickness and injury typical in those visiting the country, and what to do in case of emergency. Additionally, travellers will be able to rent local mobile phones and a text-enabled GPS that has an SOS button monitored by Traveller Assist’s local team. The aim of this proactive approach is to make Nepal safer for travellers and reduce insurance fraud. The bottom line for insurers and assistance providers is to understand that by continuing to use ground agents, charter companies and hospitals in Nepal that have already been charged and named by the Government for fraud, and by accepting and paying over-inflated invoices, this is perpetuating the problem, making fraud more difficult to tackle for everyone. ■

COMPANY BRIEF

BIBA renews holiday travel scheme

The British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) has announced the renewal of its holiday travel scheme with Lloyd’s Syndicate DTW1991. As well as extending the partnership between BIBA and Syndicate DTW1991, the product – Holiday Travel+ – has been enhanced; it will now include coverage for pre-existing mental health conditions (subject to thorough medical screening), along with missed departure for any leg of a journey. Brokers utilise the syndicate’s online platform – which can be embedded into individual websites if necessary – to product quotes, bind policies, process endorsements and manage renewals. “The team at DTW1991 has worked closely with us to respond to the changing demands of holiday travel insurance customers and we

Allianz to deliver Affinity products Allianz Partners UK has announced a new partnership with insurer Affinity Insurance Solutions that will see it deliver a range of Affinity’s travel products. It allows smaller travel businesses to now be able to offer these products to their customers. The partnership will see Allianz Partners UK provide the underwriting and claims handling side of the policies to Affinity’s trade customers. Allianz said that Affinity will benefit from its global reputation, allowing an enhanced level of customer experience on a wider scale. “Affinity Insurance Services is a great addition to our travel portfolio, as the strategic distribution channel that we have developed between us allows us to reach clients in the industry that may have been unable to offer an insurance solution,” Barry Smith, Travel Insurance Underwriting

welcome the new ‘all risks’ cancelation cover,” said Steve White, Chief Executive of BIBA. “Our members find this flagship scheme easy to sell and their customers will find the cover to be extensive. They have the benefit of direct access to specialist underwriters, so we’re delighted to have appointed DTW1991 as the BIBA holiday travel scheme provider for a further three years.” Daniel Wright, Active Underwriter at Syndicate DTW1991, commented: “BIBA’s endorsement is important to our business and key in developing our travel expertise. The renewal has provided us with the opportunity to review our offering in detail and discuss feedback from our BIBA partners. Through this process we have enhanced our underwriting and claims response for the benefit of the customer.”

Manager for Allianz Partners UK said. “Not only does Affinity Insurance Services have a wealth of experience across the insurance landscape to be able to offer expert advice, it has allowed us to expand our footprint within the travel trade sector.” “We believe that Allianz Partners UK is a great fit for our business due to its wellestablished roots in the travel insurance sector,” said Nikki Sparkes at Affinity Insurance Services. “Not only can the partnership provide quality products for cover on a UK and European basis, but Allianz Partners UK has the capability to deliver global offerings for any clients that require these products. This collaboration allows us to continue to build on the strength of our relationship with clients across the travel sectors, working together to bring added value to our customers.”

Chubb and GWS in e-learning partnership

MEDFLIGHT

GWS Production AB (GWS) has announced that it has signed an agreement with insurer Chubb to develop a travel risk e-learning solution for users of Chubb’s Travel Smart mobile app and online security portal. The solution, which will consist of 12 modules, will be integrated into the app. The two companies signed a global co-operation agreement in 2017, which included the development of a travel safety solution. The new e-learning provision will be interactive, making use of video and gamification techniques to improve the overall learning experience; users with a trip to a high-risk destination scheduled will be reminded to take the course before they travel, and those with responsibility for travelling employees will be able to monitor which employees

have completed which modules. The solution has also been designed for flexibility, so that should a new threat arise, a new module can be added. Customers will be able to learn in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian or French. “We are very excited about the Chubb Travel Smart eLearning solution, which will provide our clients with the knowledge and skills to improve situational awareness, proactively identify threats to avoid danger and stay safe while travelling,” commented Natasha Reoutt, Vice-President, accident and health multinational business at Chubb. “This eLearning will help our clients to demonstrate their commitment toward their Duty of Care and manage their financial and reputational risks by preparing their employees for international travel.”

COMPANY BRIEF

Pre-ex cover for Singaporeans

IMG teams up with WorldAware

Etiqa Insurance Singapore has launched Tiq Travel Insurance, a new travel cover package for Singaporeans, which includes coverage for preexisting medical conditions as well as various optional add-ons. The inclusion of pre-existing condition coverage makes Tiq Travel Insurance stand out from other locally provided plans, claims Etiqa, which tend not to include such benefits. There are three levels of protection available, and travellers can also customise their individual plans with additional coverages such as pet hotel and child education. Overseas medical and holiday expenses, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation cover are all included. “While awareness of travel insurance is generally higher than other life insurance products, many are unaware that most insurance companies do not cover expenses or losses that are incurred as a result of existing medical conditions during one’s travel, and these costs can be substantial,” said Sue Chi Kong, CEO of Etiqa Insurance Pte. Ltd. “With increasing cases of invisible diseases among young people, the ageing population in Singapore, and the high cost of overseas medical treatment, there is a need for greater awareness

International Medical Group (IMG), a group of companies providing international medical insurance services, has announced that it has entered into a new ongoing partnership with global risk management firm WorldAware. IMG will henceforth include security and travel intelligence services from WorldAware within its products and service offerings. Retail customers will have access to detailed resources such as destination reports, natural disaster alerts, information about potential political upheaval, and other security-related issues that could have an impact on their trip. All of IMG’s IPMI plans started to include

and more relevant protection plans for Singaporeans who love to travel.” The add-ons were developed based on a study that Etiqa recently undertook into the habits and desires of consumers, a welcome example of an insurer tailoring coverage based on what customers actually want, rather than what they are perceived to want. Rental car excess cover and sports equipment protection are among the add-ons from which customers can choose. Insurance can also be purchased for individuals, married couples, groups of up to 10 and families. Automated flight delay claims with instant pay-outs are also available in the event that a flight is held up.

New cover for Kiwis

GoCompare enhances fraud protection UK-based comparison and switching website GoCompare has announced a new partnership with Featurespace, a provider of adaptive behavioural analytics for fraud detection and risk management. Featurespace will help GoCompare to strengthen its front-end fraud prevention and detection capabilities. GoCompare will become the first comparison website in the UK to utilise Featurespace’s ARIC Fraud Hub. The hub uses realtime machine learning, developed by technicians at Cambridge University, to identify anomalies and block fraud attempts, differentiating bad actors from genuine consumers. The partnership is an element of GoCompare’s ongoing efforts to battle quote manipulation, ghost broking, fraudulent applications and other underhand activity. Insurers will benefit from the suite of fraud prevention and detection tools contained

Travel insurance provider Cover-More has launched Cancel-For-Any-Reason (CFAR) cover, making it available to New Zealand travellers for the first time. It is part of Cover-More’s new product YourCover, which includes benefits such as cover for heli and off-piste skiing, mopeds and motorcycles with greater than 200cc engine capacity, and many more benefits. “We are thrilled to be launching our CFAR cover to Kiwi travellers, the first cover of its kind in New Zealand. Our CFAR cover enables our customers to cancel their travel plans for any reason at all. I’m sure CFAR will bring peace of mind to the many New Zealanders planning their 2019 holidays,” said Cover-More New Zealand

this service as of 2 January this year. Additionally, IMG’s institutional clients will now have access to integrated risk management services from WorldAware as part of its pre-existing assistance service offerings. “This addition further expands our continuum of services as a provider of global insurance benefits and assistance services,” commented Steve Paraboschi, Executive Vice-President of IMG. “By offering our retail customers and institutional clients security assistance services, we are able to globally minimise their risks by protecting and serving them while they are away from home.”

CEO Bruce Morrison. “We are launching YourCover in response to Kiwi travellers seeking travel insurance they can tailor to their individual needs and travel plans. YourCover offers travellers comprehensive travel insurance and emergency assistance, as well as optional benefits depending on where they are travelling to and what they will be doing. An adventure skier heading to the US ski fields might take out our cover for heli and off-piste skiing, while someone flying to Fiji might add our CFAR cover so they have complete freedom to cancel their trip if their plans change – for example due to the Zika virus, a relationship breakup or any other reason not normally covered by travel insurance.”

within the Fraud Hub, as it will relieve the burden on their own fraud teams. “We recognise that comparison websites act as the gatekeepers of data for many insurers and that we have an important role to play in the prevention of front-end fraud,” said Fleur Lewis, GoCompare’s Head of Fraud. “Any online platform is a potentially inviting place to attempt fraud, and we believe we can support the industry in identifying this sort of behaviour by introducing detection and prevention measures at point-of-quote. These capabilities enable insurers to assess the risk in real-time and either decline the business or price accurately to ensure all parties are suitably protected. Our ambition is to provide insurers with only quality, genuine customers, thereby reducing their operational/legal costs and losses, so that they can continue to provide our users with excellent cover that represents value for money.”

COMPANY BRIEF

New insurance programme for US skiers

World Nomads sets up in Cork

Starr Insurance Companies, a global insurance and financial services organisation that provides risk management solutions, is partnering with Safe Descents Inc., which brings ski evacuation and transportation insurance to American skiers, on an insurance programme for rescue and evacuation for skiers and snowboarders in the US. The policy, which is underwritten by Starr Indemnity & Liability Co. and sold through Safe Descents, provides coverage for transportation costs associated with accidental injuries sustained while skiing, snowboarding, riding a lift or participating in a ski or snowboard school within a resort. It is available to residents in 45 states and the District of Columbia. Benefits included in the insurance are: Field Rescue, Emergency Medical Evacuation, Medical Repatriation and Companion Travel, and coverage is available to travellers who purchase a daily or season pass. “Starr and Safe Descents share a mission to enhance the skiing experience by mitigating the significant cost of accidents on the mountain,” commented Lenny Bellafiore, Head of Domestic Accident and Health, Starr Insurance Companies. “Skiers and boarders don’t usually think they’ll get hurt on the slopes. But accidents happen, and the costs can be significant. Some costs, such as evacuation may not be covered by traditional health insurance. We’re excited to offer skiers this new, low-cost insurance

Australian travel insurer World Nomads Group has formally launched its European headquarters in Cork, Ireland. The new base was officially opened in November, and World Nomads has already expressed its intention to quadruple the number of staff that it employs there, from around 20 to more than 80, over the next year and a half. Part of the Nib Group, World Nomads’ new Irish arm is regulated by Ireland’s Central Bank and has European passporting rights. “The managing general agency will see our business not only distribute and sell travel insurance in Europe,” said Bernard O’Sullivan, World Nomads’ General Manager for Europe, “but also provide all claims and insurance services to our travellers. We are currently migrating our European travel insurance arrangements from the UK and continental Europe to our Cork

ITIC SCHEDULE 2019

office. We estimate this will involve the transfer of more than 100,000 policies.” Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said that promoting the attractiveness of Cork for companies looking to set up shop in Europe ‘is very important for the Irish economy, particularly within the context of Brexit’. IDA Ireland’s Chief Executive Martin Shanahan agreed, saying that the rapid establishment and launch of World Nomads’ Cork base showed that companies can shift their operations very quickly, posing minimal risk of disruption as the UK’s exit from the European Union looms. “Ireland has the right mix of regulation, skills, experience and office space to make us an obvious choice for financial services to locate,” said Shanahan, “and further demonstrates our importance as a gateway to the European Single Market.”

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coverage designed just for them.” Mason Weems, President of Safe Descents, said: “We are excited to partner with Starr and bring this valuable coverage to ski and snowboard enthusiasts. This programme provides insurance protection to families against costly, unforeseen expenses, like emergency medical transportation and evacuation.”

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Terrorism offering from Chubb

Global insurer Chubb has launched a new terrorism-related protection product for multinational companies and large middle market businesses. The new offering, Terrorism Risk Evaluation Services, combines the company’s expertise in terrorism and political violence underwriting, risk engineering, global security, catastrophe modelling and digital innovation, and was developed based on feedback from corporate clients who sought to improve their understanding of terrorism and political violence-related risk exposure for their operations centres around the world, and evaluate their safeguards accordingly. When a client makes use of the new service, a risk engineer from Chubb will make a detailed assessment of the company’s key locations, analysing the level of risk exposure and the current security setup and providing a location-specific score for local perils, as well as identifying potential

targets for terror attacks in the area. A bespoke report is then provided to the client, including recommendations for improvement where necessary. The package also includes the company’s enhanced bespoke global catastrophe modelling and data analytics service, which has been designed to aid clients when navigating the current risk landscape. “The threat of terrorism and political violence around the world is an issue which companies need to consider both for the safety of their employees and customers and, also, to ensure business continuity wherever possible,” said Piers Gregory, Head of Terrorism and Political Violence at Chubb. “[Our] multinational customers use facilities in many different countries and the expert insights and analysis provided by our new Terrorism Risk Evaluation Services can help provide them with an accurate assessment of the risk exposures of their buildings and other premises, wherever they might be.”

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COMPANY BRIEF

CoverWallet launches agent platform

Insurtech company CoverWallet, which claims to seek to ‘reinvent insurance for small business’ through the provision of a concierge-like service that helps businesses navigate the complexities of commercial insurance, has announced that it will now offer its platform to insurance agencies. CEO Inaki Berenguer said that 16 agencies are already making use of the platform and that a further 100 are on the waiting list. CoverWallet’s platform enables those seeking insurance to easily understand, buy and manage small business policies at varying levels of complexity, and ‘CoverWallet for Agents’ has been developed in response to requests from agents to have the same access to a wide range of quotes – and the ability to bind policies in ‘real time’. “In the US, there are 40,000 agencies, and half a million agents that unfortunately don’t have access to the same tools that we have,” said Berenguer. “And they don’t have

Aon offers new business cover Risk, retirement and health solutions provider Aon has announced the launch of its new Non-Damage Business Interruption (NDBI) cover product. The product will protect companies against business interruption costs from events where there is no physical damage. Aon says that the product is designed to cover revenue streams as events like terrorist action, cyber-attacks and unseasonal weather become more of a threat to businesses. “Given that more and more businesses comprise either few, or a low concentration of physical assets, there is a need for

an insurance product that places less emphasis on the physical damage component of a loss,” said Kurt Cripps, Head of Aon’s innovation and solutions team. “This new NDBI cover protects these types of companies against the events that can have the biggest impact on their revenue streams.” The NDBI cover product will be structured by Cripps Innovation & Solutions and will be supported by advanced data and analytics and actuarial analysis. Aon says this allows for the development of customised policies for individual clients.

the resources to invest in technology. We give you a login and password, and then every time that you talk to a customer, you can use our platform to sell faster, simpler, quicker. They can get multiple quotes from one quick application, buy coverage online, full end-to-end experience, no cost for them, access to top carriers … very simple.” When an agent sells a policy, CoverWallet keeps what it describes as a small and ‘competitive’ part of the commission amount; the agent keeps the majority. “Everything in the insurance industry is full of PDFs, [and] real paper documents going back and forth via email,” added Berenguer. “It takes time to download, to upload it to another place, key in the information. [With us] that is all done digitally. We use software and machine learning to replace what humans do, and then we [position] humans to only provide advice instead of doing things that don’t add value.”

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INSURANCE MATTERS

Examining climate risk The reluctance of many in positions of power to recognise the existential threat of climate change and take adequate steps to fight it has been a source of frustration for scientists, campaigners and ordinary citizens alike. But it is at least a little heartening that many in the business community have noted the risks posed by this apocalyptic phenomenon and are pushing for action The latest firm to do so is global law firm Clyde & Co, which yesterday published a new report exploring the risks – specifically in the areas of legal, commercial and liability – that man-made climate breakdown creates for businesses and boards. The report, Climate change: a burning issue for businesses and boardrooms, the first of three to be launched over the next few months, looks at the drivers behind the heightened risk environment and asks how companies are vulnerable – even if they are operating in sectors that might not initially seem the most likely to be affected by climate change – and how they can step up to defend themselves. The three areas covered in the report are physical risks – i.e. physical damage to property, assets or supply chains caused by climate change-related events – transition risks – i.e. those arising as the world inexorably shifts to a low-carbon economy – and liability risks – i.e. those faced by

those businesses that stand accused of contributing towards climate change, or at least failing to minimise the potential damage caused by the first two risk groups. “Climate change is one of the defining issues of our time, with its effects becoming

Insurers are no strangers to climate change issues and have long played a key role in raising awareness of the physical risks that it poses more apparent by the day,” said Nigel Brook, Partner at Clyde & Co. “Boards have a responsibility to shareholders and other stakeholders to understand, measure, mitigate and report on the risks that climate change brings, which makes it a critical boardroom issue, not only to the corporations themselves, but to their directors, who are at risk of being held to account.” The report also looks at new trends in climate change litigation – for example, liability claims brought against oil companies by activists, and even cities and states – and how insurers have already been impacted by climate change and will continue to be so in ever more extreme ways. Additionally, Clyde & Co emphasises the key role that the insurance industry can play in mitigating the impacts of climate change and helping to build resilience. “Insurers are no strangers to climate change issues and have long played a key role in

raising awareness of the physical risks that it poses,” said James Cooper, Chair of Clyde & Co’s Insurance Global Practice. “They have also advanced their thinking on the impact that the transition to a low carbon economy will have on their balance sheets. But there are still significant opportunities for insurers to help businesses, communities and individuals build resilience to climate change through traditional and novel insurance models.” Kiwi concerns The release of the report comes hot on the heels of a publication from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, advising that insurers in New Zealand need to incorporate climate risk into their decision-making process – advice that can no doubt be applied to the

wider insurance industry across the world. While some insurers in New Zealand have begun to adjust their pricing and products to reflect the increased risks driven by climate breakdown, this could possibly render some existing properties uninsurable, creating a major challenge for property owners and lenders, even as it supports the ongoing stability and efficiency of the insurance sector. The bank’s report makes it clear that in order to maintain a tenable situation going forward, processes need to be calibrated with a view to long-term risk trends; and as climate change – and its attendant effects – is the biggest challenge facing the human race in both the short and long term, it is time for ‘backwardslooking’ models of valuation to be updated. The bank has said that it will engage directly and in detail with insurers and other banks to understand how they are currently planning to tackle climate risk, and how to improve their efforts if they seem to be lacking. In the report, the bank says that financial sector participants, government and the Reserve Bank itself will need to work closely together to make sure that New Zealand’s financial system remains sound and efficient going forward. And while it is impossible to predict climactic developments with 100-per-cent accuracy, a coherent national strategy is nevertheless essential. The Reserve Bank is currently developing its own strategy to deal with climate change risk, with a focus on how to incorporate these risks appropriately into the bank’s mandate.

Brussels woos UK insurers The Brussels Capital Region has launched a major campaign to attract UK insurance and financial sector businesses to Belgium as a firefighting measure against the threat of Brexit Barring a dramatic development – which is very much within the realms of possibility – the UK is set to leave the European Union (EU) in March, and many businesses could potentially be looking at the option of setting up EU hubs. Lloyd’s of London, for example, recently opened its new base of operations in Brussels, and the city’s Capital Region hopes that it can attract more entities of this stature. The initiative, which is backed by the regional government of Brussels, as well as regional trade associations and industry bodies, promises to help businesses ‘secure the future’ of their operations on the continent. Additionally, the city promises a burgeoning fintech ecosystem, including several specialist incubators that have been set up to promote innovation and nurture startups. “Despite the UK and EU establishing, in principle, a Withdrawal Agreement, there will still be plenty of room for uncertainty until the end of the transition period,” commented Cécile Jodogne, Secretary of State for Foreign Trade at the Region of Brussels. “Businesses operating in both the UK and the EU need to prepare now for any eventuality, and as a priority ensure that they can continue to operate seamlessly across the UK and EU. The only way to guarantee this is to establish a base of operations within the EU and, as the Brexit deadline bears down upon us, businesses need to make a decision now on where to place these operations.”

The Brussels Capital Region is hosting a number of events at Belgium’s London embassy over the next few months to promote the attractiveness of the region to UK business heads. The first, on 4 December, was aimed at the insurance and financial sectors. “The relationship that the UK establishes with the EU will dominate the landscape for many businesses over the coming years, especially those in the insurance sector and wider financial services industry,” Jodogne

Despite the UK and EU establishing, in principle, a Withdrawal Agreement, there will still be plenty of room for uncertainty until the end of the transition period went on to say. “We are seeing an increasing number of businesses investigating different cities in which to base their European operations. With a well-educated local workforce and very attractive conditions for foreign nationals moving to our region, as well as competitive house prices, a good education system and a cosmopolitan city centre, Brussels represents a fantastic option for both work and family life. Just two hours from London on the Eurostar, and well-connected to Europe and the rest of the world, Brussels is a prime location for British and any other businesses looking to maintain and grow their presence on the European and global stage.”

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INSURANCE MATTERS

Are insurers ‘being difficult’? New research from Mactavish, a UK-based analysis firm specialising in commercial insurance governance and disputes, suggests that there is – at the very least – a perception that uncooperative behaviour on the part of insurers is a main reason that commercial insurance claims are either not settled in full or rejected entirely. The research, which took in responses from senior UK executives and managers who have worked for organisations that have encountered difficulties when submitting major insurance claims, found that 50 per cent of this group said that insurers ‘being difficult’ was the main obstacle. Thirty-two per cent, meanwhile, blamed misleading or unclear wording in insurance policies, while 25 per cent said that the biggest obstacle was the company failing to disclose essential facts about its risks. Twenty-two per cent blamed inadequate cover, and 18 per cent said that the problem was the company breaching requirements that were specified within the wording of the policies. Mactavish’s research found that nearly 45 per cent of large, complex commercial claims are currently disputed by insurers, resulting in an average delay of three years and average payouts of only 60 per cent of what was originally claimed. Additionally, over the past year, the firm has seen an increase of between 20 and 25 per cent in enquiries for organisations seeking

HKFI launches anti-fraud AI database The Hong Kong Federation of Insurers (HKFI) has announced the launch of a new antifraud database driven by artificial intelligence (AI). The Insurance Fraud Prevention Claims Database (IFPCD), which launched on 1 December, utilises cutting-edge AI technology to detect different types of insurance fraud, with a particular focus on those involving multiple claims submissions and syndicates. The AI technology that underpins the new platform has been developed by Shift Technology, a Paris-based company. In order to ensure that the rollout is compliant with the public interest, an independent steering committee has been set up; the development will be phased, with phase 1 covering motor, medical and personal accident

help in reviewing key policy wording in order to ensure that they are protected should they suffer a loss, and an increase of almost 50 per cent in enquires from organisations that are already weathering a dispute with their insurers over payment. “If an organisation suffers a serious loss and the insurance claim is not settled promptly, the impact on jobs, investment and even business survival can be huge. Unfortunately, in many cases organisations and their Board of Directors do not pay enough attention to this area and are leaving themselves exposed and could potentially be sued by investors and other stakeholders if an insurance claim is rejected because of this.”

Allianz to set up shop in China

Insurers should engage with sole traders According to analysis firm GlobalData, insurers in the UK’s small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) market are being held back by a failure to engage properly with sole traders. In a new report, GlobalData notes that while the market registered growth of 3.6 per cent in 2017, it has generally remained flat in recent years, and insurance penetration rates are declining. There is therefore a high level of competition within the market, and insurers will only be able to differentiate themselves successfully if they more effectively engage with smaller micro businesses, particularly those operating as sole traders. Ben Carey-Evans, Insurance Analyst at GlobalData, described the trend as ‘worrying’: “The majority of new business fall into this [micro] size category. If insurers want to expand their portfolios, they have to target this group successfully with cheap and easy-to-understand policies.” In 2018, according to GlobalData’s research, insurance penetration rates among sole

The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) has given Allianz official approval for the preparatory establishment of an insurance holding company. This would represent the first 100-per-cent foreign-owned insurance holding company to set up shop in China. Based in Shanghai, Allianz (China) Insurance Holding Company Ltd is planned to be a cornerstone of Allianz’s expansion strategy for China, a region to which it plans to commit heavily in the long term. As one of the top global insurance markets, China has recently made various moves to open itself up to investment from foreign businesses, so this move is significant both for Allianz and for China itself.

insurance, while phases 2 and 3 will expand the platform to include life and travel insurance. The database is part of the HKFI’s Vision 2028 initiative, and a key plank of its current five-year plan. “By nature, fraud is not easy to detect,” commented Harry Wong, Chairman of the HKFI Provisional Executive Committee on IFPCD. “In respect of indemnity insurance, experience in other markets overseas shows that for every $100 paid out in claims, about $10 to $15 would involve certain elements of fraud. Hong Kong is lagging far behind many other insurance markets in terms of fraud detection and prevention. We need to move ahead quickly to catch up. Hence this IFPCD to protect the interest of honest policyholders.”

“Allianz is proud to be the first foreign insurer to commence the establishment of a holding company in China, a significant milestone for us to expand our presence in this strategic market,” said Oliver Bate, Group Chairman and CEO of Allianz. “This announcement also follows the positive long-term co-operation between China and Germany, allowing our Chinese and international clients to be able to enjoy Allianz’s comprehensive financial and risk management solutions and services, and benefit from the continued growth and liberalisation of China’s financial markets.” Allianz plans to establish the holding company next year, with regulatory authorities guiding the process.

traders saw a double-digit percentage point decline – considering the fact that 2017 saw the number of micro businesses in the UK rise by 200,000 and the number of sole traders grow by 155,500, this is a considerable niche. However, these sorts of businesses will most likely be less well informed about the types of insurance coverage from which they would benefit, making it incumbent upon insurers to seek out and educate them. “As many of these sole traders will be entering into new territory, the information they receive is crucial,” said Carey-Evans. “They will receive advice on business bank accounts and tax, for example, but fewer resources are available for insurance. Most sole traders will have transferrable experience in lines such as property and commercial motor from personal lines, so it is the liabilities whose importance that insurers really need to emphasise. They need to explain to sole traders it isn’t just a grudge payment, but something that can save their business a great deal of money.”

INSURANCE MATTERS

Insurtech fundraising at an all-time high As of October 2018, global fundraising for insurtech startups had already surpassed the volume reached over the entirety of 2017, according to advisory firm Hampleton Partners’ latest Insurtech M&A Market Report The report found that as of October 2018, 204 deals had been closed, compared with 202 transactions clsed over 2017 and 174 closed over 2016. Total transaction values hit $2.2 billion in 2017, and $1.7 billion in 2016. According to Hampleton Partners, there have been 151 acquisitions in the insurtech sector since 2016, with 22 of these buyers making more than one acquisition. Eightyseven per cent of transactions have been driven by strategic buyers, with private equity making up the remaining 13 per cent. “There is an army of insurtech startups which are challenging legacy players and the market has adopted a survival of the fittest environment,” commented Miro Parizek, Founder of Hampleton Partners. “Since organic growth and investing in research and development is a longterm game, mergers and acquisitions have been the natural solution to the incumbents’ problem of accelerating technological transformation and evolving their traditional business models.” Indeed, insurers seem to be becoming ever more tech savvy, recognising the

potential of innovative startups making use of artificial intelligence, blockchain, machine learning and the like, and absorbing them into their more traditional models in order to drive down costs and improve offerings for customers. Additionally, tech innovations are enabling the development of all-new business models, from microinsurance to peer-to-peer. “Insurance is having to evolve quickly,” Parizek added, “with new business models and a greater focus on innovation. Insurtechs have become a natural threat to incumbents, but also potentially valuable partners in this changing landscape.

It’s a sector that’s growing rapidly and stands to capture a meaningful share of the value pools within a few years.”

There is an army of insurtech startups which are challenging legacy players and the market has adopted a survival of the fittest environment The speed and agility with which incumbents adapt, he concluded, will determine how big a share of the pie they can lay claim to as the industry inexorably evolves.

MAPFRE unveils startup accelerator Insurer MAPFRE has officially unveiled its new insurtech startup accelerator, insur_space. Based in Madrid, Spain, insur_ space has been developed with the intention of masterminding innovative new tech-based insurance solutions for all different client types, which will then be incorporated into MAPFRE’s existing business. Part of MAPFRE Open Innovation, the insurer’s innovation platform that launched early last year, the objective, according to Chairman and CEO Antonio Huertas, is ‘to become a global benchmark in innovation in insurtech and to progress towards the new business models and solutions emerging from the digital and technological changes we are witnessing’. MAPFRE has said that it will allocate over €100 million annually to develop new solutions – on top of the more than

Cover Genius partners with GoBoony Insurtech firm Cover Genius, a provider of a distribution platform that enables eCommerce companies to sell insurance, has been selected by peer-to-peer campervan sharing business GoBoony as its global insurance partner. Customers renting a motorhome or campervan via GoBoony will now have the option to add insurance to their transaction. This will reduce the security deposit required when booking; customers will be encouraged as much as possible to opt to add the insurance option, which will be powered by Cover Genius’ XCover insurance distribution platform. “For a peer-to-peer sharing business like ours, insurance is critical to delivering customer satisfaction,” said Mark de Vos, CEO and co-Founder of GoBoony. “People love the experiences that our platform inspires, but accidents can happen, so being able to offer our ‘Carefree’ insurance add-on delivers better peace of mind for owners and renters. Thanks to our new Cover Genius-powered insurance offering, everyone gets a much better deal. As any business owner knows, happier customers mean more business.”

Generali invests in tech

€600 million that it is already investing in technology. This level of investment, the company hopes, will position it well to tackle new challenges head-on, as well as improving its overall proposition for clients. The new accelerator, which is already working with 19 startups, takes a two-pronged approached to startup development – one programme helps new entrepreneurs to get their fledgling business off the ground, while the other helps startups whose proposal is already mature to consolidate their business and move to the next level. This new initiative, coupled with MAPFRE’s recent announcement that it had become an anchor investor in the Alma Mundi Insurtech Fund, shows that the Spanish insurer is deadly serious about staking out a major position in the insurtech space.

As a cornerstone of its strategic plan from now up until 2021, Generali intends to invest around €1 billion in strategic internal initiatives for technological innovation and digital transformation. As part of this series of strategic manoeuvres, Generali will launch a Europe-wide mobility platform, including the development of B2B2C ecosystems and the digitalisation of the relationship between agents and clients, in order to spur on full digitalisation of distribution. The insurer also reportedly plans to scale up its investment in and use of automation and artificial intelligence. It is hoped that the ‘Generali 2021’ strategy will deliver a compound annual growth rate of between six and eight per cent over the next few years, driven by increased profitability from its insurance and asset management arms and greater overall efficiency, with a target for €200 million in reduced expenses. Investments will also be a cornerstone of the strategy, as will the launching of new ventures into up-and-coming markets. “Today, Generali unveils an ambitious strategy, which will accelerate the Group’s

growth and deliver superior returns to our shareholders,” said Generali Group CEO Philippe Donnet. “Our primary ambition is to become a life-time partner to our customers, offering innovative and personalised solutions thanks to an unmatched distribution network. This clear and distinctive strategic vision leverages on our strengths to consolidate leadership in Europe on retail and SME customers, expand operations in high-

Generali plans to scale up its use of automation and AI potential markets and develop a global asset management platform. At the same time, Generali will continue to focus on generating and managing capital to fund growth opportunities in key markets and drive innovation and digital transformation wherever we operate. Thanks to this set of actions, Generali will achieve between six and eight per cent Earnings per Share average annual growth over the plan horizon.”

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INSURANCE MATTERS

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TRAVEL MATTERS

Crime soars in Barcelona ‘Overworked’ police officers in one of Europe’s most popular destinations, Barcelona, have been handing out fliers to tourists advising them on the best ways not to become a victim of the city’s soaring crime rate, writes David Ing Police say that the warning is needed as they are seriously undermanned and cannot offer sufficient coverage in Spain’s second largest city, where reported crimes shot up by more than 20 per cet in the first half of 2018. Their campaign platform, called MosSOS – combining the name of the Catalan regional police force (Mossos) and the international rescue call – got underway on the steps of Barcelona’s best-known landmark, the cathedral of La Sagrada Familia. Spokeswoman Inma Viundes said their main aim was to highlight the ‘very serious problem’ of under manning in the force, which they calculate to be 2,000 officers below strength. Fliers have been handed out in five foreign languages, including English and Russian, explaining how the force is overstretched and telling visitors what to do to help protect themselves. With fewer street patrols now being concentrated mainly on the old city centre as other districts miss out, ‘it is like undressing one saint to dress another’, she said, adapting an old Spanish proverb. One officer, who asked to remain anonymous, said some people were already experiencing queues of up to three hours to register a crime at a police station. “Right now, we have a very big problem with numbers and workload,” the officer said.

Solo travel habits analysed

“We are informing tourists because they are suffering part of the crime in the city, especially from thefts and robberies.” The latest figures released by the Ministry

figures from the Ministry of Interior show Barcelona topping Spain’s list of 10 big cities for the most cases of crime of Interior in September show Barcelona topping the country’s list of 10 big cities for the most crime. It has also suffered the biggest overall increase. More than 92,000 cases were reported in the first half of 2018, 20.5-per-cent up on the same period in 2017. Only two others showed an upward trend – Bilbao by 5.5 per cent and Palma de Mallorca by 4.3 per cent.

ETC calls for fewer visa restrictions The European Travel Commission (ETC) has called for visa restrictions on Chinese travellers to Europe to be more liberal after publishing a report that quantified the potential impacts of visa facilitation for Chinese travellers on European tourism. Currently Europe’s restrictions are among the most restrictive in the world, with an estimated 74 per cent of the global population requiring a visa to enter in 2015. With the tendency for long-haul passengers to stay longer and spend more, making travel easier to the continent could be beneficial. The report first analysed the primary benefits and forms of visa facilitation policy, applying them to visit patterns from Chinese travellers to 27 EU countries (excluding the UK). The report found that visa liberalisation would increase demand in the European sector, with

While there has been a great deal of discussion about the rising popularity of solo travel, not everybody has caught the bug – according to a new survey conducted by Allianz Global Assistance, 30.4 per cent of US travellers have never been on a trip alone. Those who have, meanwhile, are five times more likely to make a domestic trip than an international one. The survey found that 27.5 per cent of Americans have travelled alone domestically for business purposes, while 21 per cent have travelled alone for leisure. Only 3.2 per cent have travelled internationally for business, and only 4.8 per cent have travelled internationally for leisure. Looking at the demographics involved, the survey found that women are 10 per cent less likely to travel alone than men, with 35 per cent of women saying that they had never travelled alone, compared with 25 per cent of men. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the gender of a respondent seemed to have an impact on their perception of safety, with 76 per cent of men saying they have never felt unsafe while travelling alone, compared with 60 per cent of women who felt the same. This was reflected in the precautions

that women said they took while travelling, with just under 60 per cent saying that they avoided walking at night, 47 per cent saying they would always keep someone else informed of their location, 32 per cent saying they would avoid talking to a stranger, 30 per cent saying they would avoid dressing in a way that could attract attention, 27 per cent saying they would moderate their alcohol consumption and 14 per cent saying that they would steer clear of busy tourist areas. And while 40 per cent of women reported being catcalled while travelling solo, compared with only 11 per cent of men, solo male travellers were much more likely to be the victims of theft, with just under

Solo travel represents a significant part of the tourism industry 10 per cent saying they had been mugged or pickpocketed while on a solo trip, compared with six per cent of women. “Solo travel represents a significant part of the tourism industry, with nearly 70 per cent of Americans having travelled alone, for business or leisure,” said Dan Durazo, Director of Marketing and Communications at Allianz Global Assistance USA. “We always recommend that travellers remain alert and aware, and this is especially important for those on their own. Having the right insurance policy, with a 24-hour assistance and protection hotline, can provide peace of mind. The right policy may also help protect travellers in case of violence, terrorism or natural disaster, all concerns for the solo traveller.”

Cambodia increasing tourism arrivals

an estimated 18-per-cent-rise in arrivals from China each year between 2018 and 2023. This figure currently sits at seven per cent. The report estimates that this increase could bring in an additional €12.5 billion per annum and create 237,000 additional jobs – which would raise total employment by one per cent. Furthermore, the increase in travellers would raise Europe’s total GDP by one per cent. “Liberalisation of Europe’s visa regimes for Chinese travellers is vital for the continent to increase its share of the power from the growth of the Chinese travel market in the decades ahead,” said Robert Andrzejczyk, ETC Vice-President. “Europe must secure further employment now; buying visa liberalisation directed at key markets can perform this aim efficiently and effectively.”

Cambodia is building two new airports in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap as well as enlarging and modernising the existing one in Sihanoukville, as part of plans to increase the number of tourism arrivals from six million in 2018 to 12 million by 2025. Prime Minister Hun Sen said that a new airport for Phnom Penh in Takhmao city, Kandal province, funded partly by Chinese loans, would create 18,000 jobs and be able to accommodate the Airbus A380-800 and Boeing 747-800 aircraft. It is expected to cost around US$1.5 billion to build. The airport in Siem Reap will be located in the Sot Nikum district and will involve an

investment of $900 million. It will have a 55year contract under Angkor Air International Investment Co. Ltd, a Kunming-based company in the Yunnan province of China. “France’s Vinci, the company overseeing airports in Cambodia, never expected the high growth of tourists travelling by air to Cambodia. Now they strongly support the Cambodian Government’s intention to construct new airports for Phnom Penh and Siem Reap as the current ones will not be able to accommodate the expected 12 million tourists by 2025,” said the premier. “Sihanoukville International Airport alone expects to welcome three million tourists by then.”

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TRAVEL MATTERS

Travellers want help from chatbots Humley, a company that creates artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for use by the travel industry, recently polled 1,000 Americans and found that a majority of respondents would happily make use of these chatbots to improve the online travel experience Over three-quarters of those surveyed said that they would happily ‘lean heavily’ on chatbots to help them simplify their travel arrangements, streamline business procedures, organise trips and serve as online concierges. A majority of travellers appear to be using online channels to book their travel now, rather than traditional methods such as airport counters; according to Humley, 84 per cent of survey respondents use services such as Expedia or Kayak when booking their travels. That being said, however, 62 per cent of users still said that they found it difficult to find the right deal for them, with 49 per cent saying they used anything from four to seven different websites to find, for example, a hotel that fitted their budget. Of the 87 per cent of users who said that they would happily deal with a chatbot, 40 per cent said they would find it useful when managing all business and work travel arrangements, while 26 per cent said it would be very useful. Thirty-seven per cent, meanwhile, said that they would prefer to deal with a chatbot rather than a person. “Travellers are looking for new ways to find deals on all facets of their travel arrangements,” commented Adam Harrold, Managing Director and Chief Technical

Architect at Humley. “It’s clear that chatbots have caught their attention as a muchneeded and helpful tool, but not all chatbots are equally adept at helping consumers navigate deals, book flights or rooms or learn about destinations. At Humley, we’ve

Travellers are looking for new ways to find deals on all facets of their travel arrangements taken a unique approach to AI-powered chatbot by equipping them with natural language capabilities – providing users with an authentic and natural experience that makes it simple to find the most relevant and useful information that travellers seek.”

Airports of Thailand (AOT) recently reported a 21.7-per-cent increase in full-year net profit on higher revenue from its six airports – despite falling numbers of tourists. The company made a net profit of 25.17 billion baht (US$763.9 million) for its last fiscal year, a figure which it says is in line with the tourism sector and the expansion of budget carriers. In 2017, AOT reported a profit of 20.6 billion baht. Of the profits, aeronautical revenue (including landing fees and passenger services) rose 10.25 per cent to 33.9 million baht while revenue form concessions and services grew by

Bestjet goes into liquidation Australian online travel agent Bestjet recently announced that it would be going into liquidation, leaving many travellers’ Christmas plans in the lurch. The Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) announced 19 December that the Brisbane-based company had gone into liquidation, though the organisation was keen to point out that the travel agent was not AFTA approved. The company had in fact been stripped of this status 18 months previously. Bestjet had been sold to McVicker

Thai airports boom despite tourism drop

10.3 per cent to 26.5 billion baht. While tourism makes up 12 per cent of the GDP in Thailand, there are signs that numbers are falling, and incidents such as a boat accident that killed 47 tourists in July, have not helped. Despite the downturn, many of AOT’s airports are still stretched, with Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport currently handling 60 million passengers a year, when it only has the capacity to deal with 45 million. The construction of a second terminal at the airport has also been suspended pending the results of a forthcoming review from the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Increase in international air traffic

Investment Group only six weeks before, with Robert McVicker Sr telling Travel Bulletin: “I see great opportunities to employ additional staff members within the company to expand the business further.” AFTA CEO Jayson Westbury told customers: “We encourage consumers to reconfirm their travel bookings with airlines and if they need to make alternative arrangements to contact an ATAS accredited travel agent.” Customers who purchased their holiday on a credit card were also been advised to contact their bank about a chargeback.

Air service provider Aegean and Olympic Air has reported that it saw a growth in passenger traffic of 10 per cent in November last year, having welcomed 969,000 passengers over the course of the month. The main driver of passenger growth is thought to be from the international network, with the group carrying 555,000 passengers, representing an increase of 18 per cent compared to November 2017. In the domestic network, passenger traffic remained at the previous year’s levels. International traffic from Athens grew by 15 per cent, while international

traffic out of the regional bases grew by 30 per cent in November. Dimitris Gerogiannis, Chief Executive of Aegean, said: “Extending the tourist season in our country is crucial and requires investments in hotel accommodation, infrastructure and services, which could also support local employment. Aegean contributes to this effort by investing in its network expansion during the winter season at a cost. However, to ensure the effective results, co-ordinated efforts by the state and all interested parties in the sector are required.”

TRAVEL MATTERS

Aussie travellers wasting money

Canada tourism takes stock

New research from travel insurer InsureandGo has found that nine out of 10 Australian travellers are demonstrating careless holiday habits that end up costing them money. According to InsureandGo, just 11 per cent of respondents had never been affected by one of the avoidable holiday issues. More than 20 per cent of respondents did not take the time to compare the prices of different accommodations before booking, while nearly 40 per cent reported having exchanged money in airports where exchange rates were less than favourable. Almost 50 per cent said that they used overseas ATMs where they could potentially be charged with up to three layers of extra fees.

The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) recently held its annual conference, and there was much frank discussion of the successes that the industry achieved over 2018, and the potential obstacles to be overcome moving into this year. A significant increase in the number of international visitors heading to Canada was noted in 2017, and the first eight months of 2018 saw a further 1.8-per-cent rise. This included a particularly striking 47-per-cent rise in the number of tourists coming from Mexico, largely because of the removal of certain visa requirements. However, as TIAC President Charlotte Bell pointed out, there is ground left to cover. Canada is currently 17th in the UN World Tourism Organization’s international tourism rankings, and Bell expressed the TIAC’s desire to move into the top 10 by the year 2025. Additionally, on the way to meeting that goal, the TIAC hopes to increase international overnight visitation by 21 per cent and, by 2021, to double the number of Chinese visitors. Bell went on to cite the results of a survey commissioned by the TIAC, which found that 90 per cent of Canadians agree that encouraging international travel was important in terms of creating jobs in Canada. “Politicians,” she said, “listen to what your constituents are saying.” Other options discussed for increasing the number of foreign visitors to Canada included further streamlining the visa process, and

Excess baggage costs, car rental excess reduction charges and paying for GPS navigation units were among the other unnecessary extras on which Australians are apparently splashing out. “When you’re on holidays, you often want the quickest and easiest method of doing things, which can often be more costly,” said Raphael Bandeira, Managing Director of InsureandGo. “For instance, paying up to AU$40 a day to reduce the excess on your car insurance is a prime example of an unnecessary cost [which could be covered much more cheaply by travel insurance]. Other times, I think it’s due to a lack of education and understanding by Aussies about ways they can save money on travel.”

increasing the number of countries included in Canada’s electronic travel authorisation programme; reducing the taxes that international visitors have to pay; increasing the funding allocated to Destination Canada, the country’s national tourism marketing body, in order to make it more competitive; and lobbying the government to include tourism as a key element of policy development.

Famous Thai beach begins recovery Thailand’s Maya Bay, made famous from the film The Beach, has made huge strides towards recovery after the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) closed it to tourists amid worries that the ecosystem had been irreversibly damaged. The site was initially set to be closed for four months from 1 June 2018 following the destruction of over 80 per cent of its coral due to the sheer volume of tourists visiting the bay, but the decision was later made to extend the closure indefinitely. The site was receiving on average 5,000 visitors a day. Park officials uploaded a video to Facebook recently showing dozens of blacktip reef sharks swimming close to the beach’s

shoreline. The post added: “Come and count sharks! It’s a good sign that Maya Bay has changed, and that change is positive.” One Thai marine biologist close to the campaign is reported by The Daily Mail to have said that the recovery was ‘beyond imagination’. Despite the positives, Thai authorities have not given any indication as to when the bay will be back open to the public – or if it will reopen at all. While most of Thailand’s national parks close to the public between the months of May and October, Maya Bay has been kept open all year round due to the demand. A National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department official said: “The reef will take a longer time to recover.”

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TRAVEL MATTERS

Record year for Irish tourism According to marketing body Tourism Ireland, 2018 was the best ever year for overseas tourism to Ireland, with a record 11.2 million visitors spending a total of €6.1 billion. This represents a growth of more than 500,000 visitors compared with 2017. Factors thought to have contributed to the growth in tourism to Ireland are increased access and a general economic upswing, as well as exposure from events like Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal visit and marketing surrounding Game of Thrones and Star Wars filming locations. In addition, Tourism Ireland ran a number of promotional activities, including campaigns for regional Ireland, Dublin and Belfast, as well as the organisation’s annual Global Greening initiative on St Patrick’s Day. “2018 looks set to be another record year for overseas tourism to Ireland. The latest CSO figures indicate that the number of overseas visitors to our shores continues to grow, as does the revenue generated by them. The tourism sector supports approximately

260,000 jobs in communities all across the country, therefore the importance of the sector cannot be overstated,” said Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Brendan Griffin. “Revenue generated by tourism reaches all parts of the country, bringing much needed jobs and income to areas with otherwise limited economic activity. Our focus going forward is to ensure that we continue to grow in a sustainable way and to further build on the success that the regions have experienced through initiatives such as the ‘Wonders of the Wild Atlantic Way’ and ‘The Call of the Wild’. The Tourism Action Plan 2019 to 2021, which is due to be published by my department shortly, will outline some key actions which will underpin the continued growth of the sector in coming years, as will the additional funding secured for the sector in Budget 2019. The continued growth in tourism over the last number of years is testament to the great work being done all across the sector and I want to congratulate Tourism Ireland on another very successful year.”

British Airways escapes large payout

UK-based airline British Airways (BA) has escaped a payout after a passenger filed a court claim for £10,000, claiming that he had suffered injuries after being ‘forced’ to sit next to an obese man for a 12-hour flight from Bangkok to London. Stephen Prosser claimed that having to sit next to the 23-stone man meant that he had to adopt an ‘unnatural pose’, and that he was ‘pinned against the side of the cabin’ for the duration of the flight. “I could feel the weight of his bulk putting lateral pressure on my upper body,” he said. “This forced me to sit in a position of unnatural posture.” The judge presiding over the case, however, ruled against Prosser, deciding that whatever the alleged injuries, the airline was not at

fault. He dismissed the idea that there had been any ‘physical encroachment’, and said: “Having heard his evidence, I have formed the impression that Mr Prosser had expectations of his flight experience that were unrealistic, given the class of cabin that he chose.” British Airways, which came under fire recently after the personal data of 382,000 customers was breached in a cyberattack, will no doubt be relieved at this result. Additionally, it could be argued that the dismissal of the case is positive from a consumer perspective; after all, those of advanced weight are as entitled as anybody else to go on holiday, and had the claimant won in this instance, it could have set a precedent that might have made life much more difficult for this demographic.

The GCC is the place to be According to a new report from Colliers International, India’s high-spending middle classes will continue to mean the country is a major tourism source market for the Gulf states The Indian outbound tourism market is one of the fastest growing markets in the world, second only to that of China, with an estimated 22.5 million outbound tourism departures from the country in 2018. This number is estimated to rise to 50 million by 2022. According to the report, around 5.4 million Indian tourists visited Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states in 2018, with this number expected to nearly double to nine million by 2022. “Tourist arrivals from India into the GCC have witnessed constant progression year on year. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) estimates that India will account for over 50 million outbound tourists by 2022, making India a $45-billion outbound spend market,” said the report. For the past three years, Indian travellers have been Dubai’s largest source market, with a total of 2.3 million Indian tourists, accounting for 13 per cent of its annual visitors, visiting in 2017. Colliers estimates that an extra 10.8 million room-nights will be created by increased demand from Indian tourists to the GCC in the next five years. Despite the slowdown in Indian rupee fluctuations, the report says that India’s seven-per-cent GDP growth, young

population and burgeoning middle-class will all contribute to the increase in outbound visitors. Indians also rank among some of the highest spenders per visit made,

China is set to account for a quarter of international tourism by 2030 with the average Indian traveller spending $1,200 per visit compared with Americans and British travellers, who spend on average $700 and $500 respectively.

with a projected Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 33 per cent over the next three years. The UAE will follow, with projected CAGR of 13 per cent, followed by Oman (12 per cent). “China is set to account for a quarter of international tourism by 2030,” said Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME at ATM, “and owing to its many business and investment opportunities, as well as a new generation of leisure attractions and retail destinations, the GCC is set to capitalise

on this growth with millions of Chinese tourists about to make their first international trip. Last year, the number of Chinese exhibitors participating at ATM almost doubled and this trend looks set to continue as we look ahead to ATM 2019. Over the years, sentiment at ATM has reflected the growth in Chinese tourists to the GCC and today we have seen more hotel and travel professionals than ever before eager to capitalise on the significant opportunities presented by the Chinese market.”

Eyes on China Research undertaken by Colliers International in partnership with the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2019 has also found that the number of Chinese visitors heading on trips to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will increase by a staggering 81 per cent by 2022. The number of Chinese nationals visiting GCC countries stood at 1.6 million in 2018, and the report projects that by 2022 the total will increase to 2.9 million. Currently, GCC countries attract only one per cent of the total number of outbound Chinese travellers. However, various positive trends – such as economic drivers, diplomatic links and more direct airline routes – are expected to drive this number up considerably. Colliers’ research found that 154 million Chinese tourists travelled abroad in 2018, a number that is projected to increase to 400 million by 2030. Saudi Arabia is likely to see the most benefit from the increased number of Chinese arrivals, according to the report,

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HEALTH MATTERS

Measles: 2017’s least welcome comeback According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a new report states that measles cases spiked in 2017 as multiple countries experienced severe and protracted outbreaks of the disease The report says that gaps in vaccination coverage meant that outbreaks occurred in all regions and there were an estimated 110,000 related deaths. The report used disease modelling data to provide comprehensive estimates of measles trends over the last 17 years. It shows that since 2000, more than 21 million lives have been saved through measles immunisations but that reported cases increased by more than 30 per cent worldwide since 2016. “The resurgence of measles is of serious concern, with extended outbreaks occurring across regions, and particularly in countries that had achieved, or were close to achieving measles elimination,” said Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Deputy Director General for Programmes at WHO. “Without urgent efforts to increase vaccination coverage and identify populations with unacceptable levels of under or unimmunised children, we risk losing decades of progress in protecting children and communities against this devastating, but entirely preventable disease.” Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, said: “The increase in measles cases is deeply concerning, but not surprising. Complacency about the disease and the spread of falsehoods about the

vaccine in Europe, a collapsing health system in Venezuela and pockets of fragility and low immunisation coverage in Africa are combining to bring about a global resurgence of measles after years of progress. Existing strategies need to change: more effort needs to go into increasing routine immunisation coverage and strengthening health systems. Otherwise we will continue chasing one outbreak after another.” Health agencies are calling for sustained investment in immunisation systems, as well as efforts to strengthen routine vaccination services, with a focus on

reaching the poorest, most marginalised communities, including people affected by conflict and displacement. Measles in Madagascar The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a travel advisory for Madagascar due to a large measles outbreak. Health officials have said that, since the first measles cases were reported in Antananarivo Renivohitra in the heart of the capital city, Antanarivo, there have been 3,239 laboratory confirmed or epidemiologically linked cases. Health authorities said that travellers

to the country should ensure they are protected against measles with the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine. In addition, the CDC said that people who cannot show that they were

The resurgence of measles is of serious concern, with extended outbreaks occurring across regions, and particularly in countries that had achieved, or were close to achieving measles elimination vaccinated or are otherwise protected against measles should get vaccinated before travelling. It is recommended that infants have one dose of MMR vaccine, whilst adults and children aged over one should have two doses given on or after the first birthday and separated by at least 28 days. In addition, travellers should avoid contact with people who are sick. Those who experience symptoms of measles, including cold-like symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing and a cough; sore, red eyes that may be sensitive to light; a high temperature (fever), which may reach around 40C (104F); and small greyish-white spots on the inside of the cheeks, should seek medical help. Medical help should also be sought if a traveller has been in close contact with someone who has measles and hasn’t been fully vaccinated with two doses of the MMR vaccine or had the infection before, even if they don’t have any symptoms.

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New tech for disease surveillance Researchers at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore have highlighted the potential role of bioaerosol sampling in disease surveillance The team demonstrated that a bioaerosol sampling method, coupled with molecular diagnostics, was able to non-invasively collect and identify three respiratory viruses of public health importance on Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) network. The study collected aerosol samples during peak MRT ridership hours over a period of a year using National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) BC 251 2-stage aerosol samplers attached to personal backpacks carrying air pumps. Molecular analyses found that some of the collected samples tested positive for adenovirus, influenza A virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) type A. “It is a novel achievement to successfully collect molecular evidence of multiple

aerosolised respiratory viruses from Singapore’s MRT. Usually transit network studies focus on mapping surface-borne bacterial DNA and neglect to target aerosolised or respiratory-borne RNA viruses,” said Dr Gregory Gray, a Professor of the DukeNUS Emerging Infectious Diseases Signature Research Programme and senior author of the study. “Our study demonstrates that

It is a novel achievement to successfully collect molecular evidence of multiple aerosolised respiratory viruses from Singapore’s MRT bioaerosol sampling might have a practical application for the detection of respiratory pathogens in crowded public areas, such as transportation systems. This is important in terms of pandemic preparedness, as a bioaerosol sampling system does not require the timely acquisition of ethical approvals and informed consent needed to collect individual samples from human subjects.” The researchers said that more research is needed before bioaerosol sampling can be deployed to safeguard public health but that they hope their findings will advance both the science and the technology to improve bioaerosol sampling techniques.

The future is holistic Global health provider Aetna International has released a new paper that examines the role of behavioural and genetic data in detecting and preventing disease Bespoke health promotion: How personalisation is transforming health examines the importance of bringing together health and lifestyle data with advances in genetic profiling and technology to help tackle the rising global disease burden. The company believes the future of

“We are extremely interested in the potential to use genomic data as part of an overall appraisal of a person’s health status. That way, we can work with them to agree the best care pathway and hopefully prevent the onset of inflammation or disease. A critical step in determining the best treatment is a holistic view of the patient – their symptoms, family history, circumstances and biomarkers – combined with expert guidance from a geneticist and the provision of genetic counselling for the patient. Technology such as wearables can also support a pre-emptive health approach by helping individuals make

A critical step in determining the best treatment is a holistic view of the patient – their symptoms, family history, circumstances and biomarkers healthcare lies in the worldwide adoption of a more predictive, preventative, personalised and participatory approach to health; one that enables people to be more actively involved in their own health and wellbeing. It also said that although genetics are a lesser factor than scientists once thought, they must be taken into consideration, along with individual behaviour, when determining the best approach to reducing the rising global disease epidemic.

healthy choices. However, it is important to recognise that while some individuals will respond to a chatbot, others will respond better to social and physical intervention,” said Caroline Pain, Senior Vice-President, Customer Proposition, Aetna International. Aetna International believes delivering hyperpersonalised health journeys will help to increase healthy outcomes at an individual level and will make disease care radically more cost-effective at a population level.

HEALTH MATTERS

WHO publishes World Malaria Report 2018 The World Health Organization recently published the World Malaria Report 2018, providing an update on global and regional malaria data and trends. It tracks investments in malaria programmes and research as well as progress across all intervention areas – prevention, diagnosis, treatment and surveillance – and also includes dedicated chapters on malaria elimination and key threats in the fight against the disease. The report highlights that no significant progress in reducing global malaria cases has been made in the period 2015-17, despite the fact that there were around 20 million fewer malaria cases in 2017 (219 million in 90 countries) than in 2010. In addition, most malaria cases in 2017 were in the WHO African Region (200 million or 92 per cent), followed by the WHO SouthEast Asia Region (five per cent) and the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (two per cent). The report also states that 15 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and India carried almost 80 per cent of the global malaria burden. Five countries accounted for nearly half of all malaria cases worldwide: Nigeria (25 per cent), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (11 per cent), Mozambique (five per cent), India (four per cent) and Uganda (four per cent). WHO advises international travellers that they could be at risk of malaria infection in 91 countries around the world, mainly in Africa, Asia and the Americas. People infected with malaria often experience fever, chills and flu-like illness at first and, left untreated, the

disease can lead to severe complications and even death. The first line of defence against the disease is the prevention of mosquito bites between dusk and dawn by sleeping under long-lasting insecticidal nets and using protective clothing and insect repellent. WHO said that before travelling to malaria-endemic countries or regions, travellers should consult their national disease control centres, or other institutions offering travel advice, for information regarding the preventative measures that should be taken.

A new report from the World Health Organization states that as the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) approaches six months since declaration, responding to the outbreak continues to be a challenge. WHO said that it is collaborating with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and partners on containment efforts to end the outbreak. It is focusing response areas in areas where EVD transmission continues, including Butembo, Katwa, Beni and Kalunguta. Between 21-27 November 2018, 36 new cases of EVD were reported. These were in Beni (13), Katwa (nine), Kalungunta (six), Butembo (six), Kyondo (one) and Oicha (one). Of the newly infected people were two health workers from Katwa and Kyondo, bringing the total number

Disneyland disease outbreak According to various news sources, a cooling tower at Disneyland has been identified as the likely source of an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease that occurred near the theme park in California, US, in 2017. A total of 22 cases were reported in the park. Legionnaires’ disease is a lung infection that can be caught by inhaling droplets of water contaminated by the Legionella bacteria. Signs and symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, high fever, muscle pains, and headaches. Dr Matthew Zahn, Orange County Health Care Agency, testified on 4 December before an appeals board judge at the

Ebola outbreak in DRC continues

of health workers infected to date to 42. WHO said that it has been responding to the developing situation in Katwa, Butembo, Beni and Kalungunta for the past two months and that preliminary data indicates an impact of the public health control measures in Beni and Kalunguta. It stated that community engagement remains a challenge in Katwa and that concerns have been raised regarding the high number of young children affected. According to the report, the risk of the outbreak spreading to other provinces in the DRC and to neighbouring countries remains very high. WHO has reminded travellers that there is currently no licensed vaccine to protect people from the Ebola virus and that they should seek medical advice before travel and practice good hygiene.

Officials fear Nipah in Kerala

California Occupational Safety and Health Administration and, according to the Los Angeles Times, saying that tests around the time of the outbreak showed high levels of Legionella bacteria in two Disneyland cooling towers and that contaminated droplets had likely spread to people in the park and beyond. Early in 2018, a spokesperson for Disneyland, Suzi Brown, said in a statement: “We strongly object to Cal-OSHA’s allegation that our cooling towers caused any illness, since the source of the outbreak has never been scientifically determined.” Disneyland is appealing state fines.

An alert was recently issued by India’s Health Department due to fear of an outbreak of Nipah in Kerala. People in Kerala have been strongly urged not to eat fruits bitten by bats and to thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables before consumption. The alert came ahead of the beginning of the Nipah virus (NiV) transmission season, which runs between December and June. The virus is zoonotic – it can be transmitted from animals to humans, as well as through contaminated food or directly between people.

It can cause a range of illnesses, from subclinical infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). An outbreak of Nipah affected the northern district of Kozhikode in May before spreading to Kerala. The World Health Organization said that the disease killed 17 people by 1 June 2018 before it was contained. There is no known cure for the disease, so travellers should be aware of the risk and avoid close contact with fruit bats or exposure to food and drink potentially contaminated by fruit bats.

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FEATURE

Insurance companies will continue to be targeted by cyber criminals, so how they prepare and protect themselves will be the diďŹ&#x20AC;erence between their ability to remain in business or otherwise. Tatum Anderson assesses the risk >>

FEATURE

amSam, WannaCry, Petya, Equifa, Orangeworm – these are just some of the high-profile global cyberattacks circulating the globe this year and last. They wreak havoc, stealing and demanding ransoms. A Lithuanian cosmetic surgery clinic experienced the theft of personal data as well as tens of thousands of private photos, including nude pictures in 2017. Its patients were threatened with blackmail. Other attacks have had far-reaching financial consequences. One breach at a US credit bureau in the same year released the personal details of 143 million US consumers; but in years to come victims could experience account takeovers, loan fraud, tax fraud, and employment fraud. Cyberattacks even have the potential to cause injury and death. WannaCry caused chaos in hospitals in 150 countries in 2017; in the UK alone, almost 7,000 hospital, clinic and GP appointments were cancelled, and ambulances and patients were diverted from five accident and emergency departments that were unable to treat some patients. Cyberattacks have made such an impact that in 2018, 11 members of the exclusive Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) group cited cyberattacks as the greatest risk of concern to doing business. The World Economic Forum ranked the threat of cyberattacks above even extreme weather events and terrorist attacks. Cybervillains are disrupting services through ‘denial of service’ attacks, causing business systems to launder the proceeds of crime, unknowingly. But, primarily, they are stealing data with the intent to coerce or extort. That’s the aim of so-called ransomware. In fact, a quarter of all cyber insurance claims received by AIG last year were because of ransomware attacks. They amounted to just 16 per cent in previous years between 2013 and 2016. Importantly, cyberattacks are starting to affect every sector – from healthcare to construction – and, now, even insurance. Traditionally, the sector has lagged in its response to cyberattacks because other sectors, such as banking, were being pummelled by attackers. But as banks and other targeted institutions stepped up security, attackers are moving on to weaker targets – such as insurance companies –

according to consultancy firm KPMG. Targeting insurers A lot is at stake. Insurers hold a treasure trove of sensitive information on individuals across all sorts of areas, including health, payment information, addresses and personal property, said KPMG. Although insurers confidently deal with massive risks every day, there is a consensus that perhaps many are unaware of just how much of a target they themselves have become. “Many insurers tend to underestimate how much critical customer data they actually have and that can lead to a false sense of security,” said Robin Ingle, Chairman of Ingle International and Novus Health in Toronto, who has a counter terrorism, corporate intelligence and a digital security background. “They don’t feel they will be targeted and even if they were, feel damage might be minimal.” Within travel insurance, specifically, there might be particular vulnerabilities, said Paige Schaffer, President and COO of Generali Global Assistance’s Identity and Digital Protection Services’ Global Unit. Travel insurers often don’t enjoy the same type of loyalty that other types of insurance companies do; consumers often buy travel insurance individually for each trip or vacation they take and, most times, they’re shopping around for the best deal each time they do. “This means, if they have a negative experience with your business – or, more specifically, your business finds itself a victim of a cyber incident – your customers will be more likely to jump ship and

Cybersecurity is a business problem, not a technology problem; the entire company has to own it, ownership can’t be outsourced never come back,” she explained. “A blow to their trust in letting their personal data be compromised would likely be a deal-breaker.” While there is considerably less churn in IPMI, there are still likely to be risks. “Companies still need to maintain that

expectation of trust and responsibility with their members – particularly when it comes to data security,” added Schaffer. Breaches or attacks on information systems have financial implications, certainly. There can be direct financial losses through paying ransoms, plus the result of any business disruption. In travel and assistance, decisions are required very quickly. If ransomware holds hostage to key information, key business decisions can be disrupted. And, there’s only about a 50-per-cent chance of getting data back in a ransomware attack, regardless of whether payment is made or not, according to the Cyberthreat Defense Report from research firm CyberEdge Group. Experts say that although there might be immediate costs, there may also be substantial long-term costs that are often unaccounted for. In January 2015, Anthem Insurance companies experienced a data breach involving 78.8 million customers, which cost around $260 million to clean up. But it has also spent $115 million in legal settlements and credit monitoring for affected customers. Reputational damage, however, can have added ramifications. Ovidiu Patrascu, Sustainable Investment Analyst at global investment manager Schroders, reckons investment decisions will be severely affected by a company’s ability to defend itself against cyberattacks. “The negative impact a data breach can have on a brand links straight to companies’ competitiveness, future revenues and future cash flows. Data breaches often uncover poor governance practices and weak management; changing people or policies is quick but re-establishing market and customer trust take much longer,” he said in a note earlier this year. What is clear, is that determined intruders are after data on insurers’ customers. Matt Dowing, Principal Analyst, Active Intelligence at security firm AlertLogic, said recently that a huge number of lower-level hackers have been creating special pieces of software that use processing power on other computers to mine for cryptocurrency. But although they aren’t stealing data, they act like a canary in the coal mine. “A determined intruder would be able to find the same vulnerability that the coin miners would likely have already exploited,” he said. “Given the volume and persistence of the coin mining attacks we see, it stands to reason that coin miners’ bulk scanning and exploitation would take advantage of a known vulnerability first.” He recommends monitoring for symptoms

of likely coin mining – such as traffic to known mining pools, high processor utilisation, and antivirus detections for coin mining malware. “Effectively, you can infer compromise from this activity, the same way you infer low oxygen levels because the canary quit singing,” he said. Understanding your vulnerabilities Many of the fixes Dowing recommends are easy, but curiously aren’t routinely done by companies. Software companies who spot vulnerabilities in their own systems routinely issue fixes, or patches. The problem is, these easy fixes aren’t always installed by their customers. NHS Digital issued critical alerts warning organisations to patch their systems well in advance of the WannaCry outbreak. “You really need to think about patching vulnerabilities because there is active worming and malware,” he said. “I don’t understand why people don’t patch – maybe they don’t have a patch management programme, maybe they don’t patch at all. However, there are high-profile sites that are getting attacked six months after the patch is released.” Of course, networks can be extremely complicated and companies won’t always be aware of their vulnerabilities. “So, it’s understanding your systems and having a good inventory of your network and then, of course, monitoring and patching and having a process where you do that,” he advised. “It can be difficult, but we recommend you do regular vulnerability scanning to host discovery and find the vulnerabilities.” What’s crucial, however, is putting together a specific strategy to identify and get rid of intrusions – rather like an emergency plan used in terrorist situations. He advises understanding the kill chain, the sequence of events used to create an attack. “What we do is map all the points of attack, see where they lie and decide what your mitigations are at each stage and where you can improve,” he said. Robin Ingle agrees a robust plan is absolutely crucial. NovusHealth is moving much of its infrastructure to the cloud but is using technology to pre-empt many problems. “We are leveraging technology that will automatically kill any server and replace it with a fresh one in minutes without interruption if it detects even the smallest unauthorised changes were made,” he said. “Insurance should be embracing technologies like this, but many tend to be somewhat averse, or slow to adapt to technology change.”

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FEATURE are also having to audit their suppliers and vendors to ensure compliance.” Several initiatives have also formed to tackle the issues collaboratively. Some are run by governments, such as the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, others include businesses, such as the World Economic Forum’s Centre for Cybersecurity. In other words, cybersecurity is about more

its latest report in 2018 revealed only 20 per cent of management boards have ever discussed cybersecurity

That said, insurers should approach only the right kinds of IT security company to help solve their problems, according to Robin Ingle. He said: “Avoid any company that says they can solve this problem for you, or says they can solve this problem solely with technology; neither is ever true.” Understanding all business-to-business interactions is vital too, as the industry is so interconnected. “Vendor and supplier networks are becoming more extensive, opening the door to additional risk management requirements,” said Ingle. “As a result, more and more contracts with vendors and third parties stipulate security and data protection requirements. Companies

than technology. “Cybersecurity is a business problem, not a technology problem; the entire company has to own it, ownership can’t be outsourced,” added Ingle. Others agree. The UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, which carries out a Cyber Security Breaches Survey every year, reckons if support for cybersecurity comes from the top, and corporate policies and controls are updated, employees will be trained and companies can better stay ahead of ever-changing threats. Despite that, its latest report in 2018 revealed only 20 per cent of management boards have ever discussed cybersecurity, and only 30 per cent have board members or trustees specifically overseeing cybersecurity. Compliance with regulations such as PCI and ISO 27001 certification – the bestknown standard providing requirements for information security management – will help as well, say security experts. In addition, compliance with the EU’s new General Data

Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into force in May 2018, forces companies to clarify how personal or sensitive data is stored and who has usage rights, and assigns responsibility to companies to keep customer data safe, with high fines if they fail to do so. But Generali’s Schaffer reckons that even though the cyber security threat hasn’t changed since GDPR came into force, the potential impact and cost to breached companies is now greater. “Arguably, the biggest change to the regulatory landscape of data privacy comes with the extended jurisdiction of GDPR, as it applies to all companies processing the personal data of individuals residing in the EU – regardless of the company’s location,” she said. “For this reason, most companies have smartly decided to meet these more stringent regulations to be on the safe side. While this is certainly a step in the right direction, GDPR is still relatively new, so only time will tell if it’s really going to reduce the resulting

The transformation will surely squeeze some travel insurance providers out cybercrime and identity theft incidents.” Other criticisms of GDPR are that it is heavy on protecting privacy, but light on a standardised compliance framework to enforce it. There are neither standardised implementation guidelines, authoritative body governing audits nor standardised certification or audit compliance frameworks for GDPR. It’s up to governments to work out what their approach is. Many believe, however, that perhaps the

easiest way to disrupt cyberattacks is to focus on employees. They are vulnerable to spear phishing, which is one of the biggest headaches for companies. Here, a hacker attempts to target one or more individuals using finely-tuned, personalised tactics to trick users into breaking security procedures. So effective is it, that around 90 per cent of all cyberattacks are successfully executed with information stolen from employees who unwittingly give away their system ID and access credentials to hackers, according to the Cyberthreat Defense Report. Training is therefore vital. The report said: “Failing year after year to invest in your company’s human firewall is inexplicable and inexcusable.” Data security should certainly be top of any insurer’s agenda, especially in an age where technology has become ubiquitous and data is stored and processed in a multitude of ways and places. “As smartphone use reaches saturation point and most of life’s transactions are digital, the ability to keep customers’ information safe and secure is absolutely business critical,” said Andrew Sherwin, Operations Director at Aquarium Software. “This means that data protection, for so long the poor relation in software system development, is now rightly centre stage. Any firm who cannot demonstrate robust data protection measures risks not only falling foul of the regulator but suffering potentially irreparable long-term brand damage.” In the end, how companies choose to tackle cyberthreats may end up reshaping the industry, says Generali’s Schaffer. “The transformation will surely squeeze some travel insurance providers out; those that stayed at the forefront of the movement and helped shaped the conversation from within will likely be the ones left standing at the top,” she said. ■

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Ace Air & Ambulance (Pvt) Ltd. James Halsted, – Managing Director 2 Mount Road, Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe +263 (4) 302 141 +263 (782) 999 901/2/3/4

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Peter Elliott – Fixed Wing Operations Manager PO Box 15166, City East, QLD 4002, AUSTRALIA 24/7 (int) tel: fax:

emergency@flydoc.org www.flydoc.org

+61 7 5553 5955 +61 7 5553 5965

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+27 11 430 1777

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email: website:

operations@medic-air.com www.medic-air.com

Medical Wings Dr.Sura Jaidwatee, M.D. – Medical Flight Manager

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

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Medic’Air International Dr Jean-Philippe MATTEI – Medical Director Dar El Bacha - Tizougarine 5, 40000 Marrakech Medina, MOROCCO +212 5 24 38 13 88 +212 524 428 436

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Wilson Airport, LangataRoad, PO Box 18617, Nairobi, KENYA tel: fax:

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AirMed Australia Matthew Kline & Mark Wardrop – Executive Directors

Paul Tiba – Managing Director

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

Zone Aviation Générale, 33700 Mérignac Cidex 05 FRANCE +335 56 34 02 14 +335 56 55 98 18

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Alia MedFlight Scott Everson – Vice President

Lisa Humphries – Sales Director

9382 E Bahia Drive, Suite B202, Scottsdale, AZ 85260, USA

Airport House, Exeter International Airport, EX5 2BD, UK

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CEGA Group

Asia Air Ambulance Mr. Toranit Sripal – Managing Director

Mr Nick Simon – Business Development Manager

Asia Air Ambulance Co. Ltd., Bangkok599/59 Ratchadaphisek Road, Jatujak, Bangkok 10900, THAILAND tel: +66 898 969 000 email: operations@asiaairambulance.com fax: +66 219 218 01 website: www.asiaairambulance.com

Funtington Park, Funtington, Chichester, UK, PO18 8RG, UK tel: fax:

+ 44 (0) 1243 621 107 + (0) 1243 621 006

privaterepats@cegagroup.com cegagroup.com

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DRF Luftrettung / German Air Rescue

CareJet Anthony Decoste – President & CEO

Dr. Peter Huber – CEO

German Air Rescue – Claim-Variante rot / schwarz

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

Rita-Maiburg-Str. 2, D-70794 Filderstadt, GERMANY German Air Rescue

24h tel: fax:

+49 7007 3010 +49 7007 3119

email: website:

ops@drf-luftrettung.de www.drf-luftrettung.de/air-ambulance

DRK Assistance

EDS AVIATION PTE LTD

AVIATION

Air Alliance Medflight GmbH

Shik – Managing Director

Andreas Speich – Managing Director

33 Ubi Avenue, #08-13, Vertex Tower B, SINGAPORE, 408868

Aufm Hennekamp 71, 40225 Düsseldorf, GERMANY

+65 9836 3265 +65 6846 9542

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tel: fax:

info@eds-aviation.com www.eds-aviation.com

+49 211 301 805-0 +49 211 301 805-21

email: website:

moc@drkassistance.com www.drkassistance.com

European Air Ambulance

EMA Global Pte Ltd Dexter Tan – Business Development Director

Patrick Schomaker – Director Sales & Marketing

1 Farrer Park Station Road, #15-18, Farrer Park Medical Centre, SINGAPORE 217562

Luxembourg Airport, B.P.24, L-5201, Sandweiler, LUXEMBOURG

tel:

+65 6753 9133 +65 6244 0030

email: website:

dexter@emaglobal.com.sg www.emaglobal.com.sg

24hr tel: fax:

email: website:

alert@air-ambulance.com www.air-ambulance.com

FAI – rent-a-jet AG

EMA Global Pte Ltd Jay Bajas – Senior Manager - Operations

Volker Lemke – Director Sales and Marketing CSO

Unit 2314 Centuria Medical Makati, Century City, Kalayaan Ave. cor. Salamanca St. Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City - 1210, PHILIPPINES 24hr tel: fax:

+352 26 26 00 +352 26 26 01

+63 (02) 555 5228 +63 (02) 863 0650

email: website:

Flughafenstasse. 124; 90411 Nuremberg; GERMANY

jay@emaglobal.com.ph www.emaglobal.com.sg

tel: fax:

+49 911 36009 31 +49 911 36009 59

email: website:

Volker.lemke@fai.ag www.fai.ag

SERVICE DIRECTORY

Jet Executive International Charter Irena Dimitrijevic – Marketing & Sales 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

JOIN JET Carsten Vistisen – 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)

CEGA Group Mr Nick Simon – Business Development Manager Funtington Park, Funtington, Chichester, UK, PO18 8RG, UK

+45 701 040 90 +45 701 040 90

Bart Gray – President

email: website:

ems@joinjet.com www.joinjet.com

+1 352 799 7771 +1 352 799 7776

tel: fax:

email: website:

bart@globaljetcare.com www.globaljetcare.com

JET ICU

Johannes Hoischen – International Network and Repatriation

Mike Honeycutt – President

Erna-Scheffler-Strasse 2, 51103 Köln, GERMANY +49 221 98 22 9333 +49 40 694597 61339

Jet icu When Experience Matters.

ambulance@malteser.org www.malteser-service-center.de

email: website:

Medic’Air International

2561 Rescue Way, Brooksville, FL 34604, USA tel: fax:

+1 352 796 2540 +1 352 796 2549

email: website:

ops@jeticu.com www.jeticu.com

Jet-Rescue Air Ambulance

Dr Herve Raffin – General Manager

Carlos Salinas – CEO

35 rue Jules Ferry, 93170 Bagnolet, Paris, FRANCE

Suite 100, 7777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33434, USA

+33 141 72 1414 +33 148 57 1010

tel: fax:

operations@medic-air.com www.medic-air.com

email: website:

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:

NORTH AMERICA

privaterepats@cegagroup.com cegagroup.com

15421 Technology Dr. Brooksville, FL 34604, USA

Malteser Service Center

tel: fax:

email: website:

Global Jetcare, Inc.

Cumulusvej 10, 7190 Billund, DENMARK 24hr tel: fax:

+ 44 (0) 1243 621 107 + (0) 1243 621 006

tel: fax:

Aeromedevac Air Ambulance

AIMS 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

email: website:

emergency@flydoc.org www.flydoc.org

CONNEX Assistance

Adam Williams – President

Dr Helmy El Tanahy – CEO

Gillespie Field Airport, 681 Kenney Street, El Cajon, CA 92020, USA

Office 11, Floor 1, 6 El Sad El Aali st, Dokki, Cairo, EGYPT

+(800) 462 0911 +(619) 284 7918

toll free: fax:

email: website:

awilliams@aeromedevac.com www.aeromedevac.com

tel: fax:

AirEvac International

+202 3 336 0005 +202 3 762 0003

email: website:

alarm@connexassistance.com www.connexassistance.com

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

tel: fax:

+1 619 754-6755 +1 619 330 4551

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 tel: fax:

602-800-7070 855-831-5092

email: website:

PO Box 1578, Gallo Manor, 2052, SOUTH AFRICA

ops@aliamedflight.com www.aliamedflight.com

tel: fax:

+27 (0)11 259 5403 +27 (0)11 259 5001

24hr email: website:

assistance@mso.co.za www.mso.co.za

For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)

AA International Indonesia Brandon Heng – CEO Tifa Building, 10th Floor, No.1003, Jl. Kuningan Barat 1 No. 26, Mampang Prapatan, Jakarta 12710, INDONESIA tel: 24/7:

email: website:

+62 21 2927 9600 ops-jakarta@aa-international.co.id

marketing@aa-international.co.id www.aa-international.co.id

AIG Travel 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

ASSISTANCE COMPANIES (ASIA-PACIFIC)

SERVICE DIRECTORY

rahul.gupta@asiantms.com www.asiantms.com

24hr tel: fax:

NRK Koishikawa Bldg., 1-21-14 Koishikawa, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-0002, JAPAN tel: fax:

info@alpine-rescue.com www.alpine-rescue.com

email: website:

KZT@ap-companies.com www.ap-companies.com

Global Assistance Partners Co.,Ltd.

AP Companies UZBEKISTAN

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 email: website:

tel: fax:

uzb@ap-companies.com www.ap-companies.com

operations@globalassistance.co.kr www.globalassistance.co.kr

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

Sridhar K – Chief Operations Officer

Marby Cervantes Madulara – Team Leader, Operation and Medical Development

MALAYSIA

504P to 508P, Pacific Drive Five E Com Center Bldg. Pacific Drive Extension Block 18 Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, PHILIPPINES +63 999 878 6990

email: website:

Regina Zheng – Operations Manager

Dr Yin – Chief Medical Officer

tel:

+82 1670 0722 +82 2 720 8839

Global Doctor China

Asian Assistance – Myanmar

+95 979 584 3944

network@emergency.co.jp emergency.co.jp/english

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

4, 148 Mamir, Auzovskiy region, Almati, KAZAKHSTAN

tel:

email: website:

Alain Durand – President Director

Elmira Turmagambetova – General Manager

+9 987 123 890 41

+81-(0)3-3811-7520 +81-(0)3-3811-7511

Global Assistance & Healthcare

AP Companies KAZAKHSTAN

tel:

jay@emaglobal.com.ph www.emaglobal.com.sg

Takaaki Chiyo – Executive Officer, Head of Network Division

Mr. Ram Nepal – Executive Director 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:

email: website:

+63 (02) 555 5228 +63 (02) 863 0650

Emergency Assistance Japan

Alpine Rescue Service Pvt Ltd 'Mission: Save Life'

+ 7 727 350 52 76

dexter@emaglobal.com.sg www.emaglobal.com.sg

Unit 2314 Centuria Medical Makati, Century City, Kalayaan Ave. cor. Salamanca St. Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City - 1210, PHILIPPINES arms@armsindia.com www.armsindia.com

email: website:

+65 6753 9133 +65 6244 0030

Jay Bajas – Senior Manager - Operations

Flat 2B, Jaivijay Apartment , 61 B Palm Avenue Kolkata – 700019 West Bengal, INDIA

tel:

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

EMA Global Pte Ltd

Dr.Anraj Singh – Director

+91 983 1090 831 +91 033 4060 4013

Wilson Chan – CEO

tel:

ASIA RESCUE & MEDICAL SERVICES PVT. LTD

24/7 tel: 24/7 tel:

Covermore Assistance Online

1 Farrer Park Station Road, #15-18, Farrer Park Medical Centre, SINGAPORE 217562

131/1 , PICNIC GARDEN ROAD , KOLKATA - 700039 , INDIA email: website:

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

Dexter Tan – Business Development Director

Rahul Gupta – Sr. Manager - International Business

0091-9836309173 033-23440170

Anthony Decoste – President

EMA Global Pte Ltd

ASIAN TRAVEL AND MEDICAL SERVICES

tel: fax:

CareJet

email: website:

tel: fax:

Philippines@asian-assistance.com www.asian-assistance.com

+6 03 3359 6969 +6 03 3359 6161

email:

marketing@globalmedicallassistance.com

Asian Assistance – Thailand Susanne Mørch – Director Viphavadi Tower 15th floor, 51/3 Ngamwongwan Road, Ladyao, Chatchuchak, 10900 Bangkok, THAILAND tel:

+66 2 056 1800

email: website:

To have your company listed in our service directory, contact the sales department now:

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:

Vietnam@asian-assistance.com www.asian-assistance.com

sales@itij.com

BrightCare Assist Gloria Lee Carmen V. Matti – CEO

+44 (0)117 925 51 51 (opt.1)

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

SERVICE DIRECTORY

MEDIKA PLAZA Dr Nino Susanto – Operational 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

ADAC Ambulance Service Christoph Ullrich – Senior Manager International Network Hansastr. 19, D - 80686 Munich, GERMANY tel: 24hr Alarm:

+49 897 676 2912 +49 897 676 8912

email: website:

christoph.ullrich@adac.de www.adac.de/ambulance

ASSISTANCE COMPANIES (EUROPE)

(EUROPE) (ASIA-PACIFIC)

ASSISTANCE COMPANIES

For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)

AIG Travel

Eurocross Turkey Mehtap Baylam Akkaya – 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

Global Assistance a.s. Ing. Marek Jaroš – General Manager Dopraváku 749/3, 18400 Prague 8, CZECH REPUBLIC tel: fax:

+420 266 799 770 +420 266 799 797

ops@1220.cz www.1220.cz

email: website:

Global Voyager Assistance - Black Sea Sally Waithe – General Manager, AIG Travel EMEA

Oxana Razorenova – General Manager

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

77-79 Nezhinskaya Str., 65023, Odessa, UKRAINE tel: fax:

AP Companies

+38 048 7373 441 +38 048 7373 442

gmbs@gvassistance.com www.gvassistance.com

email: website:

Global Voyager Assistance - Russia Natalya Butakova – Business Development Manager

Costas Danilenko – CEO

17 Varshavskoye Shosse, Moscow 117105, RUSSIA

PO Box II, 125124 Moscow, RUSSIA

tel: fax:

+7 495 989 1120 +7 495 989 1130

natalya@ap-companies.ru www.ap-companies.ru

email: website:

tel: fax:

Argos Assistance Srl

+7 495 775 0999 +7 495 775 0998

email: website:

cdanilenko@gvassistance.com www.gvassistance.com

IFRA Assistance GmbH – Austria

Marco Rinalducci – Claims & Administration Director

Mr. Christian Steindl M.D. – CEO

Via Torino, 2 20123 Milano, ITALY / FRANCE

IFRA Assistance GmbH, Schießstattring 21, A-3100 St. Pölten, AUSTRIA

tel: fax:

+39 027 254 6325 +39 069 933 5053

operations@argosassistance.com www.argosassistance.com

email: website:

tel: fax:

Athens Assistance

+43 (0) 2742 49 11 +43 (0) 27 42 89165

email: website:

office@ifra.at www.ifra.at

Intana Global Denise Groom – Head of Commercial

Dr. Dimitris Koliniatis – CEO

Sussex House, Perrymount Road, Haywards heath, West Sussex, RH16 1DN, UK email: enquiries@intana-global.com website: www.intana-global.com

Bouboulinas 20, TK 185 35, Piraeus, Athens, GREECE tel: fax:

+30 210 4296 631 +30 210 4296 661

email: website:

operations@athensassistance.gr www.athensassistance.gr

AU International Service / ASSIST UKRAINE

Interamerican Assistance S.A.

Andrey ZIMIN – Director

Inez Tissink – Coordinator International Activities

Str. Sholudenko 3, 04116 Kiev, UKRAINE

Syngrou Avenue 350,17680 Kallithea, Athens, GREECE

tel:

+38044 251 28 11

assist@assist-ukraine.com assist-ukraine.com

email: website:

tel: fax:

BMC HEALTH SOLUTIONS 24hr Medical Assistance

(+30) 210 94 61 750 (+30) 210 94 61 004

email: website:

tissinki@interamerican.gr www.interamerican.gr

Malteser Service Center

Antonio Magliocca – Medical Director

Johannes Hoischen – International Network and Repatriation

Via del pozzo 30, Monteriggioni, 53100, Siena, ITALY

Erna-Scheffler-Strasse 2, 51103 Köln, GERMANY

24hr tel: fax:

+39 0823 966 694 +39 0823 966 694

info@assistenzamedicah24.it www.medicalassistanceh24.com

email: website:

tel: fax:

CNAS

ambulance@malteser.org www.malteser-service-center.de

Marm Assistance Hamdi Inan – CEO

80 rue des alliés, 38100, Grenoble, FRANCE

AirPort Plaza, Ankara Caddesi, No:486, Kurtkoy 34912, Istanbul, TURKEY

+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

German Air Rescue

email: website:

Carole Luisy – Managing Director

tel: fax:

German Air Rescue – Claim-Variante rot / schwarz

+49 221 98 22 9333 +49 40 694597 61339

+90 216 560 07 24 +90 216 560 07 07

email: website:

marm@marm.com.tr www.marmassistance.com

Medicall AG

Dr. Peter Huber – CEO

Markus Detel – Manager International Network

Rita-Maiburg-Str. 2, D-70794 Filderstadt, GERMANY

Zurichstrasse 38, CH-8306 Bruttisellen, SWITZERLAND

24h tel: fax:

+49 7007 3010 +49 7007 3119

email: website:

ops@drf-luftrettung.de www.drf-luftrettung.de/air-ambulance

tel:

DRK Assistance

+41 44 655 16 67

email: website:

mservices@medicall.ch www.medicall.ch

National Health Service LLC Andreas Speich – Managing Director

Dr. Ashfaq Rizvi – Financial Director

Aufm Hennekamp 71, 40225 Düsseldorf, GERMANY tel: fax:

+49 (211) 917 499 38 +49 (211) 917 499 27

email: website:

101000 Russia, Moscow, Potapovsky lane 5-2, RUSSIA

moc@drkassistance.de www.drkassistance.com

tel: fax:

EgyCross Assistance

+7 (495) 374-88-24 +7 (495) 374-88-24

email: website:

drrizvi@nhsassist.ru www.nhsassist.ru

Save Assistance France

Dr. Hany Benyamen – CEO

Thomas Blanchet – Key Account Manager / Responsable Grands Comptes

Av. del General Perón, 25 . Planta 10 F, 28020 Madrid, SPAIN

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

tel: tel:

+34 910 602 414 +20 100 6222 910

email: website:

ecanetwork@egycross-assistance.com www.egycross-europe.com

For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)

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 Eugenio Crenes – General Manager 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

ASSISTANCE COMPANIES (NORTH AMERICA)

ASSISTANCE COMPANIES

(EUROPE)

SERVICE DIRECTORY

Tangiers International

Active Care Management Paul Schlosser – Client Relationship Manager 3600 Rhodes Dr., Windsor, ON, N8W 5A4, CANADA tel: fax:

Jim Koziol – General Manager, North America 3330 Business Park Drive, Stevens Point WI 54482, USA tel:

+1 715 295 9105

email: website:

jim.koziol@aig.com aig.com/travel

ASSIST CARD 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

54 Melita Street, Valetta, VLT 1122, MALTA +356 277 800 16 +356 272 055 00

email: website:

info@tangiersinternational.com www.tangiersinternational.com

TBS Team 24 d.o.o

AXA Partners US

Edvard Hojnik – General Manger

Simon Jackson – Chief Commercial Officer

CROATIA, SLOVENIA, SERBIA, MNE, BH, KOS, MAC

122 South Michigan Ave, Suite 1100, Chicago, IL 60603, USA

+386 2616 5819 +386 2618 5800

tel: fax:

email: website:

tel:

info@tbs-team24.com www. tbs-team24.com

+1 312 935 1771

email: website:

simon.jackson@axa-assistance.us www.axa-assistance.us

CanAssistance

Tyrol Air Ambulance

Fabienne Lavoie – Director, International Operations and Claims

Manfred Helldoppler – Managing Director

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

Fuerstenweg 180, A-6026 Innsbruck-Airport, AUSTRIA +43 512 22422 100 +43 512 288 888

tel: fax:

(MIDDLE EAST)

pschlosser@active-care.ca www.active-care.ca

email: website:

AIG Travel

Jane Hegeler – Managing Director

tel: fax:

+519 945 8256 ext.4111 +519 251 5165

email: website:

taa@taa.at www.taa.at

GORAL ASSISTANCE CANADA INC.

CONNEX Assistance JLT Lara Helmi – International Network Director

David Ohayon – Local Manager

#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

2155 Vincent St, Montreal, QC H4M 1M6, CANADA tel: fax:

+1 514 448 1343 +1 514 448 1835

email: website:

info@goralassist.ca www.goralassist.com

MD ABROAD

Fakeeh International Dr. Fatih Mehmet GUL – Executive Director

Ignacio C. Marquez – COO

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

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

GORAL ASSISTANCE LTD Marcel Kadoche – International Network and Development Manager

Dra. Kinyi Haber – Medical Director. VP International Operation

Maskit 27 str. Herzeliya Industrial Park 46733, ISRAEL

2000 NW 89th Place. Miami FL 33172, UNITED STATES

tel: fax:

+972 9 9579930 +972 9 9579931

email: website:

tel: fax:

info@goralassist.com www.goralassist.com

+20 122 216 1133 Trambley@eagleassistance.com +20 120 242 4444

khaber@sunmedint.net www.sunmedint.net

Crystal Wharton – President

Marcos Morgan – Founder & CEO

217 Broadway Suite 608, New York, New York 10007, USA

38 Dr Mohammed Ali Al Baqli, El-Nozha, Cairo Governorate, EGYPT tel: email: hotline:

email: website:

TMCA Group Corp

Eagle Assistance International Ossama Trambley – Chairman

+1 786 888 6792 +1 786 551 0763

tel: fax:

+20 127 373 1478 Marcos@eagleassistance.com www.eagleassistance.com

tel: email: website:

+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

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:

24hr email: website:

assistance@mso.co.za www.mso.co.za

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

Global Excel Management Mary-Jo McDonald (MJ) – Managing Director – Europe

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

email: website:

corpinfo@globalexcel.com www.globalexcel.com

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

Hamdi Inan – 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:

+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 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

FUNERAL DIRECTORS

COST CONTAINMENT (NORTH AMERICA)

SERVICE DIRECTORY

FUNERARIA OFFICIA ROBERTO ZEGA - Worldwide Repatriations Specialist Cristina Zega – Repatriations Manager Via Clelia, 26 / 28 - 00181 Roma, ITALY tel: fax:

Christian Correa – Operations Director Zona Franca Local 110, Rionegro, Antioquia, COLOMBIA & USA tel: tel:

+1 203 343 8111 +57 4 562 1142

email: website:

info@g7ms.com www.g7ms.com

Fiona Greenwood – Operations Director 299-305 Whitehorse Road, West Croydon, Surrey CR0 2HR, UK

sales@itij.com or telephone: +44 (0)117 925 51 51 (opt.1) CRITICAL CARE PATIENT TRANSPORT

info@zega.it www.zega.it

G7 Mortuary Shipping - Latin-American Funeral Assistance

contact the sales department now:

tel: fax:

+44 20 8684 2324 +44 20 8684 8000

email: website:

info@rowlandbrothersinternational.com www.rowlandbrothersinternational.com

Singapore Casket Company Ltd

DRK Assistance Andreas Speich – Managing Director

Calvin Tang

Aufm Hennekamp 71, 40225 Düsseldorf, GERMANY

131 Lavender Street, Singapore, 338737, SINGAPORE

+49 211 301 805-0 +49 211 301 805-21

tel: fax:

email: website:

tel: fax:

moc@drkassistance.com www.drkassistance.com

+65 6293 4388 +65 6296 5993

email: website:

customerservice@singaporecasket.com.sg www.singaporecasket.com.sg

Spain Funeral Services

European Air Ambulance Patrick Schomaker – Director Sales & Marketing

Mourad Messaoud – General Manager

Luxembourg Airport, B.P.24, L-5201, Sandweiler, LUXEMBOURG

calle jesus 25-29200- ANTEQUERA, SPAIN

24hr tel: fax:

+352 26 26 00 +352 26 26 01

email: website:

sales@itij.com or telephone: +44 (0)117 925 51 51 (opt.1)

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) Flying Home Pte Ltd Mr Ang Ziqian – Director

GROUND TRANSPORT - MEDICAL

ambulance@malteser.org www.malteser-service-center.de

email: website:

Skyservice Air Ambulance

+65 6253 0001 +65 6353 5801

email: website:

DRK Assistance Andreas Speich – Managing Director Aufm Hennekamp 71, 40225 Düsseldorf, GERMANY +49 211 301 805-0 +49 211 301 805-21

tel: fax:

email: website:

moc@drkassistance.com 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

Blk 4 Lorong 8 Toa Payoh #01-1345A, SINGAPORE tel: fax:

contact@spainuneralservices.com www.spainfuneralservices.com

contact the sales department now:

Erna-Scheffler-Strasse 2, 51103 Köln, GERMANY +49 221 98 22 9333 +49 40 694597 61339

email: website:

To have your company listed in our service directory

Johannes Hoischen – International Network and Repatriation

tel: fax:

+34 902 008 407 +34 627 053 979

tel: tel:

alert@air-ambulance.com www.air-ambulance.com

Malteser Service Center

FUNERAL DIRECTORS

email: website:

Rowland Brothers International Ltd.

To have your company listed in our service directory

enquiry@flyinghome.com www.flyinghome.com

Funeral Home AURIGA Ltd.

LifeMed Worldwide

Helena Sulikova – Chief of International Department

24/7 Chauffeured Transportation & Ground Ambulance

B. Nemcové Street 1052/1, 412 01 Litomerice, CZECH REPUBLIC

990 Biscayne Blvd. Suite 502 Miami, FL 33132, USA

tel: fax:

Funeralia

0039 06 78 40 300 0039 06 78 02 488

+420 724 257 899 +420 416 732 582

email: website:

tel:

repatriations@pohrebni-auriga.cz www.funeral-assistance.cz

+1-305-501-2009

email: website:

ops@lifemedworldwide.com www.lifemedworldwide.com

One Call Medical Transport Oleg Antoni Milinski – Funeral Director

24 Hour Worldwide Ground Transports

International funeral services, UKRAINE, POLAND, ITALY

3815 E Main St., Suite C St. Charles, IL 60174, USA

tel: fax:

+38 0971 498 785 +48 5131 236 78

email: website:

tel: fax:

funeralia.org@gmail.com www.Funeralia.org

Maurizio Fantozzi – Director

email: website:

ops@ocmt.com www.ocmt.com

contact the sales department now:

Indirizzo dell’Azienda: Via Roma 255, Capistrello, Aquila, ITALY +39 327 328 7979 +39 (0) 863 186 1635

email: email:

To have your company listed in our service directory

Funerarium International repatriation and embalming

tel: tel:

+1 630 444 2100 +1 630 823 2900

sales@itij.com or telephone: +44 (0)117 925 51 51 (opt.1)

segreteria@funerarium.it funerarium.it

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

Luz Saúde SA Eve Jokel, MPH – International Director Rua Carlos Alberto da Mota Pinto, 17-9.º 1070-313 Lisboa, PORTUGAL +351 213 138 260 +351 213 530 292

tel: fax:

Quironsalud

email: website:

intlpatientservices@luzsaude.pt luzsaude.pt/en

Miguel Torregrosa – International Inbound Business Manager SPAIN +34 901 123 456

tel:

email: website:

g24@quironsalud.es www.quironsalud.es/international

MEDICAL ESCORT ON COMMERCIAL AIRLINES

SERVICE DIRECTORY

MEDICAL PROVIDER

HOSPITALS

For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)

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.

Stephen Avise – VP of Operations 835 Seminole Blvd., Tarpon Springs FL, 34689, USA +1 727 230 2263 +39 345 461 8122

US tel: EU tel:

email: website:

info@skycareglobal.com www.skycareglobal.com

AMREF Flying Doctors Dr Bettina Vadera – Medical Director Wilson Airport, Langata Road, PO Box 18617, Nairobi, KENYA +254 20 6000 090 +254 20 344 170

tel: fax:

email: website:

Jacquie Schwoerke – Vice President, Sharp GPS

Joe Beeltah – Client Liaison Executive

8695 Spectrum Center Blvd., San Diego, CA 92123, USA

121 Harley Street, London W1G 6AX, UK

+1 888-265-1513 +1 858-499-4967

email: website:

UC San Diego Health System International Patient Program Larry Baker – Managing Director 136 W. Dickinson Street, Suite 109, San Diego, CA 92103-8222, USA +1 619 471 0466 +1 619 543 5282

tel: fax:

24/7 tel: int. tel:

Sharp.GlobalPatientServices@sharp.com www.sharp.com

email: website:

lbaker@ucsd.edu health.ucsd.edu/international

AC Global Medical Transports

TECHNOLOGY

toll free: tel:

emergency@flydoc.org www.flydoc.org

The Doctorcall Group

Sharp Global Patient Services

0344 257 0345 +44 161 214 1906

email: website:

guarantees@doctorcall.co.uk www.doctorcall.co.uk

Aquarium Software Ltd Poplar House, 126a Ashley Road, Hale, WA14 2UN, UK tel: tel:

+44 (0) 20 3011 4000 +1 213 205 2200

info@aquarium-software.com aquarium-software.com

email: website:

Cambridge Global Payments

Milan Floribus – President

Brad Loder – VP Marketing & Corporate Sponsorships

8775 Aero Drive, Ste 120, San Diego, CA 92123, USA

212 King Street West, Suite 400, Toronto, ON M5H 1K5 CANADA

+1 858 437 5131 +1 858 408 7856

tel: fax:

email: website:

tel:

milanfloribus@gmail.com acglobalmedicaltransports.com

email: website:

+1 (416) 646 6401 ext. 2392

bloder@cambridgefx.com www.cambridgefx.com

Firemelon (Magenta Insurance System)

AirMed Australia

David Corney – Managing Director

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

40-42 Lisburn Road, Belfast,BT9 6AA, NORTHERN IRELAND tel:

AMREF Flying Doctors

02895 213 831

email: website:

david.corney@firemelon.com www.firemelon.com

Nordic Insurance Software

Dr Bettina Vadera – Medical Director

Elliott Draga – Head of Sales and Marketing

Wilson Airport, Langata Road, PO Box 18617, Nairobi, KENYA

Aarhusgade 88, 6th Floor, 2100 Copenhagen, DENMARK

tel: fax:

+254 20 6000 090 +254 20 344 170

email: website:

emergency@flydoc.org www.flydoc.org

DRK Assistance Andreas Speich – Managing Director Aufm Hennekamp 71, 40225 Düsseldorf, GERMANY tel: fax:

+49 211 301 805-0 +49 211 301 805-21

email: website:

moc@drkassistance.com www.drkassistance.com

tel:

TRAVEL AGENTS

MEDICAL ESCORT ON COMMERCIAL AIRLINES

PARKVIEW AIR MEDICAL

+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:

Medical Wings

+352 26 26 00 +352 26 26 01

email: website:

alert@air-ambulance.com www.air-ambulance.com

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

sales@itij.com

Prime Nursing Care, Inc.

+44 (0)117 925 51 51 (opt.1)

Franziska Hollenstein – CEO / Founder 1918 Harrison Street, Suite 215, Hollywood, Florida, 33020, USA 24/ 7 tel: fax:

+ 1 754 999 0460 + 1 754 222 5051

email: website:

contact@primenursingcare.com www.primenursingcare.com

ON THE MOVE

CII enhances comms team The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) has made two new appointments to its communications team. Andrew Collinson will henceforth serve as PR Manager, supported by Reace Novello, who has been newly appointed as PR Executive. Andrew brings over seven years’ experience in the communications sector, and the CII plans to position him as a key commentator on the major issues currently facing the insurance and financial sectors in the UK and how best the industry can address the public’s concerns. He has previously worked with the British Standards Institution, the UK’s national standards body. In his new role, he will report

to Communications and PR Director Michelle Worvell, who said: “We’re really pleased with the appointment of Andrew as PR Manager. He comes with an impressive background in communications and is a welcome addition to the team. This is an interesting time in the organisation with an increased focus on promoting professional standards in insurance and expanding our membership so that it is representative of an increasingly diverse customer base. Andrew, along with Reace, will play an important role in engaging with the media and other external influencers to ensure that these important messages reach all of our members across the world.”

New UK CEO for Hiscox Hiscox UK, the UK arm of specialist global insurer Hiscox, has appointed a new CEO. Pending regulatory approval, Bob Thaker will take on the role of CEO as of March. Bob has been with Hiscox since 2010, first joining as Head of Strategy before moving through various senior roles, including Group Chief Risk Officer. He also served as Head of Claims for Hiscox UK and Europe before relocating to Asia, where he served as Chief Operating Officer of DirectAsia. “I’m delighted to be returning to Hiscox UK and honoured to lead a great team

that has consistently served customers superbly and created a strong market position over many years,” said Bob. “I know from my time with the business a few years ago that we’re fortunate to enjoy fabulous support from our broker partners, for which we are incredibly grateful. I look forward to working with the team and these terrific partners to build on these great foundations in the year ahead.” Bob takes over from Steve Langan, and will report to Ben Walter, CEO of Hiscox Global Retail.

New appointment at Expatriate Group

Amanda Giscos

UK-based international provider of insurance services Expatriate Group has appointed a new Head of International Business Development. This follows a move to larger premises. Amanda Giscos will assume the role. She has almost 20 years’ experience working as a financial services professional, with previous responsibilities in marketing and distributing of a wide range of financial planning vehicles in independent, tied and intermediary positions. “With our ever-broadening product suite, it’s important to make sure that we are fully engaged with the international broker community. They are a hugely important part of our continued growth, and it was

the right time to refocus our relationship to ensure that we had the right person to nurture these relationships,” said Lee Gerry, Expatriate Group Director. “Therefore, we are extremely pleased to confirm the appointment of someone with two decades of experience of meeting the needs of agents and brokers around the world.” Amanda said: “I’m delighted to be joining such a hugely experienced team of people and I look forward to reaching out to our existing partners and reengaging with old friends, to see how we can continue to maintain forward momentum across our suite of products to ensure that our services continue to remain relevant to the international community.”

Marm appoints Juma Marm Assistance has announced the appointment of Jamil Juma as its new Regional Manager for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) regions, as part of efforts to expand its presence in these regions. In his new role, based in Dubai, Jamil will be responsible for expanding Marm’s delivery of assistance services in the Middle East. He brings more than 14 years’ experience in provider and network management, having previously managed business relationships with medical providers across 47 countries, delivering services to

international and corporate clients who operate in remote, complex and difficult locations in the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia. His experience in healthcare delivery systems, safety at work and remote management of healthcare services will add significant value to the service capabilities of Marm Assistance, said the company. The appointment is part of Marm’s ongoing plans to expand into the Middle East; the company already has one office in Iran, with local staff operating on the ground.

Jamil Juma

Willis Towers Watson boosts London P&C arm

New appointments at Allianz Care

Willis Towers Watson has appointed Tom Rowley as Senior Vice-President for North American Property and Matt Harvey to Senior Vice-President for International Property. Both will sit within the Property & Casualty CoE, which has responsibility for the placement of US, international and UK retail risks into the London and international market. The appointments have been designed to deliver strategic market growth, harnessing Willis Towers Watson’s data, analytics and technology to enable the global insurance market to provide solutions to compliment local market placements. “I am delighted that working closely with our colleagues in the UK we have identified the talent and a portfolio of clients who can benefit from the long-term stability of the London property market

Allianz Care, the international health segment of Allianz Partners, has announced two senior appointments; Paul Halfyear is taking over the role of General Manager for Qatar and Kai Großheim has been appointed Sales Manager for Germany. Paul has nearly three decades’ experience in the insurance industry, having served in a variety of roles in the UK and Qatar. He holds a number of sector-specific qualifications from both the Chartered Insurance Institute and the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments; in his new role, he will lead Allianz Care’s work in Qatar towards sustainable growth and success, according to the company. Kai brings over 22 years’ insurance industry experience to his new role, including 16 years in the IPMI brokerage and consulting sector.

ITIJ SelectCare 0918.indd 1

place,” said Gary Marchitello, Head of Property Broking, North America. “This demonstrates our commitment to clients that we will seek out the best solutions for them regardless of geography.” Garret Gaughan, Head of Property & Casualty CoE, added: “We are delighted to be able to make significant investment in talent to help grow our business. External issues such as Brexit, increased regulation and market volatility mean our global clients are facing significant challenges. We recognise that continued innovation is necessary across the London market and these two appointments will ensure we can continue to bring depth of expertise and a compelling value proposition for our clients, as well as supporting the London market capability.”

He has a degree in Insurance Business Administration from the University of Applied Sciences of Cologne; in his new role, he will focus on driving sales in the German market. “I am thrilled to welcome both Paul and Kai to the global Allianz Care team,” said Alexis Obligi, Chief Sales Officer for International Health at Allianz Partners. “Both have extensive experience working in the sector and bring vast region-specific knowledge to their roles. I look forward to working with them over the coming months and years as we continue to focus on the key markets of Qatar and Germany and wish them every success in their new positions.” Kai Großheim

Paul Halfyear

2018-09-25 7:22 PM

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