ESSENTIAL READING FOR TRAVEL & HEALTH INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS
SEPTEMBER 2019 • ISSUE 224
NEWS ANALYSIS P.12 EDGE OF DARKNESS Exploring the rise of dark tourism
FEATURE P.32 MORE THAN JUST A MIDDLEMAN Checking in with the brokers
Once upon a time in America
SERVICE DIRECTORY P.39 Your essential guide to suppliers for the global travel and health insurance industry
The insurance is out there ... A Florida-based insurance agency that has been offering alien abduction coverage to the good people of planet Earth since 1987 has recently added Area 51 Coverage The ‘product’ is inspired by the recent Facebook campaign titled ‘Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us’, and intended for those brave (or perhaps foolhardy) souls planning to break into Area 51, a restricted-access military zone in Nevada, US which is reputed to contain evidence of alien life. The action is planned for 20 September. Saint Lawrence Agency, founded by Mike St Lawrence, offers a US$10-million policy with $20-million double indemnity (should there be extenuating circumstances) for the single lifetime premium of $19.95. The alien abduction policy offers outpatient psychiatric care, double indemnity coverage and sarcasm coverage – ‘if they heckle you’, explained St Lawrence, though he noted that the sarcasm coverage is limited to immediate family members only. “In our research, we found out that 70 per cent of all the sarcasm originates in the immediate family,” he said. By 1999 the company had over 5,000 policyholders and had approved two claims. “If you do the math – if you’re working with the internal revenue service – it’s not a great deal of money,” said St
A new study from the US Travel Insurance Association (UStiA) suggests that consumers in the US are spending as much as $4 billion on travel insurance annually, demonstrating a welcome willingness to safeguard their financial health against potential risks In 2018, according to UStiA’s 2016-2018 Travel Protection Market Study, Americans spent approximately $3.8 billion on all types of travel protection – including annual products, per-trip coverage and all flavours of benefits
– representing a staggering 40.9-per-cent increase compared with 2016. Around 65.8 million people (49.1-per-cent higher than in 2016) were protected by more than 46.3 million plans (36.5-per-cent more than 2016), and UStiA also found that these plans were purchased through myriad different channels, including travel insurance providers, travel agents, aggregators and online suppliers. The vast majority – nearly 90 per cent – of travel protection products purchased by American consumers in 2018 included benefits for trip cancellation and interruption, while products
and programmes with more of a focus on medical and medical evacuation benefits accounted for 6.3 per cent of overall sales. Commenting on the findings of the report, UStiA’s Executive Director Megan Cruz said: “The industry has continuously evolved to meet the needs of the marketplace. With increased mobility, the travel insurance industry has met the needs of the market by providing products and coverages that protect lives, valuables and investment.” The study was conducted on behalf of UStiA by Willis Towers Watson.
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Editorial comment @ITIJonline
Editor-in-Chief:
Stefan Mohamed - Deputy Editor stefan@itij.com
Ian Cameron ian@itij.com
Editor:
Sarah Watson sarah@itij.com
Deputy Editor: Hello there, faithful consumers of travel insurance news! Please come in, don’t be afraid, you are in the right place – this is the same old ITIJ that you have grown to know and love, like a relative who quietly moved in years ago without you really realising, yet who is now an essential part of the furniture. We’ve just had a bit of a facelift, that’s all. A little freshening up around the edges, a wee nip, a wee tuck. We felt as though our old look was getting a bit long in the tooth, and as we pride ourselves on being at the cutting edge of happenings in your industry, we felt it was only fitting that our visual style reflected that. We’re very pleased with our redesign – if you have any comments, please do let us know! But make sure they’re complimentary, our designers are very sensitive. Of course, it’s not all about looks. We’re not that shallow. Behind the new, prettier face, ITIJ is still the same rich bastion of informative content it’s ever been – perhaps even more so than ever. We’ve got three Industry
Voices, covering topics as diverse as space tourism and hurricane protection! We’ve got a News Analysis on dark tourism! We’ve got a feature exploring what’s going on in the world of brokers! We’ve got alien abduction insurance and flesh-eating bacteria and jellyfish invasions – all the spiciest, most blazing amazing, most flaming hot sizzling news from the world of travel insurance and its various equally important industries, orbiting it like loyal moons (OK that’s enough of that – Ed.) We hope you enjoy this issue of the new-look ITIJ. As ever, if you wish to get in touch to offer expertise and commentary – perhaps in the form of an Industry Voice – drop us a line at editorial@itij.com. It’s always great to hear from our audience, not least because it reassures us that we’re not merrily chattering away into an uncaring void. Until next time, gentle readers!
Stefan Mohamed stefan@itij.com
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CONTENTS HIGHLIGHTS
Elspeth Reid Alex Rogers Kirstin Reid
HEADLINE NEWS
Leaving on a jet plane – or not
P.4 COMPANY NEWS
Insurtechs Pluto and Blink team up
Which airports are worst for flight delays?
P.24
Space tourism
Tommy Baker William McClelland Robbie Gray Rosi Yip
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Real-time cover for flight delays
INDUSTRY VOICE
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The CII’s Dr Matthew Connell looks to infinity – and beyond
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P.18
Attack of the flesh-eating bacteria
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GENERAL INSURANCE NEWS
Choose your fighter
PwC unveils 2019 insurtech challengers
TRAVEL NEWS
Humans vs jellyfish
P.31
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www.itij.com/subscribe Published on behalf of: Voyageur Publishing & Events Ltd. The information contained in this publication has been published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. Neither the publisher nor Voyageur Publishing & Events Ltd can accept any responsibility for any error or misinterpretation. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or other damage caused by reliance on the information contained in this publication, or in the event of bankruptcy or liquidation or cessation of the trade of any company, individual or firm mentioned is hereby excluded. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.
P.20
Spanish beaches overrun with squishy visitors
Printed by Pensord Press, South Wales, United Kingdom Copyright © Voyageur Publishing & Events Ltd 2019. Materials in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL & HEALTH INSURANCE JOURNAL
ISSN 2055-1215
PEFC/16-33-447
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HEADLINE NEWS
Editorial Blog OK ... OK … so, I know that my rant is a bit way out there sometimes … ... and I have to admit that there has been the odd session with friends (yes, I have more than one) where I have claimed to have seen aliens / monsters / mothers-in-law and so on, but that’s mainly been at the end of a long night. And usually the barperson / policeman / paramedic makes them go away when he helps pick me up off the floor / pavement. But come on! I mean, seriously … ALIEN ABDUCTION Insurance??? ... that’s so far out, it’s not even in our galaxy … But I guess if you’re going to ‘storm Area 51’, rumoured to be the USA’s secret extraterrestrial hideaway, on 20 September, then perhaps alien abduction insurance is a sensible move? Do you think?
Ian Cameron Editor-in-chief
got SARCASM cover written in there – brilliant! Although Mr McClaim (love him) would have had infinitely more claims from me, particularly if the cover was extended to the office environment. Oh … and then there’s the clause that you’re supposed to have a sense of humour in order to buy the policy. Sadly, I think we all know a few people in this industry who would be excluded by that clause. Anyway, Mr St Lawrence, the purveyor of these policies, is my new hero. Don’t you just love it? To infinity and beyond, then ...
A new global study from luggage storage network Stasher reveals the best and worst airports in terms of flight delays
You’ve gotta love it though. And they’ve
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The insurance is out there ... Lawrence in an interview with Fox 13 in 1999. “I just want to make that clear, because I don’t want to have to do anything.” The two claims came in from New York state through claim forms, which, as a rule, must include a description of the event, the aliens, the aircraft type and the abduction itself, and have the signature of an authorised onboard alien. The head of the claims department at the time, Mr McClaim – who St Lawrence detailed had no credentials whatsoever, but at the time of the interview had yet to make any mistakes – authorised one of the claims based on an imprint that a gentlemen obtained and which a professor at MIT deemed to be ‘not of earthly origin’ upon examination. The gentleman in question is currently receiving his $10-million payment in installments of one dollar a year over 10 million years, as per the policy conditions of payment. Since the Facebook page gained
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Over the Hill Policy, all of which are valued at $10 million. Speaking about the Over the Hill Policy, St Lawrence added: “I wrote it when I was below 40, and I don’t think it’s so damn funny any more to be honest.” Policyholders include members of NASA, FBI agents and people looking for an original gift for a birthday. And as per the terms of purchase, policyholders are required to ‘have a sense of humour’. “We’re not trying to scam anybody, it’s a humorous product for gift giving,” commented St Lawrence.
The alien abduction policy offers outpatient psychiatric care, double indemnity coverage and sarcasm coverage
popularity, Saint Lawrence Agency has added additional policyholders, bringing its numbers to above 6,000. The agency also offers additional policies including the Asteroid Insurance Policy, the Y2K Policy, the Reincarnation Policy and the
Leaving on a jet plane – or not
We’ll be interested to see if any of the big players in the insurance world decide to offer this coverage to any of their customers in the near future, but for now it’s good to know that Mike St Lawrence has everyone covered for any unworldly eventualities.
The study analysed 106 airports and found that those in Southeast Asia were some of the worst for flight delays. In fact, Soekarno-Hatta Int Airport in Indonesia came 106th on the list, with a score of zero out of 10, making it the worst airport for flight delays; Ninoy Aquinto Int Airport in the Philippines ranked 104th, with a score of 3.17 (the third worst); and Tan Son Nhat Int Airport in Vietnam came 101st, with a score of 3.73 (the sixth worst). Stasher noted that these poor results could reflect Southeast Asia’s growing number of business travellers and tourists and the related infrastructure, which has failed to
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England’s Stansted Airport in London scored 2.59 out of 10, making it the second worst airport out of all 106 analysed
keep up with the surge in demand. “The Asia-Pacific region is expected to experience 5.5-per-cent growth in passenger air traffic, compared with an estimated world average of 4.4 per cent,” Stasher said. “Flights in the region are also frequently impacted by unpredictable, adverse weather conditions, especially during local rainy seasons.” England’s Stansted Airport in London scored 2.59 out of 10, making it the second worst airport out of all 106 analysed, and Stasher also revealed that Stansted came first in a 2018 investigation into the worst airports in the UK, which Stansted blamed on ‘adverse weather and air traffic issues’. Stasher added: “The airport does seem to be taking its negative reputation seriously though, and reports reveal it has received a multimillion-pound investment from Ryanair to help deliver significant service improvements to flight punctuality.” Other European airports that suffer some of the worst flight delays include Brussels Airport in Belgium, ranking fourth worst (3.46); Lisbon Airport in Portugal, which,
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at fifth worst, scored 3.68; and Charles de Gaulle Airport in France, which ranked seventh worst at number 100 (4.10). Frankfurt am Main Airport (4.43) and Barcelona-El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport (4.49), respectively in Germany and Spain, came ninth and 10th on the list of the worst airports for flight delays. Cairo Int Airport in Egypt also made it onto the list, coming eighth, with a score of 4.26. In contrast to the worst airports for flight delays, half of the top 10 bestscoring airports are in East Asia. Tokyo Haneda Airport (8.91, second best) and Kansai International (8.30, fourth best) in Japan, Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (8.18, sixth best) and Shanghai Pudong International Airport (7.96, eighth best) in China and Taoyuan International Airport (7.96, ninth best) in
Taiwan all achieved excellent scores for their low number of delayed flights. Stasher revealed that the airport with the least flight delays was Sheremetyevo Int Airport in Russia, scoring a full 10 and making it the best airport for timely flights out of all 106 on the list. “It was the only airport with less than 10 per cent of delayed flights over a year,” explained Stasher. “Just six per cent of flights were delayed for longer than 15 minutes.” The Russian airport also ranked as the overall best airport in the world in the study, which scored it highly on categories such as affordable parking costs, the number of lounges it offers passengers and airport hotel quality. “Our latest study has produced some fascinating and unexpected results,” commented Anthony Collias, CoFounder and CCO of Stasher. “It’s great to see so many airports with a low flight delay rating, and those who are underperforming, investing money and expanding infrastructure to improve the passenger experience.”
SELL TRAVEL INSURANCE ONLINE Plug & Play technology solution empowering your customers to Quote, Compare & Buy.
www.TMQuotes.com | 408.763.9640
HEADLINE NEWS INDUSTRY VOICE
Tourism plus insurance: the formula for scaling up business Rajeev Shrivastava, CEO of VisitorsCoverage, analyses how a booming travel industry offers bountiful opportunities for insurers Tourism is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. According to the World Tourism and Travel Council, its contribution to the world economy was US$8.8 trillion in 2018, and it is set to multiply manifold in the future. The tourism sector has witnessed continued growth and deepening diversification, owing to sustained economic growth, higher disposable income, and digital penetration. The term ‘wanderlust’ has been etched into the minds of people, especially millennials, who prioritise experience over tangible goods. Millennial tourism trends like ‘bizcation’ and ‘digital nomads’ have accelerated the growth of technology disruptors in the industry. With the boom of social media and the proliferation of modern technology, early adoption is the key. The rise in travel and tourism has increased the need for travel medical insurance, and modern technology has provided a platform for everyone with an internet connection to purchase coverage with a click of a button and travel hassle-free. For insurance agents, it is an opportunity to increase revenue, diversify the portfolio, and scale exponentially by selling travel insurance. The age of automation Automation has proven to be the long-awaited game-changer of the industry. According to research conducted by McKinsey Global Institute in 2017, 43 per cent of the insurance and finance industry has the potential for automation, saving millions of dollars by eradicating repetitive processes. Presently, insurers face challenges with optimising operational costs, improving customer experience and maximising ROI. The businesses that have currently implemented automation have witnessed a positive impact and an increase in revenue.
in 10 insurers are using it in their business today as an integral part of their technology environment and business platform strategies. Some of the benefits of selling travel medical insurance online include:
Formula to scale up business Medical emergencies are expensive and may occur at any time. Most consumers today are also aware of the fact that domestic insurances do not cover international networks. Hence, travel medical insurance is the only investment that can offset the risk of having to incur huge medical bills during a vacation. The advent of automation, coupled with the increasing demand for travel insurance owing to the rise in travel and tourism, manifests as the best opportunity for insurers to sell travel medical insurance online. Selling international travel insurance online in the current market scenario is the best formula to scale and drive volume for the business.
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• Reduced operational costs. An option to purchase insurance online eliminates the need for a physical space, thereby reducing any additional expenditure. It also leads to providing cost-effective insurance policies to the customers. • Faster processing. Insurance plans available online allow customers to fill in the information in a few steps which can be submitted later for review. Earlier, a significant amount of time was lost in approaching the insurance agent to check the progress or edit any details and delivering the papers to the respective department for perusal. An online marketplace for insurance allows the sellers to gain more customers and the
The need for a one-stop solution While the insurance industry is profitable, selling insurance is not easy. Distributing insurance plans online requires sound technological prowess to drive the business and provide effective customer service. The ultimate one-stop insurance platform should:
HEALTH
Chikungunya and Zika in Myanmar The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a level one travel health notice (exercise normal precautions) for chikungunya fever and a level two notice (exercise increased caution) for Zika for people travelling to Myanmar, the Taipei Times has reported. The travel one advisory for chikungunya infection warns against all non-essential travel to Myanmar, the Maldives, Thailand and India, which are countries where the virus has been brought into Taiwan since July. The Taipei Times reported that, according to the CDC, 25 chikungunya fever cases have been confirmed this year, 12 of which were from Myanmar. The disease is transmitted by the bites of infected mosquitoes, so it is important that
travellers practise precautions related to preventing mosquito bites, such as using insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved clothes. Symptoms of the disease include fever, joint pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and muscle pain and travellers experiencing these should seek medical assistance. Zika virus is another disease transmitted by mosquitoes and CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang said that travellers to Myanmar or other Southeast Asian countries where the Zika virus, chikungunya fever and dengue fever are spreading should protect against mosquito bites by wearing long sleeves, using government-approved insect repellents and staying in places with screened windows and doors.
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In conclusion The current market trends indicate an accelerated growth in travel and tourism and, subsequently, the increase in the demand for travel medical insurance. The future looks promising for insurers to grab this opportunity to scale their business. By leveraging technology, insurers can sell travel medical insurance online, overcome challenges, and boost revenue. ■
By leveraging technology, insurers can sell travel medical insurance online, overcome challenges, and boost revenue customers get to enjoy their benefits faster. • Customer experience. Selling insurance online improves the customer experience. Users can reach out to their insurer through the platform, gain access to insurance plans, and compare other insurance schemes before making the right decision with ease.
The easiest way to sell insurance: go online It’s no surprise that the penetration of smartphones has brought many people to purchase/operate everything online. The shift from traditional methods of selling insurance to applying for a suitable insurance plan online has also allowed absolute transparency and ease. Quelling the debate of using cloud insurtech, seven
• Include features to attract and multiply the customer base to buy travel medical insurance. • Keep up with new technologies to improve customer experience and update new features. • Include interactive and innovative software such as quoting engines. • Include an option to customise existing or new insurance plans. • Provide regular training to keep up with the latest insurance trends.
Rajeev Shrivastava VisitorsCoverage
Rajeev Shrivastava is CEO of global insurtech company VisitorsCoverage Inc., an online marketplace that allows travellers to acquire and manage travel insurance online. He has also founded several online technology brands including TMQuotes™, an innovative technology platform that empowers insurance agents or brokers to sell travel insurance online.
HEADLINE NEWS HEALTH
TRAVEL
This is spinal snap
Protecting female travellers
Holidays that involve water slides and diving into shallow water could be life-changing in more ways than one, a spinal surgeon has warned Evan Davies of University Hospital Southampton in the UK has warned holidaymakers to think twice before diving headfirst into water-themed fun, and avoid activities that could be unsafe. If you have a bad feeling about something, you should probably trust your gut instincts! “What can often look on the face of it to be a quick and innocent thrill on these attractions can have potential to cause significant injury – that is something any impact head-on at high speed can cause,” he warned. Davies said that he recently operated on a patient who fractured his spine diving onto hidden rocks in Croatia and also referred to the case of a patient who snapped two vertebrae in his neck on a head-first water slide in Spain. “It is so important that, in the excitement of being on holiday, people remember life can change in an instant and that has been evident recently both in my own patient cases and in the news,” he said. He also highlighted the fact that health warnings are not always high on the agenda at many holiday attractions, and it is therefore important that holidaymakers carry out a quick assessment of their own and also avoid getting carried away
Riskline has launched a new travel resource aimed specifically at female travellers that helps them identify and avoid unnecessary risk when travelling and working abroad. The Female Traveller Safety Reports provide a series of detailed, countryspecific reports that have been carefully researched by Riskline’s highly experienced team of female analysts. The reports, which cover over 220 countries and regions, detail local customs and laws, safety concerns and health and wellness, and all are designed to apply to a wide spectrum of female travellers, regardless of age, length of assignment, or reasons for travelling. The reports all support a
with feelings of ‘fun and invincibility’. Underlining the seriousness of the situation, Davies stated that sometimes no level of surgery can recover the damage caused in a moment of madness. This stands as a reminder to
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It is so important that, in the excitement of being on holiday, people remember life can change in an instant
travellers to exercise caution, keep their wits about them and, of course, ensure they have appropriate travel insurance in place that covers the activities they are planning to do while away.
Is travel insurance on the bucket list?
The study, by Sainsbury’s Bank Travel Insurance in the UK, found that 33 per cent of British parents have a trip to Disney World on their bucket list, while 24 per cent wish to go on safari and 23 per cent would love to go to Lapland. Additional bucket list activities are an extended road trip (23 per cent), visiting the wonders of the world (23 per cent), a family sabbatical (17 per cent), visiting all of the world’s continents (17 per cent), sailing in a hot air balloon, learning a language (16 per cent) and going to a family music festival (15 per cent).
company’s duty of care obligation to keep their employees safe while travelling. Suzanne Sangiovese, Operations Manager – Americas – at Riskline, commented: “Not all travellers are the same, and female travellers face unique safety risks. Women can be perceived as an ‘easier target’ for criminals and are more likely than men to be victims of sexual harassment.” The reports are accessible to employers and their staff via Riskline’s portal and app. And while of course they will be useful to employers and employees, travel insurers may also find them a handy resource when calculating risk profiles for individual countries.
Sainsbury’s Bank Travel Insurance reiterated the importance of appropriate travel insurance for those wishing to realise these dreams. “Holidays, and taking part in a dream experience, are clearly a top priority for UK families. That’s why travelling safely and ensuring you’ve got good quality travel insurance is a key consideration before embarking on a trip of a lifetime,” said Karen Hogg, Head of Travel Insurance at Sainsbury’s Bank. When it comes to the motivations behind the bucket list activities, 16 per
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Whether it be reaching that 100th notch on the bedpost, swimming with pigs in the Bahamas or outliving the threat of climate change, most of us have a bucket list of activities that we would like to accomplish before we, well, kick the bucket. New research has highlighted the trips that are top of family bucket lists, with Disney World coming out on top (of the world)
cent of parents said they wish to give their children experiences they never had, while 19 per cent of parents said that they have chosen experiences that their children will enjoy more.
Sainsbury’s Bank’s top tips on travelling as a family are to: plan ahead, take out a family travel insurance policy, pack smartly, organise entertainment for the trip and learn a little of the destination country’s language.
Bucket list activities include a family sabbatical, visiting all of the world’s continents, sailing in a hot air balloon, learning a language and going to a family music festival
HEADLINE NEWS GENERAL INSURANCE NEWS
And the award goes to … Now in its sixth year, we once again welcome the annual results of the Mozo Experts Choice Awards – recognising those who provide the very best of travel insurance to Australia. This year, the awards focused on those who provided the best policies, collating pricing for 243 international travel insurance policies from 66 different insurers, comparing the findings and determining the winners by those who delivered exceptional value or benefits to consumers. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the winners for 2019. Taking home the coveted ‘Travel Insurer of the Year’ award for the second year in a row is World2Cover. The travel insurance company featured heavily in many of the awards categories, taking a total of 10 this year, more than any other insurer.
DIT hosts insurtech conference in Africa
Woolworths and Travel with Kit both took home three Exceptional Value Awards, including policies that provided the best comprehensive cover at the best cost. RACV was also given three awards, one for offering some of the best value ski travel insurance cover in the Exceptional Value category, and two in the Exceptional Quality category. Fast Cover, InsureandGo and Cover-More Travel Insurance were each given two awards. Two Exceptional Quality awards were given to Cover-More and InsureandGo, while Fast Cover received one Exceptional Quality and one Exceptional Value award. Other award recipients were Jetstar, Real Insurance and Simply Travel Insurance, which each took home an Exceptional Value award. Additionally, STA Travel, Travel Insurance Saver and 1Cover all took home one Exceptional Quality award each.
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The UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) recently hosted Africa’s first ever InsurTech for Development Conference in Nairobi, as part of an ongoing partnership with UK insurtech business MarketMinds and Kenyan tech accelerator The Baobab Network. The theme of the conference was
It is heartening to see insurers and other businesses working together in order to bring the benefits of insurance and innovation to countries that need them ‘Sealing the insurance gap – Africa 3.0’, and participants discussed the ways that regulators, governments and other stakeholders can work together to support insurance innovation throughout the continent, increasing awareness, use and application of insurance-related products and services, and drive development. Health, agriculture and insurtech were the main foci of the event, which
explored how tech companies and insurers can pool their resources in order to overcome the development barriers that still exist throughout Africa. Over 250 delegates attended. “I am delighted that DIT, in collaboration with our strategic partners, has hosted the first ever InsurTech for Development conference and focused on development issues in Africa,” commented Emma Wade-Smith, DIT’s Trade Commissioner for Africa. “This reflects the ambition and commitment of the UK Government to catalyse new partnerships between UK and African tech companies, insurance and the broader financial services sector. “Technology and innovation form a key pillar of our prosperity agenda on the African continent, and this conference is an excellent lead up to the UK Government’s Africa Investment Summit on 20 January 2020 in London. This will bring together businesses, governments and international institutions to showcase the breadth and quality of investment opportunities across Africa.” It is heartening to see insurers and other businesses working together in order to bring the benefits of insurance and innovation to countries that need them; hopefully an ethical and open-minded approach will result in transformative benefits for consumers and business owners throughout the African continent.
TRAVEL
Malvern Group goes into administration
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Package holiday firm Malvern Group, which is the parent company of booking sites Superbreak and LateRooms, has gone into administration, putting thousands of jobs at stake and thousands of customer bookings on the line. The company explained that the ‘rapid deterioration’ came after a withdrawal of funding from Cox and Kings India, which has
Late Rooms Ltd, Super Break Mini-Holidays Ltd and Malvern Travel Technology Limited have ceased trading 49-per-cent ownership of Malvern Group. As of 1 August, Superbreak, LateRooms and Malvern Travel Technology all ceased trading. In a recent statement, Malvern Group said: “Unfortunately, given the short timeframe enabled by our cash position and despite interest from potential purchasers, we have been unable to secure bank support or a sale of the business. As a result, Late Rooms Ltd (LateRooms.com), Super Break MiniHolidays Ltd (Super Break) and Malvern Travel
Come on granddad!
Technology Limited are unable to continue on a solvent basis and have ceased trading.” The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) noted that at the time of the announcement, Superbreak currently had around 400 customers on holiday and 20,000 forward bookings affecting 53,000 customers. Malvern said that package holiday bookings through Super Break will be protected by ABTA and that customers with flight-inclusive bookings will be protected by the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) Atol scheme. The CAA and ABTA noted that those who booked through LateRooms’s website are thought to have secure reservations as the website did not take payment for the booking, instead acting as an agent; although LateRooms is suggesting that customers contact their accommodation supplier before travelling to confirm this. The CAA has also advised travel agents working for Superbreak to await further instruction from the Air Travel Trust and the CAA when considering refunds, and to contact the CAA before being assigned a claim when looking into providing customers with alternative holidays. Malvern Group is currently inviting bids for the business and its assets.
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UK-based Saga, which offers various services to over-50s customers, including insurance and holidays, has released the results of a new readers poll suggesting that a major and unremarked travel trend in 2019 is the ‘skip generation’ holiday, a trip where grandparents take their grandchildren, but the parents stay behind. The poll took in responses from 12,308 UK adults aged 50 and over. Twenty per cent of the readers of Saga’s magazine said that they have already taken their grandchildren on a trip of this sort, and a further 11 per cent say that they are considering it. Citing psychologist Dr Kairen Cullen, Saga said that these types of holidays are proving popular because of the unique benefits they bring to all three generations, even that which is not directly involved. Children can achieve a greater
sense of identity and belonging, and an appreciation of the simpler things in life, while grandparents can benefit from a boost to their cognitive powers and from the physical exercise necessary to keep up with younger companions – spending time with grandchildren can even act as an antidepressant. And of course, parents get to have a well-earned break! Saga’s research found that four out of five grandparents said that holidaying with their grandchildren was of major benefit in terms of keeping them active, while seven out of 10 said that they found holidaying with their grandchildren improved their relationships. In a canny move, Saga is promoting this research with a travel insurance offering, making free travel insurance available to its customers’ grandchildren if they are heading off on a skip-gen trip with their grandparents.
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HEADLINE NEWS TRAVEL
Sir Ranulph Fiennes joins TRIP Group British explorer, fundraiser, author and all-round living legend Sir Ranulph Fiennes has now added ‘patron of the Travel Risk & Incident Prevention (TRIP) Group’ to his inventory of titles, highlighting his support of the company’s effective management of the safety and security of overseas travellers. This exciting development follows the news of TRIP Group partnering with Collinson. TRIP Group’s primary objective is working together with partners to keep travellers safe. Since its establishment, the company has built an expansive community across a wide variety of industry sectors, including insurance and assistance companies, non-governmental organisations, higher education, government departments and the travel and tourism industry. Since the 1960s, Sir Ranulph has been an exemplary expedition leader, being the first person to journey across the world’s polar
Emergency Brexit
axis and visit both the North and South Poles using only surface transport, as well as summitting Everest in 2009, at the age of 65. It’s no surprise that, in1984, the Guinness Book of World Records crowned him ‘the world’s greatest living explorer’. Chairman of the TRIP Group Lloyd Figgins described the excitement felt by TRIP members at Sir Ranulph becoming their patron: “Having someone so internationally renowned for his exposure to travel risk as our patron has been a major boost. Sir Ranulph has been an exceptionally popular choice among our membership and we are very proud to have him on the team.” Managing Director Christine Shacklady added: “His incredible achievements speak for themselves, so we’re delighted that he will be sharing some of these experiences with our members at our flagship event in December. It will also give members the opportunity to meet Sir Ranulph in person.”
Travel Insurance Explained has released advice on Brexit-related travel insurance concerns following the election of Boris Johnson as UK Prime Minister. With the new PM losing no time in working towards Brexit by 31 October, many fear that leaving the EU without a deal could have a negative impact on travelling abroad. Travel Insurance Explained commented: “The majority of the travel insurance industry has previously announced that it will not cover Brexitrelated claims. Whether they will choose to join the small number of insurers with this cover in the coming months unknown.” As such, the website advises that holidaymakers considering cancelling their holiday should speak to either their package holiday provider or their travel insurer, as most travel insurance companies will only cover cancellation for specific reasons, with few offering to cover cancellation for any cause beyond reasonable control, including Brexit. And with most unsure about how the European Health Insurance Card will
be affected, Travel Insurance Explained urges: “To be on the safe side, holidaymakers should ensure their travel insurance policy offers medical expenses cover. In addition, all existing medical conditions will need to be declared otherwise claims could be declined.” Finally, passport changes are yet another reason for travellers to be prepared. Checking passports in advance to ensure their validity will prevent further unwanted expenses that travel insurers may not include in their cover, said Travel Insurance Explained. There may still be much uncertainty around the looming Brexit deadline, but travellers are still able to avoid unnecessary costs and inconvenience by exercising forward-thinking and rationale. Travel insurers should be vigilant in educating holidaymakers on the policies that are suitable for their individual needs. “To reiterate,” said Travel Insurance Explained, “buying a policy a few days before the holiday is not advisable. Particularly with Brexit looming.”
TRAVEL
Violence affects tourism in Hong Kong Australia was recently forced to issue a travel alert warning of a risk of violence in Hong Kong. Travellers to the country were advised to exercise a ‘high degree of caution’ due to violence between protestors and police. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said that protests have become more unpredictable and are expected to continue: “There is a risk of violent confrontation between protesters and police, or criminally linked individuals, particularly at unauthorised protests.” It stated that travellers should avoid large public gatherings, monitor the local media and follow the advice of local authorities. There has been a heightening of tensions between pro-democracy protesters, Hong Kong police and pro-Beijing groups. The protests began over plans that would have allowed extradition from Hong Kong to
mainland China and have since spread to reflect broader demands for democratic reform. Zhang Xiaoming, Director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, spoke on the issue: “The central government is highly concerned about Hong Kong’s situation, and trying to study, make decisions and arrangements from a strategic and across-the-board level.” Jason Wong Chun-tat, Chairman of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, said that tourism has suffered as a result of the violence: “The effects began to surface in June. Some individual travel agencies have reported a 30-to 50-per-cent increase in cancellations of mainland [Chinese] and southeast Asia travel groups to Hong Kong. The hotel and retail sectors expect a doubledigit drop in tourist numbers in the second half of the year. The situation is worrying.”
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INDUSTRY VOICE
Space tourism: to infinity and beyond!
The Chartered Insurance Institute’s Dr Matthew Connell hops into his TARDIS and takes us on a trip to the future – of insurance
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We have looked up to the sky and wondered what was up amongst the stars for millennia. Fifty years ago marked the start of space exploration, in a way never thought possible before, putting people on the moon whilst probes are sent to planets millions of miles away.
themselves. Under the scheme, they may not even be classed as a ‘passenger’ in the legal sense, having signed away any liability, and instead deemed a ‘participant’ in the flight. However, there are still some rather substantial question marks around whether such waivers would insulate
With billionaires all clamouring for a return ticket through the stratosphere, insurance and financial planning could be a rather substantial part of any decision about a first-class trip to Jupiter Now, as we look at the developing projects of Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin and even SpaceX, it’s no longer just in the realm of imagination that a fully-fledged space tourism sector could be created, and that it could potentially become a reality before we mark the centenary anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission. The opportunities for this kind of travel are enormous, but so are the risks, meaning new specialist services would need to be developed. Aside from the health and life insurance products you expect from exotic, adrenaline fuelled trips, travel insurance could potentially form the bedrock, safeguarding this new sector, although in a completely different format for extraterrestrial journeys. Beam me up Branson The current projects Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic are planning theoretically include an offer to arrange personal accident insurance for their passengers via the established market, but participants will potentially have to pay the premiums
operators in the event of loss, as the families of any lost participant would not have signed the waiver, and thus could theoretically still sue the operator. Much like the early days of Concorde and its perceived ‘champagne status’, space travel – at least in the formative years – would be an obvious playground for the rich, which therefore brings a very different set of risks. With business tycoons, billionaires and moguls, for
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include impacts on business protection cover and private estate insurance in terms of inheritance tax. This would undoubtedly lead to the creation of specialist personal lines products, delivered by brokers with a detailed knowledge of the sector and the potential risks faced by this new client sector. That’s no moon – that’s a potential liability Other liabilities may also find their ways into personal protection plans in the early days – for example, the rescue costs of a pod landing in the ocean and diverted shipping needing to collect stranded passengers, although these should be covered under the company’s own insurance, which also makes way for a whole new avenue of corporate insurance in space. As space travel technology improves, the market and consumer appetite will grow, and, as a result, more providers will emerge with differing competitive solutions. To keep pace with this, there will need to be a complete rethink in terms of the type of protection on offer with very different
Travel insurance could potentially form the bedrock, safeguarding this new sector
example, all clamouring for a return ticket through the stratosphere, insurance and financial planning could be a rather substantial part of any decision about a first-class trip to Jupiter. Issues to be considered ahead of taking a leap into the unknown may
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exclusion clauses. Earlier policies may suffer from high premiums and extensive terms and conditions, but much like travel insurance’s growth in access, a similar process of industrialised underwriting may be needed to keep up with demand as less affluent people are given the
opportunity to fly amongst the stars. Our fascination with space has pervaded our culture and our species since the earliest days of our history on this planet. To think we are on the precipice of commercial exploration is as historic as that first moon landing and will herald a new dawn for humanity, but also for those of us in financial services. The risks are enormous and, in some cases, unquantifiable, but the rewards are huge – and not just for tourism, but in terms of potentially normalising the idea of colonising other planets. New products and services and specialist brokers are all outcomes you can expect from the creation of such a bold new market, and it will be fascinating to see what steps we take to explore our final frontier. ■
Dr Matthew Connell Chartered Insurance Institute Dr Matthew Connell is Director of Policy and Public Relations at the Chartered Insurance Institute, where his focus is to build public trust in insurance through dialogue with consumers, policymakers, influencers and industry professionals. Previously, he was Head of Regulatory Developments for Zurich Insurance Group’s UK life business. He has worked in banking and insurance for more than 20 years. He holds a PhD in Policy Studies from the University of Warwick.
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NEWS ANALYSIS
Edge of darkness by Robin Gauldie
A nuclear disaster zone has become a hot tourist attraction – in more ways than one. With so-called ‘dark tourism’ trending, Robin Gauldie finds out what it means in practise, and whether it should worry travel insurers
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The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in Ukraine, off limits for many years since the Soviet-era reactor went boom in 1986, now seems to be a bucket-list destination for many. Visitor
Chernobyl is top of the bucket list for aficionados of dark tourism – travellers who seek out locations associated with natural disasters, man-made catastrophes or humanitarian tragedies. But the Ukraine disaster site is not the only place on the list. As is shown in the recent Dark Tourist, a Netflix series hosted by the New Zealand journalist David Farrier – which shows the presenter visiting macabre destinations – such sites range from Chernobyl to Fukushima.
Emergency services have in the past been called to the Spreepark, a derelict Soviet-era theme park in the former East Berlin that closed in 2001, to rescue trespassers who became trapped in the gondolas of its big wheel numbers are expected to reach 100,000 this year, largely due to curiosity aroused by HBO series Chernobyl. Launched in May, it tells the story of the explosion and clean-up operation, and the investigation into its causes that followed. According to Reuters news agency, local operators offering tours of parts of the zone have reported increases of up to 40 per cent in bookings for short visits, which cost around $100 each.
There are other popular tourist sites that have their roots in nuclear activity, though. Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands was used by the US for 23 nuclear tests above and below ground between 1946 and 1958. Its original inhabitants were allowed to return in the 1970s but removed again when tests found the atoll was still too toxic to live on. Yet today, Bikini is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the ‘nuclear ghost fleet’ of wrecked warships that were used
as test targets and now lie on the seabed are among the world’s top scuba diving sites. White Sands, where the world’s first nuclear bomb was tested, is now regarded as a heritage site, and the US Army offers official tours. “One of the problems of dark tourism is that it’s an imprecise designation,” notes journalist Kent Russell in a 2018 article for the Huffpost website. “If being a ‘dark tourist’ means visiting ‘death spaces’, well, who hasn’t been to a death space?” It could be argued, he writes, that visits to such destinations as Hiroshima, the Taj Mahal (burial place of a Mughal emperor’s consort), battlefields or war cemeteries contain a dark tourism element. Others might argue too that ‘poverty tourism’ trips to slums and shanty towns in destinations like Mumbai, Cape Town and Rio de Janeiro can be regarded as dark tourism. Dark tourism also embraces visits to genocide museums and atrocity sites, visiting recent war zones and – a little more light-heartedly but perhaps more dangerously – posting Instagram selfies from abandoned theme parks and post-industrial locations. But does this macabre travel trend create worries for insurers? Some voices in the insurance sector and the broader travel industry have expressed concerns over the risks involved in visiting such locations, but others appear more sanguine. Visits to many places that might be defined as ‘dark tourism’ destinations – such as Nazi-era death camps like Auschwitz or atrocity sites like the ‘killing fields’ of Cambodia – would be covered by most off-the-peg travel policies.
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Recovery and rehabilitation Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he hopes that Chernobyl can be converted from ‘a negative part of Ukraine’s brand’ to a positive benefit. Similarly, Japan hopes to use next year’s Tokyo Olympics to help rehabilitate Fukushima, where an earthquake and 15-metre tsunami caused the meltdown of three reactor cores at the Daiichi nuclear plant in March 2011. The region will host a number of events during what has been branded the ‘Recovery Games’. However, radioactivity in Pripyat, the closest town to the Chernobyl power plant, can be dangerously high and the Ukrainian government warns against entering buildings, touching objects, or taking potentially highly radioactive ‘souvenirs’ from the site. “Radiation poisoning and sickness is not covered by travel insurance, so we recommend you leave these destinations off your itinerary,” states Anne Wentworth, a blogger for Australian travel insurance site Holiday Rescue. Travellers would not be covered for any ill effects that they suffer after returning home from a trip to Chernobyl, agrees Rebecca Kingsley, Brand Manager for Travel Insurance Explained, a British consumer awareness initiative (see ITIJ 223, August 2019). Many travel insurance policies make this explicitly clear. “Our policies have a general exclusion for any claim related to or arising from exposure to radiation or
clouds of toxic methyl isocyanate, resulting in an official death toll of 15,000. Many children born to survivors suffered severe birth defects that have been attributed to lingering toxic pollution. The former Union Carbide factory remains derelict. Local authorities officially bar foreigners from the site, but according to at least one source (www.dark-tourism.com, which gives Bhopal a ‘darkometer rating’ of 9/10), local residents have no difficulty entering, so it could tempt less risk-averse visitors. The Remember Bhopal Museum, which opened on the 30th anniversary of the disaster, attracts a trickle of visitors, some of them inspired to visit by an ongoing international campaign aimed at gaining higher compensation payments for those affected by the disaster and its aftermath. However, visitors to Bhopal should be aware that visiting the derelict and still-toxic factory site would be excluded from travel insurance cover. “The exclusions relating to unnecessary risk and defying official restrictions would apply,” said Sylvester. “It is very unlikely any claim for ill health as a result of a tourist visit to the Bhopal factory would succeed.” ‘Trespass tourism’ Many of those drawn to derelict or weirdly picturesque postindustrial locations are looking not for macabre chills, but for thrilling backdrops that will boost their online following.
the unnecessary risk caveat applies to travel to such zones, where risks may range from disease and accidental injury to violent crime even when the initial incident is over nuclear event,” said Phil Sylvester, Head of Public Relations and travel safety expert at World Nomads, a Sydney-based travel lifestyle insurance information brand. “To that extent, you go to Chernobyl or Fukushima at your own risk. The level of radiation a person is exposed to on a guided tour of Chernobyl is negligible. But we do warn against self-guided tours and say it makes sense to use a proper, reputable tour company with the right monitoring and personal protection equipment.” Anyone entering an exclusion zone or restricted area may face an exclusion of cover, Sylvester adds. The same applies to Fukushima. “The most contaminated area lies within a line to the northwest of the nuclear plant, extending to some 25 km, and official exclusion zones apply,” explained Sylvester. “However, there are areas in which exclusions have been lifted.” According to the Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority, radiation levels in decontaminated areas of Fukushima are now less than the global average. In December 1984, an explosion at a Union Carbide chemical plant in Bhopal, in India’s Madhya Pradesh state, released
Let’s call this sub-sub-culture ‘trespass tourism’. In the Instagram world, self-imposed pressure to build a social media following is driving millennials to seek increasingly outrageous and attention-grabbing backdrops for their selfies. A BBC Newsbeat report on the trend is illustrated by an image of a young woman perched perilously atop a 180-metre disused factory chimney in Romania. Such stunts are not risk-free. Dangers on derelict sites include unsafe structures and toxic waste; in Berlin, emergency services have in the past been called to the Spreepark, a derelict Soviet-era theme park in the former East Berlin that closed in 2001, to rescue trespassers who became trapped in the gondolas of its big wheel when it unexpectedly rotated in high winds. “Unauthorised entry of a derelict building may be considered trespass and therefore illegal, so no coverage would be extended,” commented Sylvester. Even postcard-pretty blue lagoons can be toxic hazards. In July, a Russian power company had to caution Instagrammers
against taking a dip in the polluted waters of the ‘Novosibirsk Maldives’ – a vivid blue lake that is in fact a heavily polluted waste dump – after images of cavorting swimmers went viral on social media. In Galicia, northern Spain, would-be ‘travel influencers’ reportedly suffered from poisoning after swimming in another toxic ‘blue lagoon’ at Monte Neme, where water is dyed turquoise by waste from a defunct tungsten mine. Frozen conflicts Even more adventurous travellers looking to impress their peer group by visiting off-beat destinations have created a cult following for destinations like Northern Caucasus, South Ossetia, Transnistria, and Nagorno Karabakh that are sometimes categorised as ‘frozen conflict’ zones, where hostilities may have ceased but where some governments still advise against travel. Some such destinations may create issues for insurers and for assistance companies, ranging from kidnapping for ransom by local militias turned organised crime groups, to danger from unexploded ordnance, lack of formal diplomatic representation, and inadequate emergency care and medical evacuation infrastructure. Many insurers wouldn’t sell a travel policy to customers they knew they couldn’t help if they got into difficulty, though. Sylvester points out that travel cover for destinations like these is subject to the same caveats that apply to better-known destinations worldwide, so would-be visitors need to be guided by their government’s travel advisories. “We are unable to extend cover to anyone entering a destination to which their government has advised against all travel,” he told ITIJ. North Caucasus falls into this category, he says, but no such advice from UK, US or Australian governments applies to Transnistria, so cover would be available to all travellers. However, Sylvester notes that conditions may change for the worse as well as for the better in some such zones, depending on local events. “There may be exclusions that apply around events such as ‘civil unrest’ and ‘war, whether declared or not’ and any claim arising out of a visit to the region would be tested against this,” Sylvester said. Good intentions? Many travel industry analysts identify ‘disaster tourism’ or what might be called ‘aftermath tourism’ as a form of dark tourism. In the immediate aftermath of natural disasters such as the Asian tsunami of 2004 or the devastation of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, some are drawn to visit as onlookers or as volunteer ‘helpers’. Once again, the unnecessary risk caveat applies to travel to such zones, where risks may range from disease and accidental injury to violent crime, even when the initial incident is over. “If tourists had been ordered to evacuate a natural disaster zone, anyone staying behind would be in defiance of an order by an authority,” said Phil Sylvester. “Usually, in the event of a natural disaster, the region is immediately declared a ‘do not travel’ zone, so anyone outside the area who intended to travel [independently] into the zone to assist would not be covered. People who wish to lend their expertise and assistance should contact one of the NGOs or government authorities involved and offer their services. These organisations will have the appropriate insurances in place,” he concluded. In the US, someone who goes out of their way to look at crime scenes, road accidents and other disasters is sometimes called a ‘lookie-loo’ – defined by MerriamWebster, the US dictionary, as ‘an intrusively curious onlooker’. That seems to cover many ‘dark tourists’ too. How curious, and how intrusive, such travellers are is surely the biggest factor in insuring them – or , of course, in rejecting any claims that result from too-intrusive activities. ■
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HEALTH NEWS
Infectious disease warning
Dengue fever hits Honduras hard
New research has warned that patients cured of visceral leishmaniasis can continue to infect others for years after successful treatment, which is hampering efforts to eliminate the disease. The most severe form of leishmaniasis, it is spread by the bite of certain types of sandflies and is potentially fatal if not treated. It can also cause fever, damage to the spleen and liver, and anaemia. According to the study, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, people who have been cured of the disease can continue to infect more people if they develop a skin condition called post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL). PKDL affects around five to 10 per cent of patients cured of visceral leishmaniasis. The research found that 60 per cent of people with PKDL passed the leishmaniasis
In Honduras, hospitals are overflowing due to a dengue fever epidemic that health authorities have said is the worst in the past 50 years. To date, 28,000 people have been affected by the disease and 54, mostly children, have died. The viral infection is spread by mosquitoes and, although in most cases it is mild and passes in around a week without causing any lifelong problems, in rare cases it can be life threatening. News sources have reported worrying figures; for example, that 26 of Honduras’ 32 public hospitals are overflowing with patients and, at the Roberto Suazo Cordova Hospital in La Paz, around 48 people with the disease were admitted in one day. A national campaign has begun to fumigate mosquito breeding grounds across the country. Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez said that the only effective measure to halt the epidemic is to destroy the mosquito’s breeding grounds. He stated: “This is something that every one of us has to do in our homes, where we work and also in every public area.” Other measures are being taken such as the Ministry of Health (MOH) opening 15 dengue treatment centres across the country in an effort to relieve the burden on hospitals. The MOH stated that at least 50 per cent of patients come from Honduras’ rural areas, which has overburdened
parasite on to sandflies, enabling them to infect more people. It has highlighted that PKDL represents one of the central challenges to elimination of visceral leishmaniasis on the Indian subcontinent. The researchers stated that great strides have been made in the control of visceral leishmaniasis on the Indian subcontinent but that PKDL must be addressed in order to sustain elimination and perhaps eventually to permanently interrupt transmission. In the meantime, travellers concerned about the disease can partially prevent it by using nets treated with insecticide while sleeping, as well as using insect repellants, as insect bite avoidance is key. The disease is mainly found in tropical and subtropical regions, including Africa, Central and South America, Asia, and the Mediterranean region.
available treatment centres at primary care facilities. Additional health professionals have been hired by authorities to meet the demands of the growing caseload in the country, amid fears that, if left unchecked, the outbreak could spread to areas frequented by international tourists.
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WHO praises Rwanda’s Ebola preparedness The World Health Organization has praised Rwanda’s Ebola preparedness efforts. Despite the ongoing outbreak in the neighbouring Dominican Republic of Congo (DRC), WHO has confirmed that, thusfar, no cases of the disease have been reported in Rwanda. In addition to a detailed National Preparedness Plan, the country is training health workers in early detection and response, educating communities about Ebola, vaccinating health workers in high-risk areas, equipping health facilities,
Yellow fever in Africa
and conducting simulation exercises to maintain a high level of readiness. “Rwanda has been proactive and engaged in Ebola preparedness at all levels since the outbreak was declared almost one year ago in neighbouring DRC,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “We commend the actions taken so far and confirm that there have been no cases of Ebola in Rwanda to date, despite high levels of traffic and movement of people between the two countries.” Since the outbreak in the DRC began,
screening for Ebola symptoms at points of entry to Rwanda has been ongoing, and was reinforced following the recent confirmation of a case of the disease in Goma on the border between the DRC and Rwanda. Despite the proactive and effective measures employed by Rwanda, Dr Tedros warned that as long as the outbreak continues in the DRC, there is a real risk of Ebola spreading to neighbouring countries. “We urge the community to continue supporting this critical work.”
MEDFLIGHT
An outbreak of yellow fever in Abidjan, Africa, has infected 89 people and caused one death. Republic of Côte d’Ivoire Health Minister Dr Eugène Aka Aouele said that everyone in the republic should ensure they are vaccinated against the disease. The disease is transmitted by infected mosquitoes and symptoms include fever, headache, jaundice, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. According to the World Health Organization, the vaccine is extremely effective, safe and affordable and a single dose is sufficient for lifelong protection. There are challenges facing Africa regarding verifying a person’s yellow fever status, with a recent report published in The Lancet indicating that it is possible to obtain a government-issued yellow fever vaccination certificate in Nigeria, without actually getting the Stamaril vaccine. This has threatened the epidemiological control of yellow fever. In response to this, the Nigerian Government introduced a new e-Yellow card that stores the vaccination history of the holder and was designed to put a stop to the proliferation of fake yellow fever cards. Travel advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that pre-trip vaccinations should include the Stamaril vaccine for all travellers aged over nine months old. Travellers are advised to be vaccinated at least 10 days before they set off on their trip and should also take precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites.
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HEALTH NEWS
Attack of the flesh-eating bacteria
It’s not a new phenomenon, and the numbers of its victims are still small, but the arrival of a water-borne version of necrotizing fasciitis, more commonly known as flesh-eating disease, is raising concerns of seasonal vacationers along Florida’s West Coast, and the bays and inlets along the mid-Atlantic coastal states as far north as New Jersey. According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definitions, ‘necrotizing’ means causing the death of tissues, while ‘fasciitis’ means inflammation of the fascia (the tissue under the skin that surrounds
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by doctors in Tampa familiar with vibrio vulnificus infections, his life was saved. Further north, in the mid-Atlantic bay waters that border Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia, five people, mostly vacationers, were infected by vibrio vulnificus bacteria thought to have been transmitted through raw or undercooked crabs or oysters. One of them, a 64-year-old man who was infected when cleaning crabs with his hands, died. Four of these five were later reported to have had pre-existing conditions.
existing conditions such as diabetes, kidney or liver disease, and cancer. But it can also strike the young and healthy, doing things kids normally do on vacation – scraping their toes, bruising their knees, or falling off skateboards. Case studies Earlier this summer, a healthy 12-yearold girl from Ohio, vacationing on the northwest coast of Florida, was stricken by the flesh-eating vibrio vulnificus bacterium while splashing about in shallow surf. Within three days of being infected, her affected leg swelled dramatically, and
A growing problem The CDC estimates that since 2010, between 700 and 1,200 cases of necrotizing fasciitis have been diagnosed in the US annually, but it admits this could be a substantial underestimate. Most of these infections were caused by the group A streptococcus bacterium, often after its victims sustained cuts, scrapes or skin punctures while carrying out such mundane chores as trimming roses, repairing trellises or changing tyres. Group A strep is but one of the bacteria types that can induce necrotizing fasciitis. But it has been the emergence in recent years of the vibrio vulnificus bacterium that seems to thrive in warming, brackish gulfs,
For America’s summer vacationers already antsy about increasing incidents of shark attacks, media reports about waterborne ‘flesh-eating’ disease are being taken seriously
muscles, nerves, fat and blood vessels). And what makes the reports of the bacteria worthy of national headlines is the horrific nature of the disease when it strikes: quickly, randomly, with treatment often resulting in lost limbs, permanent scarring, and what the CDC estimates is a one-in-three fatality rate. For America’s summer vacationers already antsy about increasing incidents of shark attacks, media reports about a water-borne ‘flesh-eating’ disease are being taken seriously. The Florida Department of Health has already issued alerts advising vacationers that though they can go on enjoying surf activities, they need to keep their guard up. It warns that the most vulnerable groups are those with compromised immune systems, the elderly, and people with some pre-
pain intensified by the hour. The girl was flown home where emergency procedures by physicians – administering antibiotics and literally cutting away diseased flesh around her wound – saved not only her limb but her life. Her mother believed that the bacteria entered her body through a scrape on her leg caused by an earlier skateboarding accident. Also, on Florida’s Gulf coast, a 77-yearold woman scraped her leg while strolling in low surf and within hours had to be rushed to hospital where she was treated by antibiotics and repeated surgeries; sadly, she died 13 days later. An Ohio man, meanwhile, nearly lost a foot after being infected while walking in a nature preserve island in the Gulf, and a nearby fisherman caught his hand on a hook, though thanks to quick action
No, ITIJ is not branching out into horror fiction – Milan Korcok reports on a particularly nasty-sounding health issue spreading through US East Coast waters
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threat of this water-borne necrotizing fasciitis must be expected further and further. Avoidance tactics Certainly, warning beach-bound vacationers, or even Florida-bound snowbirds, to keep their feet dry during the long winters away from home is implausible at best. But there are precautions all beachgoers are being urged to adopt by the Florida Department of Health and the CDC: keep open wounds covered with clean, dry bandages; don’t neglect minor, noninfected wounds like blisters, scrapes or any breaks in the skin; avoid walking, sitting, or swimming in Gulf or bay waters with open wounds; clean and treat wounds after accidentally exposing a wound to Gulf or bay waters or while cleaning or handling seafood; rinse wounds with fresh water after swimming; immediately seek treatment for signs or symptoms of an infection (redness, swelling, fever, severe pain in area of red or swollen skin) near or around a wound. And, most importantly, get to the emergency room speedily as doctors who know the signs and symptoms of necrotizing fasciitis may not have the time to wait for blood or tissue tests or scans to start administering antibiotics, or to begin surgically removing
The CDC estimates that since 2010, between 700 and 1200 cases of necrotizing fasciitis have been diagnosed in the US annually, but it admits this could be a substantial underestimate bays and estuaries (perfect venues for America’s millions of summer vacationers) that has grabbed the headlines. And there has been widespread speculation that as waters to the north warm year by year, the
diseased tissue. It’s an issue that travel insurance case managers, who rely on lab or scan tests to approve ongoing treatments, might well need to consider in assessing the needs of their clients.
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TRAVEL NEWS
Humans vs jellyfish
Removing ‘location discrimination’
The European Union is funding a new programme aimed at highlighting the danger points for jellyfish attacks on Spanish beaches as their numbers grow as a result of global warming. David Ing has the sting A joint team from the University of Alicante (UA), the Hospital Clínic in Barcelona and the Fundación Jiménez Díaz in Madrid has been set up to work on the project, known as LIFE Cubomed; the aim of the initiative is to create maps like those showing ‘black spots’ for road traffic accidents to help bathers avoid getting stung. Some 70 per cent of health treatment incidents on the beach involve marine life. “And of these more than 90 per cent are jellyfish, which is why up-to-date training in prevention and treatment is necessary,” said UA researcher Cesar Bordehore. The problem until now has been the challenge of collecting sufficient reliable information on what has become an increasingly common threat in the warm waters of the Mediterranean. “Town halls are often reticent to release data about incidents on their beaches and this has its effect when it comes to doing a good job,” said Bordehore. It is estimated that half a million bathers need to be attended to for stings each year, and the team hopes that by providing better localisation of threats it will be able to identify larger swarms that need special attention. “If we detect jellyfish presence in an area,
New Zealand-based airfare comparison website Jettzy claims to offer lower prices than many competitors in the market by removing what it calls ‘airfare location discrimination’. Peter Li, who founded the site in 2017, recently told Stuff.co.nz that many airfare sites use an algorithm that charges customers different prices depending on where they are at the time of booking. His website, however, has opted to avoid this by assessing all airfares equally, regardless of location, always presenting the least expensive option; an approach that other companies are reportedly starting to follow. According to Li, who worked for a decade as a sales manager at Air New Zealand, due to fluctuations in seasonal demand, it is in airlines’ financial interest to practise location discrimination in different markets, depending on the time of year. However,
by analysing the currents we can tell where they are headed and give advance warning to other towns,” Bordehore explained. “Every so often we come across new problems on the beaches, like [larger and more dangerous specimens such as] the Portuguese men o’ war last year, and although there is much research its application doesn’t always get through [to first aiders on the beaches].” The project team is also proposing legal changes so that details of treatment given on a beach are passed on to GPs, as ‘very often people don’t go to a health centre after treatment and the incident is not reflected in medical records’. A pilot project has got underway this summer at Denia in Alicante province, with 10 more towns supported by national rescue service Salvamento Marítimo and the Red Cross due to join the initiative in 2020.
when Jettzy’s algorithm identifies a cheap airfare in a different market from the person searching, it converts the currency into the customer’s local currency in order to get around this issue. Another method of getting around such problems is to browse using an incognito window, as Southern Cross Travel Insurance’s Chris White points out: “Travel sites may be able to see how often you’ve checked their prices, and you could be charged more if they think you’re serious about booking.” While many airlines will no doubt be disapproving of Jettzy’s tack – especially if it starts to catch on – there is certainly an argument to be made that democratisation of such marketplaces is of benefit to the customer. Ultimately, it depends on your perspective: are businesses there to serve the public, or vice versa?
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TRAVEL NEWS
New Saudi travel rules a step forward
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New laws have been passed in Saudi Arabia that mean that women will no longer need the permission of a male guardian to travel. The royal decrees published in the kingdom’s official weekly Umm al-Qura gazette on 2 August mean that women aged 21 and over can travel abroad without prior consent and that any citizen can apply for a Saudi passport on their own. This is significant progress given that, previously, it was necessary for women to be granted consent to travel by a designated male family member. The kingdom has come 1 28/03/2017 16:15
under scrutiny for this rule, as well as others, including the need for a woman to obtain male consent to leave prison, exit a domestic abuse shelter or marry. In recent months, several young women have fled the country and made public pleas for help in seeking asylum. As such, the new rules are a huge step forward. In addition to being able to travel without male permission, the new laws mean that women can register a marriage, divorce or child’s birth and be issued official family documents and that a father or mother can be legal guardians of children.
Sarah Leah Whitson, Executive Director of the Middle East and North Africa division at Human Rights Watch, tweeted about the topic: “Saudi has promised to end the guardianship system over the past decade at least a few times at the UN Human Rights Council sessions. But it has only done it in dribs and drabs. But this will be a big deal if the promise is kept. Keep in mind, the women who have struggled and sacrificed for years to end the male guardianship system remain jailed and face long prison sentences for no reason than having demanded what the government has now promised to do.”
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Hotel booking platform DayBreakHotels has ranked seven major tourist cities on the cost of holiday expenses, revealing that Paris is officially the most expensive city in the word to be a tourist
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The company assessed Rome, Berlin, Dubai, London, Milan, New York and Paris, and ranked them based on the average costs of the following: single hotel room, airport transfers, tourist attractions, fine dining, mid-range meal, cheap meal, and beer. Paris’ average total cost overall was found to be £651.20, making it the most expensive city, followed by New York at a total cost of £526.34 and then Milan (£443.23). The cheapest city overall was found to be Rome (£333.90), which is where tourists can find the lowest priced cheap meal, at a cost of £7.27, which seems particularly cheap given that the average cost of a cheap meal in Paris is £17.09 (the most expensive of the seven cities). The second least expensive overall is Berlin (£342.98) followed closely by Dubai (£348.68). Berlin was found to be the cheapest city for sightseeing, with an average cost of nothing as most tourist picks can be experienced free of charge. In addition, Berlin boasts the cheapest beer at an average cost of £3.14 and the cheapest single hotel room (£137.10); the makings of a great holiday! Dubai was found to be the cheapest for fine dining at £62, compared to an average cost of £192.80 in Paris. But for those wanting to drink, Dubai is the most expensive city when it comes to the cost of beer (£9.00), and tourists should also be mindful of the laws surrounding excessive drinking and disorderly behaviour. DayBreakHotels’ Chief Marketing Officer, Matteo Cellini, commented on the findings: “Paris is incredibly popular, yet is by far the least affordable when it comes to staying somewhere central and eating out. Those travelling to Paris would do well to stay nearer the edge of the city and self-catering, perhaps visiting a fancy hotel for the day or treating themselves to one or two high-end meals. We were interested to see London fall in the middle. London proves expensive for airport transfers and tourist attractions; but when it comes to eating out, the UK’s capital is trumped by other ‘foodie’ cities in continental Europe.”
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Creating the proactive traveller
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Hurricane season 2019 is underway in the US, with tropical storms Andrea and Barry already causing travellers to file claims, and with NOAA predicting up to 15 named storms this year, we still have a long way to go before we reach the end of November.
Chris Carnicelli, CEO of Generali Global Assistance, analyses how the travel insurance industry can better educate its customers about the risks posed by hurricanes
denied due to the fact that coverage was purchased after the hurricane in question was named remains surprisingly high. In some cases, for travel insurance, the cutoff happens once a tropical storm has been named, while vacation rental
The number of claims denied due to the fact that coverage was purchased after the hurricane in question was named remains surprisingly high Furthermore, as Generali’s 19th Annual Holiday Barometer showed, travel budgets are now averaging over US$2,000, meaning travel insurance policies are only getting larger to cover unforeseeable events. Based on the increase in calls to our centres with policy-related questions that we receive every hurricane season, we’ve come to recognise that there’s a good deal of confusion amongst policyholders on what is covered during severe weather events. While Generali Global Assistance and other members of the travel insurance industry attempt to clarify the many misconceptions in the marketplace, based on the calls we receive, I believe we can do more to educate the average consumer. What’s in a name? A common issue pertaining to trip interruption and cancellation claims during hurricane season is when a claim is filed on a policy purchased after the storm is named. It seems to be the most common piece of advice that industry experts give each year, yet the number of claims
coverage may have a different cutoff if a tropical storm develops into a hurricane. While subtle, this is an important distinction, as questions regarding when coverage can no longer be purchased, as well as what events are actually covered, are among the most common. Providers should consider giving regular updates on when a tropical
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about hurricanes, rather than reactively. Location matters It’s important to keep in mind that vacation home rentals in popular costal locations are also impacted by severe weather events. While the level of coverage doesn’t change based on location, it’s important that we make customers aware that many vacation rentals have lease terms that will not reimburse requests when cancellations or interruptions are triggered by these events. For instance, in North Carolina, the Vacation Rental Act states that the tenant shall not be entitled to a refund if, prior to the tenant taking possession of the property, the tenant refused vacation rental insurance offered by the landlord or real estate broker that would have compensated the tenant for losses or damages resulting from loss of use of the property due to a mandatory evacuation order. This is the reason many vacation rentals in the North
Providers should consider giving regular updates on when a tropical storm becomes named for customers looking to travel to the hurricane prone areas during hurricane season
storm becomes named for customers looking to travel to the hurricane-prone areas during hurricane season. Most importantly, we should encourage potential customers to think proactively
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Carolina region offer to bundle vacation rental insurance with your reservation. With many locations prone to severe weather events enacting separate regulations around travel insurance
for vacation rentals, it’s important that customers are educated to make sure they have the appropriate coverage – education we should look to give as insurance providers. A kit to help As providers of insurance products, in order to provide a consistently high level of assurance to our customers throughout the process, we must provide them with the knowledge necessary to best help protect their travel investment. My thinking is that education can come in the form of a kit sent to travellers, vacation home renters and owners with plans to travel or rent during hurricane season. Ideally, this kit would provide travellers with all the necessary information and resources to keep in mind when travelling in hurricaneprone regions, because when it comes to hurricane season, a little knowledge and foresight can go a long way. ■
Chris Carnicelli CEO
Chris Carnicelli is CEO of Generali Global Assistance North America. In this role, he is responsible for all business lines of the Europ Assistance Group in North America, including GMMI. He is a member of the Generali Top Leadership Group and the Executive Committee of the Europ Assistance Group.
TRAVEL NEWS
Der Tourismus ist gut! Figures from the World Travel Monitor show that incoming tourism to Germany enjoyed a strong first half of 2019. Incoming tourism rose by 3.7 per cent during H1 compared with H1 2018 – especially notable when compared to the 3.5-per-cent rise shown for worldwide tourism as a whole, and the 2.5-per-cent rise shown for Europe as a whole. The Americas and Asia enjoyed rises of four per cent and five per cent respectively. Looking more specifically at incoming
New Everest rules to protect tourists
tourism to Germany from source markets within Europe, a rise of nearly four per cent was noted, putting the country on equal footing with Austria, Italy and Spain, and strongly ahead of the UK and Switzerland. “Destination Germany is in a very strong position within the increasing competition between destinations,” commented Petra Hedorfer, CEO of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB). “Despite these welcome trends, we still have to master major challenges
due to weaker economic growth in the Eurozone, climate discussions, trade conflicts and no-deal Brexit issues.” In recent years, according to GNTB, the most important worldwide source markets for incoming tourism to Germany have been the Netherlands, Switzerland, the US, the UK, Austria, Italy, France, Denmark, Belgium, Poland, China and Spain. Estimates suggest that the country’s tourism industry could potentially achieve 121.5 million overnight stays by 2030.
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New laws and regulations seeking to protect climbers who want to attempt Mount Everest mean that would-be climbers will have to demonstrate their mountain climbing prowess before being granted access to the mountain. This is in response to growing numbers of deaths on the mountain, with over-tourism leading to tragedy. A new report from a panel advising Nepal’s government recommends that climbers who want to attempt the mountain must already have climbed a Nepali peak of at least 6,500 m (21,325 ft). In addition, the report states that there should be a fee of at least US$35,000 (£29,000) for those wanting to climb Everest, and $20,000 for other mountains higher than 8,000 m. “We will take this forward by amending the laws and regulations. We will make our mountains safe, managed and dignified,” said Tourism Minister Yogesh Bhattari. It is hoped that the new regulations can abate issues associated with inexperience and overcrowding and make Nepal safer for tourists.
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COMPANY NEWS
Direct Line New long-term partners with AIG deal for Monzo and AXA
A major new partnership between Direct Line Insurance Group Plc (DLG) and American International Group (AIG) in the UK has been unveiled. Specifically, the five-year partnership is a tie-up between AIG Life Limited and DLG’s sub-brands Direct Line and Churchill. It focuses on a new life insurance offering that will be available to customers via their smartphones or online channels. Among the features on offer are optional coverage for critical illness, and an application process promisingly described as ‘jargon free’. Indeed, it is claimed that filling out the application for the proposition takes less than seven minutes; should customers be satisfied with the quote given, the whole thing can be over in less than 10.
“For us, it’s incredibly important to be able to offer insurance that is not only easy to buy, but that is affordable and provides the reassurance and support when they really need it,” commented Kate Syred, Managing Director of Household and Partnerships at DLG. The impetus behind the partnership and the new life insurance proposition, she explained, relates to a perceived desire on the part of customers for fast-paced services and adaptable and comprehensive products; it was felt that AIG offered the capability to best put DLG’s ambitions into practise. There is precedent for this heavyweight tie-up; last year DLG appointed AIG Life as the insurer of choice for its protection products. This was the first direct-to-consumer life insurance partnership of its kind to be agreed in the UK.
UK-based digital bank Monzo has inked a longterm travel insurance partnership with insurer AXA. The bank mooted travel insurance as a potential feature for its premium subscription service Monzo Plus a while back, and it has now officially selected AXA as its partner. The add-on will provide ‘comprehensive travel insurance’ to Monzo Plus customers; the subscription for the Monzo Plus service is £6 per month, and for an extra £4 users will be able to take out the AXA policy as well. According to AXA, the policy will include cover for ‘medical bills, lost valuables, trip cancellation costs and winter sports’, and can be taken out on a single or group basis. Jonas Templestein, Co-Founder of Monzo,
said that this announcement was only the beginning of a number of insurancerelated services that will be rolled out for customers of Monzo Plus: “We are hoping to further build out our offering very soon, with users being able to pick and choose custom products, including contents and mobile phone insurance.” While it is fairly common to see home, contents, motor and other such insurance lines taken out on a pay-monthly basis, this has not been the case with travel insurance; it will be interesting to see the level of take-up, and if it is successful it may suggest that travel insurance as a subscription service has legs as an alternative business model.
Insurtechs Pluto and Blink team up
Sabre renews contract with OTA
Travel insurtech Pluto has announced a new partnership with Blink, a provider of real-time flight disruption solutions. Through the tie-up, Blink will provide flight delay cover to Pluto’s customers, giving them instant access to cash payouts, airport lounges and other benefits in the event that they have to wait longer than expected for their flight. “The discussions we’ve had with Pluto, a dynamic company changing the insurance market with truly novel products, has been a delight,” commented Paul Prendergast, CEO of Blink. “The partnership is a natural fit for both companies and one we are excited about growing. Partnering with Pluto to design smart parametric travel insurance that appeals to a millennial demographic, which represents almost 18 per cent of the UK population alone, is just the type of work we thrive on.” Pluto, which is backed by Zurich, has aimed its offering at the millennial demographic, hoping that by giving them the opportunity to build and manage their own policies – and submit claims from a mobile device – it can encourage more younger travellers to properly protect themselves when heading overseas.
Sabre Corporation, which provides technology to the global travel industry, has announced its renewed agreement with Latin America-based online travel agency Despegar. The extension of the agreement means that Despegar will have continued access to Sabre’s global distribution system (GDS), which provides it with access to around 140 million unique visitors. As such, Despegar can offer its travellers access to content from hundreds of airlines worldwide, building the best unique traveller experience. “It is a privilege to extend this relationship with Despegar,” said Constantine Hallax, VicePresident, Sabre Travel Network. “Throughout our partnership, our goal has been to empower them to remain on the leading edge of the online travel industry to best serve their customers. This aligns strongly with our mission to create omni-channel solutions that our partners can easily integrate and gain efficiencies through Sabre’s robust analytics and retailing solutions.” “We have never wavered on renewing our relationship with Sabre,” said Gonzalo Estebarena, CCO of Despegar. “As a market leader with a global outlook,
“Insurance is such an exciting space because there’s so much room for improvement,” said Alex Rainey, Co-Founder and CEO of Pluto. “A lot of this can be achieved by using the latest technology, combined with thoughtful design. We’re constantly looking for new ways to bring experiences and services to our customer that they wouldn’t expect from a travel insurer. Being able to help them instantly in a time of frustration, like a flight delay, can be such a surprising experience for a customer. When we found Blink, we instantly knew we wanted to partner with them. They’ve proven themselves all over the world as a leading parametric travel insurance tech provider. Our customers are super excited to start using this new service.”
regional expertise and knowledge, and deep customer engagement, Sabre understands the complexities that are inherent in our business, yet they reliably deliver technologies that are easy for us to adopt and easy for our customers to value. While we know our customers’ needs and preferences will constantly change, we have the assurance that Sabre is a steady partner that will help us navigate them all.”
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P J Hayman targets high net worth market UK-based travel insurer P J Hayman and Company has announced the launch of a new travel insurance scheme that provides travel cancellation coverage of up to £500,000 for high net worth and ultrahigh net worth individuals. The scheme has been designed as a top-up to add on to existing cover, although if requested it can be provided as a standalone product. “There is a huge market for expensive and specialist travel programmes,” commented Peter Hayman, Director of the company. “With over 890,000 high net worth individuals and in excess of 9,000 ultra-high net worth UK nationals, we believe there is a considerable demand for this unique scheme.” The scheme is available to brokers, travel agencies and specialist tour operators, and primarily targets the types of experiential trips that are organised on behalf of wealthy individuals by such agencies. These trips take in remote and exclusive areas, luxury accommodation, private air travel, private yacht hire and other such treats for the great and good.
The end of nonrefundable hotel bookings?
“We have already seen a wide range of applications ranging from £35k to £400k,” said Hayman. “Each are individually assessed, with the premium being based on the total cost but also destination, duration and age.” While statistics suggest that high levels of wealth are increasingly concentrated among a smaller, select group of individuals, within that group levels of capital continue to rise exponentially – focusing on this group will no doubt pay dividends for service providers.
In a move that will end non-refundable travel bookings for its customers, Roomer Travel has partnered with Munich Re to roll out its cancellation-protection solution, Flex. Flex, which is available on global travel platforms such as Secret Escapes, Central De Reservas, Love Holidays and Prestigia, gives travellers a flexible and innovative travel solution whereby machine-learning algorithms evaluate and price individual protection requests from OTA partners – allowing Roomer to consider additional parameters (which until today have not been accounted for at the time of booking) and providing travellers the ability to amend and cancel their hotel bookings up to 24 hours before check-in and get a full refund, ‘no questions asked’. Gon Ben-David, CEO and Co-Founder of Roomer, commented: “We found at Munich Re an agile and open-minded team
that understands our unique needs. I am convinced that now after giving flexibility to almost 150,000 travellers worldwide, this co-operation will enable Roomer to further expand its business globally.” After analysing the risks and challenges, Munich Re has developed an insurance solution that protects Roomer against large unexpected payouts, which are not predictable even with the machine learning algorithm, that may result, for example, from severe weather conditions. This insurance is underwritten by a primary insurance carrier of Munich Re. “There are many more verticals within the travel industry that face similar unsolved challenges,” added BenDavid. “We are excited to continue the partnership and to further explore opportunities to protect travellers and create value for the entire travel industry.”
New partnership for Traxo and easyJet
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Traxo, a Dallas, US-based data aggregation platform, has teamed up with easyJet to offer corporate travel clients flying with the airline a means to capture their business travel bookings for duty of care and spend tracking. Through integrating the Traxo CONNECT platform to their internal systems, businesses will be able to view employees’ business travel bookings made via easyJet’s website. This will provide improved visibility for corporate travel managers, and thus enable them to better track employees’ travel workflows. By leveraging Traxo’s proprietary FILTER technology on the company’s email server, the confirmation emails of bookings made directly with a travel supplier will be synced with Traxo CONNECT, enabling real-time spend and itinerary visibility for
corporate clients, and data integration to downstream duty of care services. “We’ve heard loud and clear that safety, duty of care and value for money are key priorities for both corporate travel managers and their travelling employees,” said Andrea CaulfieldSmith, Head of Business Development for easyJet. “By partnering with Traxo, our corporate customers have the opportunity to use Traxo to get visibility of their business travel bookings which are made directly on easyJet’s website or mobile app and to get the most of both worlds – the same low fares and quality service they expect alongside the assurance of having visibility of those bookings and making them available to their duty of care provider for safety tracking.” A recent study conducted in 2018 by GBTA indicated that 68 per cent of corporate travellers booked air tickets
directly with airlines, with 44 per cent citing better prices and more convenience as the reasons why. A vast majority (82 per cent) indicated they felt it important that their companies know of these travel plans ahead of time, but only 47 per cent indicated their companies have a system to capture these travel itinerary details. “By making these business travel bookings available to our corporate clients and their risk management providers via Traxo CONNECT, we help them fill a critical gap in booking visibility and make these cost-effective direct bookings more practical,” noted Traxo Founder and CEO Andres Fabris. “At the same time, their employees are happier with the flexibility they get from booking directly with an airline. Happier employees and programme savings are a win-win for everyone.”
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GENERAL INSURANCE NEWS
Choose your fighter The PwC Insurtech team has revealed the eight newest insurtech firms to have completed the Scale | InsurTech ‘19 programme, which focuses on building commercial value for both scale-ups and incumbents in the insurance industry The Scale | InsurTech ‘19 programme ran for 11 weeks with support from the UK PwC insurtech team. As well as supporting the cohort to identify commercial opportunities with potential clients, the programme enabled the firms to refine their business model and value propositions, raise their profile within the insurance industry and prepare their business for growth internationally. Participants undertook a business development curriculum that provided valuable insight into areas such as sales and marketing, leadership and culture, as well as how to approach fundraising. The eight firms that make up the Scale | Insurtech 2019 cohort are: • Artesian Risk & Compliance Hub, a service that lets companies automate risk assessment faster and more accurately through the use of structured and unstructured data sources to allow automation of underwriting policy. • Artificial, which helps insurers, brokers
and MGAs with the distribution, pricing and negotiation of risk. From the digitising of processes to the application of machine learning, their platform is structured around four core products – Build, Distribute, Price and Manage. • Atidot, which provides a cloud-based platform giving life insurers data-driven insights to inform decision making and develop new business strategies. They allow insurers to take control of existing data to improve understanding of customers’ behaviour and create viability into their risk. • Data-XL, which wants to make pricing
intelligent finance automation tools to deliver systematic controls to optimise the financial close and reporting process. It specialises in providing innovative solutions to support insurers’ processes around financial accounting, reg reporting and analytical requirements. • REG, a pioneer in developing RegTech solutions. The REG Network (3,200 members) addresses issues around legal, regulatory and statutory counterparty risk processes by automating the management of oversight, due diligence and compliance assessments backed by 24/7 support. • Squirro, a self-learning AI platform keeping insurers in the know and recommending what steps to take next. Ready-made applications help with deal origination, customer relationship management and more efficient underwriting. This allows an increase in efficiency and output. “The scale-up programme provided the tools, knowledge and networks to help these firms scale successfully, and throughout the programme, commercial relationships were forged and opportunities created for both the new businesses and incumbents,” said Glynn Austen-Brown, PwC’s Global Insurtech Lead. “We are excited to follow our cohort and work with them in the future to continue to drive transformation within the insurance industry.”
changes stick by helping insurance companies manage their price variable through following the model of retail companies. It has developed two plugand-play solutions: Price Optimisation and Supplier Overcharge Detection. • Innovative Applications, a tech incubator that produces AI software that sits at the heart of companies. It has developed ML algorithms and built a protection platform consisting of three pillars specifically designed under the concept of human behaviour. • Phinsys, which has built a platform of
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Beware the identity thieves
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The University of Texas at Austin Center for Identity has released the 2019 International Identity Theft Assessment and Prediction Report, which details the emerging trends in international identity theft, fraud and abuse and provides additional insights into the supply chain of abused identity assets. Firstly, the report – which includes key statistics from over 900 international cases of identity theft and other identity-related crimes
Lloyd’s of London (Lloyd’s) has released two new reports – one on smart contracts and another on parametric insurance – that identify how insurers can offer customers better products. The first, titled Triggering Innovation – How smart contracts bring insurance to life, details how smart contracts – contracts that are either totally or partially automated by computer code – can reduce the time taken to issue a customer with a policy and pay out for a claim, while also carrying out risk placement, premium placement, warranty enforcement, claims assessment and settlement. “While smart contracts are a nascent technology, they offer exciting potential to transform the customer experience,” said Trevor Maynard, Lloyd’s Head of Innovation. And indeed, the report offers four practical applications for smart contracts in the cargo, contingency/aviation, agriculture and property catastrophe classes, and shows how full claims and/or workflow
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automation could be applied to further classes in the Lloyd’s market. The parametric report, titled Triggering Innovation – Parametric insurance, which is exclusively available to Lloyd’s market partners, identifies similar benefits and also contains three case studies (which are available to everyone) that demonstrate how Lloyd’s parametric policies are helping agricultural producers in Europe, the UK, and the US to manage the risks to their business. Caroline Dunn, Lloyd’s Head of Class of Business, commented: “Lloyd’s welcomes the underwriting of risks on a parametric basis for a diverse range of classes of business for a variety of customers, including re-insureds, as well as personal and commercial lines’ customers. We have worked to provide Lloyd’s market participants with a thorough insight into the parametric insurance market, including legal considerations, design features and the applicability of parametric products within Lloyd’s.”
The study also found that passwords, financial information, dates of birth, social security, and photographs of the victim took the biggest toll on victims in terms of financial loss. “The personal data business is global, so it is imperative that we gain a better understanding of the international exchange of personal identifiable information. This Identity Theft Assessment and Prediction Report is an unprecedented
Passwords, financial information, dates of birth, social security, and photographs of the victim took the biggest toll on victims in terms of financial loss
– concludes that, despite the global reach of the internet and the interconnected nature of many multi-national financial services, the impact of most of the international cases in the ITAP report is overwhelmingly local, with 95 per cent of the cases ‘local to a particular country, as opposed to international incidents that have multi-national or worldwide effects’. The report also found that 37 per cent of the cases involved an ‘insider threat’, or individuals from within the compromised organisations. Seventy-five per cent of the cases occurred as a result of cyber vulnerabilities, which the report reasoned indicates the use of computers and the internet in executing the crimes.
and insightful beginning,” said Dr Suzanna Barber, Director of the University of Texas at Austin Center for Identity. Generali Global Assistance, one of the sponsors of the report, noted that it is important to study these trends as it seems that massive breaches are announced on a daily basis, ‘with Capital One being the most recent offender’. “The protection of valuable identity assets mandates an international investigation and understanding of the exchange, use and misuse of these assets. The UT Center for Identity will lead the way with this groundbreaking research project,” concluded Dr Barber.
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More than just a middleman When purchasing travel and health insurance in the age of the internet, search engines make easy work of finding comparison sites promising low prices and even comprehensive coverage, so how has the ‘high street’ broker managed to remain an asset to both customers and insurers in today’s market? Robyn Bainbridge addresses some often-outdated perceptions
>>
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| Insightful long reads you won’t find anywhere else
FEATURE “Nothing beats the in-depth industry knowledge of a good broker,” stated Damian Lenihan, Executive Director, Europe, Aetna International in the UK. “People forget that getting the right travel and international private medical insurance (IPMI) can be nuanced, in terms of region and the coverage. This means customers are always going to benefit from comprehensive, personalised advice – and brokers are uniquely placed to fully explain the market.” Although aggregator sites collate a range of policies and sort and filter them according to the user’s responses to questions posed by the site, high street brokers, it can be argued, are able to offer a more in-depth advice about policy coverage, while being able to answer any specific questions about the coverage details. As Malcolm Wright, Chief Commercial Officer at GeoBlue in the US, told ITIJ: “When using comparison sites, consumers often only see a high-level overview of the plan benefits, and with any insurance product, it’s critical to look deeper at the actual coverages and the details of the policy certificate.” Similarly, as board member of the British Insurance Brokers Association Peter Blanc put it [in a video resource on the association’s website]: “You just don’t know what you don’t know.” Peace of mind There’s no denying that comparison sites are still a popular asset to the online insurance marketplace and are meeting a real need for swift access to cover. But Michael Pettifer, Managing Director at MPI Brokers in the UK, would issue a warning.
not available on comparison sites, including those that are exclusive to the broker. Furthermore, Pettifer rejects the notion entirely that comparison sites are either fast or efficient. He infers that customers spend a considerable amount of time inputting their details and navigating through a plethora of results – a hassle that is removed entirely when purchasing directly through a broker, who will do the hard work for you. And there are other aspects of the insurance process that aren’t factored into the equation when purchasing from comparison sites. “While many IPMI insurers will have similar benefit schedules on paper, many aspects of their service (general turnaround time, leverage and communication with hospitals
“One thing you have to understand about comparison sites,” he said, “is that they’re not comparing what each provider offers. They’re comparing what each provider has provided to that comparison site.” He notes that there is still a wealth of policies that are
the pre-existing condition wasn’t declared; a situation that brokers can easily help to avoid with appropriate questioning and explanation to ensure all conditions are declared. Brokers certainly have a strong role to play in making sure appropriate coverage is purchased by the customer. Simon Neicho, Head of Commercial at Rothwell & Towler in the UK, told ITIJ that brokers are able to calculate risk more ‘sympathetically’ when analysing customers’ medical conditions, looking at how stable they are and how they are managed. He extrapolates: “By understanding a customer’s own unique situation, we can better facilitate the sale of a travel insurance product that provides peace of mind for consumers.”
brokers are able to provide carriers with insights into what buyers are looking for, how their needs are evolving and what is driving new needs or additional valued-added services) can vary significantly,” noted Pacific Prime’s Global Marketing Director in Hong Kong, Stephen Ho. “These intangible aspects are harder to compare but are equally important to consider when buying an insurance plan.” What’s more, when it comes to IPMI policies, which Ho explains typically range from anywhere between US$2,000 to over $10,000 per year and can contain extremely complicated policy wording, a broker will simplify the process for clients by offering expert advice that drastically reduces a customer’s time spent reviewing the options, while ensuring the client purchases a suitable policy for their needs. “A certain plan may look great on the surface,” noted Wright, “but may have exclusions and specific limits on benefits.” He adds that, should something happen to an insured on a trip, such as hospitalisation following an asthma attack, the policyholder could be liable for the entire hospital bill if
Lenihan points out that brokers can also identify the products that are ‘best of breed’, thus inspiring members to feel confident they have the right product for their needs, ‘at a price point that suits them’. And it is because of this product awareness that brokers possess, as Pettifer highlights, that coming to a broker will improve a customer’s trust: “Trust is one of the most important parts of buying an insurance policy,” he noted. Improved customer service It’s not just customers that can benefit from the uncontested knowledge of the broker. When it comes to IPMI, Wright said: “International health insurance is a complicated product to purchase – from understanding local regulations and compliance to different standards of care around the world to managing the unique needs of the various types of employees (for example, third country nationals, expats, and inpats) – and having a broker/consultant to >>
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Your customer, our care Medical, technical and legal assistance services for your company. HEALTHCARE Through our widespread network of doctors, polyclinics, dental clinics, private and public hospitals, we offer to your customers generic and specialised medical assistance at home care, 24 hours a day, dental medical assistance, outpatient specialist visits, hospital admissions, medical and nursing services, diagnostic and laboratory tests in Italy, Spain and France, with special coverage for the city of Paris. More than words, the numbers speak for us: • 15 minutes to organize an assistance service • over 55.000 patients assisted
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FEATURE help buyers navigate the process is a win/ win for buyers and insurers.” By aiding and smoothing the buying process, brokers are creating happy purchasers, and that reflects positively on the insurer. “The most significant benefits brokers can bring to insurers include improved customer service and experience,” said Ho, “which ultimately lead to improved reputation and higher client retention for the insurers.” Bettering the customer journey includes improved communication and that takes a lot of work behind the scenes. Lenihan details that insurers such as Aetna International work closely with brokers, going to great lengths to build relationships with them, as doing so keeps brokers in the loop with insurers' latest developments and allows insurers to receive up-to-date, constructive feedback. “Essentially, they facilitate a conversation between us and our members, so two-way communication is key,” he explained. Further to this, Ho notes that brokers, particularly those who ‘consult clients impartially and professionally’, can help bring a lot of transparency. And, as with communication, this transparency also ensures that customers utilise their benefits properly and don’t lose faith in their insurer when a claims payment takes longer than expected. “It might feel irritating to wait a couple of days for a claims payment,” reasoned Lenihan, “but if a member knows
and declined claims, which are all major pluses for insurers, Ho told ITIJ. Thanks to a broker’s consultative approach, they can even save insurers money by feeding back information on client data.
brokers are able to calculate risk more ‘sympathetically’ when analysing customers’ medical conditions that the industry standard is over a week, it shines a different light.” Moreover, Wright also explains that brokers are able to provide carriers with insights into what buyers are looking for, how their needs are evolving and what is driving new needs. “All of which helps carriers continue to evolve their offerings and better serve buyers’ needs,” he said. “This collaboration between insurer and broker drives customer satisfaction which results in loyalty and long-term client retention.” Cost containment Improved transparency and communication can also help reduce instances of fraud
“Clients can expect a thorough review of their historical data and experience to assess claims spend, trends and behaviors which may drive the conversation towards cost containment,” detailed Wright. Neicho further emphasised how brokers could benefit insurers by driving profits. He explained that they distribute risk across a variety of customers, each with their own booking pattern, risk factors and lifetime value: “Building brand loyalty throughout the lifetime of a policy in turn retains customers and supports the profitability of the portfolio.”
industry knowledge, unrivalled customer service and cost containment – just some of the benefits that brokers provide to the insurance industry and customers alike. But it doesn’t end there: with the uptake of new technology, brokers are further expanding their capabilities and may soon be able to provide an entirely holistic service to both parties. To begin with, Wright detailed: “On the group medical side, we’ve seen brokers and consultants invest in back office tools that work across all lines of insurance to gain efficiencies and enable them to provide more services to their group buyers.” Chat functionality is one popular aspect of
and marketing approaches could be used to engage with potential clients of different age ranges. And Wright agrees: “Agents and brokers who have put a focus on digital marketing, especially around SEO, have been able to build a strong online presence and drive traffic and sales to their sites.” Neicho argued that this presence on customers’ platforms can also help ‘shape the direction of a broker’s business’. He explained that Rothwell & Towler has introduced an automated marketing platform with a single customer view: “This includes customer quote, sales and underwriting performance data allowing
We’ve seen some brokers who focus on the individual market starting to use live chat/agent features this. For example, Pettifer reveals that MPI is planning on introducing an in-house doctor that would provide medical assistance directly through its broking service and notes that the company’s new website, which should be up and running by the end of 2019, will include a live chat feature. It’s a development that is meeting real needs. “We’ve seen some brokers who focus on the individual market starting to use live chat/agent features, which makes sense given the highly transactional nature of these sales,” said Wright. And not only, as Ho points out, does this lower the customer service workload, it also cements the role of the broker in the modern insurance landscape – in that they are able to provide accessible information to an increasingly tech-savvy generation of travellers. Another move that solidly grounds the broker in the modern insurance landscape is the implementation of social media and marketing. During the Agency Innovation Conference in Bangkok in July, AXA’s Financial Services Director Calvin Lee revealed that the company advocated the use of social media as a precision marketing tool, whereby certain platforms
The future of broking So there we have it, expert product and
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us to analyse customer behaviour in order to drive marketing strategy and ensure customers are offered cover that’s relevant to their lifestyle and their budget,” he said. “The increased use of this technology will also lead to growth in innovations such as online claims submission and real-time claim settlement.” Ho furthered this point, emphasising that mobile apps and portal platforms are both improving the customer experience and strengthening the brokers’ value propositions. He cites Pacific Prime’s ‘state-of-the-art quotation system’, which compares up to 50,000 different plan combinations and ‘issues quotations that are tailored to customers’ needs within 24 hours’. Undoubtably, the instantaneous nature of new technology has highlighted a demand for speed in all transactions, and brokers are starting to use this to their advantage. The enduring relevance of the broker will likely lie in their ability to balance unrivalled customer service and industry knowledge with the ability to keep up with the increasingly technological demands of society. ■
FEATURE
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ON THE MOVE
nib appoints Gladman as New Frontier Group expands CEO of travel insurance worldwide management team nib Group (nib) recently announced the appointment of Anna Gladman as CEO of its travel insurance business, nib Travel. Anna has over two decades’ experience in the insurance and broader financial services industry, with roles at a number of ASX-listed and multinational organisations, including AMP, Suncorp, BT Financial Group and GE Capital. She is currently the CEO of Liberty Financial, a specialist Australia-based general insurer. David Kan, nib’s Group Executive, International and New Business, said that, following an extensive recruitment process, nib had secured a proven and very capable leader: “Anna has a wealth of experience in the underwriting and distribution of insurance product lines as well as a track record of delivering major transformation initiatives. We have big and bold plans to grow our travel
insurance operations both here in Australia as well as globally and think she is the right leader to help deliver on this strategy.” Anna Anna said she is Gladman excited about the CEO opportunity to lead nib Travel during what is an interesting time for all financial services categories. “nib has always struck me as a customercentric organisation that’s willing to shake up the traditional ways of doing things,” she said. “And with travel insurance, like many other industries going through significant disruption, I am excited about the opportunity for brands who are prepared to challenge the status quo.” Anna will commence as CEO of nib Travel on 2 September 2019.
New Frontier Group has welcomed Paula Gamboa as Senior Director of Business Development for Latin America. Paula will be heading up the company’s LATAM Business Development team in Miami, Florida; she currently resides in south Florida, giving her 'exceptional access to the Latin American market', according to New Frontier Group. “With over 25 years of experience in cost containment and assistance services, Paula is an outstanding addition to our International Business Development team and one that will lend immediate credibility to New Frontier Group in Latin America,” said the Group's Chief Operating Officer Randall L. Condie. Paula brings with her a wealth of experience in the international and LATAM insurance and assistance
Hiscox announces promotions within Re & ILS Specialist global insurer Hiscox has announced two new appointments within Hiscox Re & ILS. Andrew Dolphin has been appointed Director of Underwriting – London, replacing Megan McConnell, who is relocating to New York to take on the role of Chief Underwriting Officer for Hiscox USA. Andrew’s appointment is subject to board and regulatory approval. Since joining Hiscox in 2000, Andrew has been a key part of the evolution of Hiscox Re & ILS from a syndicate-focused London-based business to the multicapital diverse product organisation it is today. In September last year, he was appointed Chief Operating Officer for Hiscox Re & ILS and became a member of the executive team. Andrew will commence his new role in October and will continue to be based in London. Following Andrew’s appointment, Chris
Lee has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer for Hiscox Re & ILS and will join the Hiscox Re & ILS executive team. Chris joined Hiscox in March this year as Head of Insight, where he was responsible for spearheading the company’s data and insights strategy. Prior to this, he was COO at Lief and Dev BootCamp, technology platform organisations enabling alternative education and finance solutions. Chris will also commence his new role in October and will continue to be based in Bermuda. “As Hiscox Re & ILS continues to evolve in response to the opportunities ahead, it’s fantastic that we can draw on the experience of Andrew and Chris,” said Mike Krefta, CEO of Hiscox Re & ILS. “It’s always rewarding when we can find ideal candidates within our own talent pool and I look forward to seeing what they will bring to their roles and how they will continue to drive the business forward.”
Paula Gamboa Senior Director
Key exec appointments at Sedgwick
Chris Lee Chief Operating Officer
Andrew Dolphin Director of Underwriting
Sedgwick has announced several executive appointments, designed to support its international growth strategy. Paul White has been promoted from COO for Sedgwick in the UK to Deputy CEO; in this role, he will support Stewart Steel, Sedgwick’s CEO in the UK, who said: “Paul is a great asset to our operations and all the business we do in the UK.” Jessica Reimers, meanwhile, has joined Sedgwick as its new COO for Europe. She brings more than 25 years’ industry experience to the role, having spearheaded numerous international projects focused on digitalisation,
Asia-Pacific,” said Paul McNamee, Regional President of Chubb in the Asia-Pacific. “We are glad to welcome back Andrew to the region. He is a hands-on, proactive, innovative and results-oriented executive, qualities which will position us well in Thailand, one of the most dynamic businesses in the region. Ed is a seasoned professional with demonstrated strong technical proficiency, leadership and business development skills. We’re pleased to elevate Ed into this important regional role.”
38
organisational culture and innovation. Finally, Stephen Raper has been appointed Finance Director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. “I offer my congratulations to Paul on his new role and am pleased to welcome Jessica and Stephen to Sedgwick’s outstanding international leadership team,” commented Ian V. Muress, Sedgwick’s CEO of International Operations. “Together, we will continue to develop our global business and build strong relationships with existing and future clients. Sedgwick is well-positioned for sustained growth, and I am excited for our future.”
Babson promoted at Allianz Care Allianz Partners has announced a new appointment for its international health arm, Allianz Care. Diane Babson will take up the role of Chief Financial Officer, following the retirement of Finance Director and Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Frank Mee. Diane joined Allianz Partners in 2015 as Chief Financial Officer for the US and Americas Region, bringing with her more than a decade and a half of experience across multiple financial disciplines. She holds a degree in accounting from the University of Massachusetts, US, and an MBA from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. She commenced her new role with Allianz Care last month on a three-year assignment. Speaking about the appointment, CEO Ida Luka-Lognoné said: “Diane is a seasoned
Chubb makes changes Chubb has announced a number of leadership changes for its business in the Asia-Pacific region. Edward Kopp, who is currently Country President of general insurance in Thailand for Chubb, has been appointed Senior Vice-President for accident and health, while Andrew Nisbet is set to replace Edward in his role, pending regulatory approval. “These leadership changes demonstrate the depth of talent Chubb has available to ensure we sustain our growth momentum in the
sectors and possesses a deep business and cultural understanding of this area, having lived and worked in these markets for well over two decades. She is an active speaker on cost containment initiatives, as well as an expert in access to affordable healthcare alternatives in the US. “After spending a year in another business sector, I’m really pleased to be joining New Frontier Group, returning to the travel and international health insurance market where I have built my career and developed many great professional relationships,” she said. Paula will be focused on developing both new and existing client relationships for New Frontier Group, as well as launching new products and service propositions, primarily in Latin America and Spain.
finance executive with vast experience, and we are delighted she is joining us following a number of very successful years leading the finance operations for the US and Americas. She is a strong leader and strategic business partner, and I am very much looking forward to working with her at Allianz Care.” Diane’s appointment comes as Frank Mee retires after more than 30 years of service. Frank began his career with Allianz in 1986 and was one of the founders of the international health line of business. Speaking about Frank’s retirement, Ida LukaLognoné added: “It has been a privilege for me to work alongside Frank since I joined the company. His dedication to the business and wealth of knowledge has always been an enormous asset to the team. I wish him a happy and fulfilling retirement.”
For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)
SERVICE DIRECTORY
ON THE MOVE
AVAILABLE ONLINE - itij.com/servicedirectory
International Travel & Health Insurance Journal
To a p p e a r i n I T I J ’s S e r v i c e D i r e c t o r y, c o n t a c t t h e s a le s t e a m o n + 4 4 ( 0 ) 1 1 7 9 2 5 5 1 5 1
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AVAILABLE ONLINE - itij.com/servicedirectory
Flying Doctors Asia
Air Ambulance
Prithpal Singh – CEO , Director A’Posh Bizhub, 1 Yishun Industrial St 1, #08-03, SINGAPORE, 768160 tel: +65 6483 5412 fax: +65 6734 1338
Providers of fixed-wing air ambulance services
Ace Air & Ambulance (Pvt) Ltd.
prithpal@flyingdoctorsasia.com www.flyingdoctorsasia.com
email: website:
Latitude Air Ambulance
James Halsted, – Managing Director
Diana Iaquinto – Director Sales & Medical Ops
2 Mount Road, Avondale, Harare, ZIMBABWE
John C. Munro/Hamilton International Airport,9300 Airport Rd. Mount Hope. Ontario, L0R 1W0, CANADA tel: +1 289 426 1133 email: 24.7@latitude2009.com website: www.latitude2009.com fax: +1 289 426 1132
tel: +263 (4) 302 141 tel: +263 (782) 999 901/2/3/4
email: james@ace-ambulance.com website: www.ace-ambulance.com
AMREF Flying Doctors
LifeFlight
Dr Bettina Vadera – Medical Director
Peter Elliott – Fixed Wing Operations Manager
Wilson Airport, LangataRoad, PO Box 18617, Nairobi, KENYA
PO Box 15166, City East, QLD 4002, AUSTRALIA
tel: +254 20 6000 090 fax: +254 20 344 170
24/7 (int): +61 7 5553 5955 +61 7 5553 5965 fax:
email: website:
emergency@flydoc.org www.flydoc.org
Awesome Air Evac
Medic’Air International 每递安国际
Shane Marais – General Manager
Dr Li Tao – Medical Director
Hanger 104C, Gate C, Lanseria Airport, Lanseria, SOUTH AFRICA tel: +27 11 430 1777
ops@lifeflight.org.au www.LifeFlight.org.au
email: website:
email: website:
885 Renmin Road, Huaihai China Building, Room 808, 200010 Shanghai, CHINA
rescue@awesomeairevac.com www.awesomeairevac.com
tel: +86 2163 558289 fax: +86 2163 558285
ER24
email: operations@medic-air.com website: www.medic-air.com
Medical Rescue 24/7 Flight Desk
Dr Glenn McKay – Managing Director
Cambridge Manor Office Park, Manor 1, Stone Haven Road, C/o Witkoppen & Stone Haven Roads, Sandton, Paulshof, SOUTH AFRICA tel: +27 (0) 10 205 3100 email: flight@er24.co.za website: www.er24.co.za fax: +27 (0) 866 781 507
Medical Rescue Group PO Box 642, Varsity Lakes, Level 2, 235 Varsity Parade, Varsity Lakes 4227, AUSTRALIA email: operations@medicalrescue.com.au tel: +61 7 556 25 800 opt. 1 website: www.medicalrescue.com.au
Flying Doctors Nigeria
Medical Wings
Dr Ola Brown – Founder
Dr.Sura Jaidwatee, M.D. – Medical Flight Manager
2nd Floor Quits Aviation Centre, Hangar 1 Along Gate 1, Muritala Muhammad International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, NIGERIA tel: +234 703 509 7761 email: sales@flyingdoctorsnigeria.com website: www.flyingdoctorsnigeria.com tel: +234 706 920 1299
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 website: www.medicalwings.com +662 535 4734 fax:
Medic’Air International
Medresponse Ambulance Services
Dr Jean-Philippe MATTEI – Medical Director
James Bautista – Business Development Manager
Dar El Bacha - Tizougarine 5, 40000 Marrakech Medina, MOROCCO
Unit 26-A Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave., Makati, Metro Manila, PHILIPPINES +63 921 225 7470 tel: email: ops@medresponse.ph website: www.medresponse.ph 24/7 tel: +63 917 185 9911
tel: +212 5 24 38 13 88 fax: +212 524 428 436
email: website:
operations@medic-air.com www.medic-air.com
Asia Air Ambulance
Orient Air Medical Association (OAMA)
Mr. Toranit Sripal – Managing Director
Dr. Bay Li – Chief Medical Officer
Asia Air Ambulance Co. Ltd., Bangkok599/59 Ratchadaphisek Road, Jatujak, Bangkok 10900, THAILAND tel: +66 898 969 000 email: operations@asiaairambulance.com website: www.asiaairambulance.com fax: +66 219 218 01
No.8 North Building, Qingtian, Haitang District, Sanya, 572013, CHINA +26 898 8898 3120 tel: 24/7 tel: +86 186 1299 9120
email: website:
baylee@oama.cn www.oama.cn
Air Alliance Medflight GmbH
CareJet Anthony Decoste – President & CEO
Eva Kluge – Chief Commercial Officer
Level 24 Robinsons Cyberscape Beta, Topaz & Ruby Roads, Ortigas Center, 1605 Pasig City, PHILIPPINES email: tel: +63 2491 8000 website:
SIEGERLAND AIRPORT, Werfthalle G1, 57299 Burbach, GERMANY mob: +49 170 366 4933 24/7 tel: +49 2736 4428 45
ops@carejet.com carejet.com
email: website:
e.kluge@air-alliance.de www.air-alliance.de
AIRLEC Air Espace
EDS AVIATION PTE LTD Shik – Managing Director
Paul Tiba – Managing Director
66 Seletar Aerospace View, #02-09, SINGAPORE, 797509
Zone Aviation Générale, 33700 Mérignac Cidex 05 FRANCE
tel: +65 9836 3265 fax: +65 6846 9542
email: website:
24hr tel: +335 56 34 02 14 +335 56 55 98 18 fax
info@eds-aviation.com www.eds-aviation.com
email: website:
paul.tiba@airlecairespace.com www.airlecairespace.com
Capital Air Ambulance
EMA Global Pte Ltd Dexter Tan – Business Development Director
Lisa Humphries – Sales DirectorManager
1 Farrer Park Station Road, #15-18, Farrer Park Medical Centre, SINGAPORE 217562
Airport House, Exeter International Airport, EX5 2BD, UK
tel: +65 6570 2552 tel: +65 6244 0030
email: website:
dexter@emaglobal.com.sg www.emaglobal.com.sg
tel: +44 845 055 2828 fax: +44 1392 350 039
email: sales@capitalairambulance.co.uk website: www.capitalairambulance.co.uk
CEGA Group
EMA Global Pte Ltd Jay Bajas – Senior Manager - Operations
Mr Nick Simon – Business Development Manager
Unit 2314 Centuria Medical Makati, Century City, Kalayaan Ave. cor. Salamanca St. Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City - 1210, PHILIPPINES
Funtington Park, Funtington, Chichester, UK, PO18 8RG, UK
24hr tel: +63 (02) 555 5228 fax: +63 (02) 863 0650
tel: + 44 (0) 1243 621 107 fax: + 44 (0) 1243 621 006
email: jay@emaglobal.com.ph website: www.emaglobal.com.sg
40
email: privaterepats@cegagroup.com website: cegagroup.com
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SERVICE DIRECTORY
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DRF Luftrettung / German Air Rescue
Get Listed Now
Dr. Peter Huber – CEO
German Air Rescue – Claim-Variante rot / schwarz
Rita-Maiburg-Str. 2, D-70794 Filderstadt, GERMANY German Air Rescue
24h tel: +49 711 7007 3010 fax: +49 711 7007 3119
AVAILABLE ONLINE - itij.com/servicedirectory
sales@itij.com or telephone: +44 (0)117 925 51 51 (opt.1)
email: ops@drf-luftrettung.de website: www.drf-luftrettung.de/air-ambulance
AC Global Air Ambulance
DRK Assistance Andreas Speich – Managing Director
AC
Milan Floribus – Vice President
GLOBAL
8775 Aero Drive, Suite 120, San Diego, CA 92123, USA moc@drkassistance.com www.drkassistance.com
email: website:
AI
tel: +49 211 301 805-0 fax: +49 211 301 805-21
R
CE
Aufm Hennekamp 71, 40225 Düsseldorf, GERMANY AMBULAN
tel: +263 (4) 302 141 fax: +1 858 408 7856
email: acglobalmedicaltransports@gmail.com website: acglobalmedicaltransports.com
Aeromedevac Air Ambulance
European Air Ambulance
Adam Williams – President
Patrick Schomaker – Director Sales & Marketing
1860 Joe Crosson Drive, Hangar I, El Cajon, CA 92020, USA
Luxembourg Airport, B.P.24, L-5201, Sandweiler, LUXEMBOURG 24hr tel: +352 26 26 00 +352 26 26 01 fax:
toll free: +1 619 284 7910 +(619) 284 7918 fax:
alert@air-ambulance.com www.air-ambulance.com
email: website:
email: website:
ops@aeromedevac.com www.aeromedevac.com
AirEvac International
FAI – rent-a-jet AG
Raul Mendoza – President / CEO
Volker Lemke – Director Sales and Marketing CSO Flughafenstasse. 124; 90411 Nuremberg; GERMANY tel: +49 911 36009 31 fax: +49 911 36009 59
3404 Bonita Rd, Chula Vista, Ca. 91910, USA
email: website:
tel: +1 619 754-6755 fax: +1 619 330 4551
Volker.lemke@fai.ag www.fai.ag
email: website:
info@aeiamericas.com www.aeiamericas.com
CEGA Group
Jet Executive International Charter
Mr Nick Simon – Business Development Manager
Irena Dimitrijevic – Marketing & Sales Mündelheimer Weg 50, D-40472, Düsseldorf, GERMANY “Homebase FRA & MUC” tel: +49 211 602 7775 email: sales@jetexecutive.com website: www.jetexecutive.com fax: +49 211 602 77766
Funtington Park, Funtington, Chichester, UK, PO18 8RG, UK tel: + 44 (0) 1243 621 107 fax: + 44 (0) 1243 621 006
email: privaterepats@cegagroup.com website: cegagroup.com
Global Jetcare, Inc.
JOIN JET Carsten Vistisen – General Manager
Bart Gray – President
Cumulusvej 10, 7190 Billund, DENMARK
15421 Technology Dr. Brooksville, FL 34604, USA
24hr tel: tel:
+45 701 040 90 +45 701 040 90
email: website:
tel: +1 352 799 7771 fax: +1 352 799 7776
ems@joinjet.com www.joinjet.com
Malteser Service Center
email: website:
JET ICU
Johannes Hoischen – International Network and Repatriation
Mike Honeycutt – President
Erna-Scheffler-Strasse 2, 51103 Köln, GERMANY
2561 Rescue Way, Brooksville, FL 34604, USA
tel: +49 221 98 22 9333 fax: +49 40 694597 61339
bart@globaljetcare.com www.globaljetcare.com
email: website:
tel: +1 352 796 2540 fax: +1 352 796 2549
ambulance@malteser.org www.malteser-service-center.de
email: website:
Jet-Rescue Air Ambulance
Medic’Air International 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
tel: +33 141 72 1414 fax: +33 148 57 1010
ops@jeticu.com www.jeticu.com
email: website:
operations@medic-air.com www.medic-air.com
tel: +1 786 619 1268
North Flying a/s
email: operations@jet-rescue.com website: 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
John C. Munro/Hamilton International Airport,9300 Airport Rd. Mount Hope. Ontario, L0R 1W0, CANADA tel: +1 289 426 1133 email: 24.7@latitude2009.com website: www.latitude2009.com fax: +1 289 426 1132
tel: +45 9632 2900 fax: +45 9632 2909
email: jkr@northflying.com website: www.northflying.com
Skyalta
Quick Air Jet Charter GmbH
David Ewing – Executive Vice-President, Global Markets
Philipp Schneider – Account Manager
Montreal/PE Trudeau Int Airport, 9025 Avenue Ryan, Montreal (Quebec), H9P 1A2, CANADA tel: +1 514 497 7000 email: alert@sky-alta.com website: www.sky-alta.com fax: +1 514 636 0096
Hangar 3, Cologne Airport, 51147 Cologne, GERMANY tel: +49 2203 955 700 fax: +49 2203 955 7020
email: website:
ops@quickair.de www.quickair.de
Swiss Air-Ambulance Ltd. Rega
S O U T H
Wolfgang Seeger – Customer Relationship Manager Rega-Center, PO Box 1414, CH-8058 Zurich, SWITZERLAND tel: +41 44 654 33 11 fax: +41 44 654 33 22
email: website:
wolfgang.seeger@rega.ch www.rega.ch
Tyrol Air Ambulance
Helidosa Aviation Group Karla Vinas – Air Ambulance account Executive Hangar 1, 10 & 14 La Isabela Airport, Santo Domingo, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC email: tel: +18293457219 website:
k.vinas@helidosa.com www.helidosa.com
Brasil Vida
Manfred Helldoppler – Managing Director
João Paulo Silva – Air Ambulance Account Executive
Fuerstenweg 180, A-6026 Innsbruck-Airport, AUSTRIA
Av. Santos Dumont, Hangares Norte, Hangar Brasil Vida - Setor Santa Genoveva 74.672-420 Goiânia - Go BRAZIL 24/7 tel: +55 62 3207 5566 email: fretamento@brasilvida.com.br website: www.brasilvida.com.br 24/7 mob: +55 62 9997 15370
tel: +43 512 22422 100 tel: +43 512 288 888
email: website:
taa@taa.at www.taa.at
41
For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com
SERVICE DIRECTORY
or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)
AVAILABLE ONLINE - itij.com/servicedirectory
CareJet
Assistance Companies
Anthony Decoste – President Level 24 Robinsons Cyberscape Beta, Topaz & Ruby Roads, Ortigas Center, 1605 Pasig City, PHILIPPINES
Providers of assistance services for the global travel and health insurance industry, including travel, medical and security assistance and repatriation services
email: website:
tel: +63 2491 8000
AIMS
ops@carejet.com carejet.com
Covermore Assistance Online Bernadette Breton – Chief Executive Officer
Wilson Chan – CEO 7/F Unit 702, 58 Changliu Road, Zendai Cube Edifice, Pudong, Shanghai, CHINA 200135 email: ops-shanghai@covermore.com.cn tel: +86 21 12591222 website: www.covermore.com.cn
AIMS House, 3 West St, Bryanston 2191, Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA email: operations@aims.org.za website: www.aims.org.za
tel: +27 11 783 0135 fax: +27 11 783 2950
EMA Global Pte Ltd
AMREF Flying Doctors
Dexter Tan – Business Development Director
Dr Bettina Vadera – Medical Director
1 Farrer Park Station Road, #15-18, Farrer Park Medical Centre, SINGAPORE 217562 tel: +65 6570 2552 email: website: tel: +65 6244 0030
Wilson Airport, LangataRoad, PO Box 18617, Nairobi, KENYA tel: +254 20 6000 090 fax: +254 20 344 170
emergency@flydoc.org www.flydoc.org
email: website:
CONNEX Assistance
EMA Global Pte Ltd
Dr Helmy El Tanahy – CEO
Jay Bajas – Senior Manager - Operations Unit 2314 Centuria Medical Makati, Century City, Kalayaan Ave. cor. Salamanca St. Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City - 1210, PHILIPPINES
Office 11, Floor 1, 6 El Sad El Aali st, Dokki, Cairo, EGYPT tel: +202 3 336 0005 fax: +202 3 762 0003
dexter@emaglobal.com.sg www.emaglobal.com.sg
alarm@connexassistance.com www.connexassistance.com
email: website:
24hr tel: +63 (02) 555 5228 fax: +63 (02) 863 0650
email: website:
jay@emaglobal.com.ph www.emaglobal.com.sg
Emergency Assistance Japan
Inter Secours Assistance Mr. EL MOUADDEN Abdelhamid – Directeur Général
Takaaki Chiyo – Executive Officer, Head of Network Division
8, Rue Grasset, Quartier des hôpitaux, CP 20360,Casablanca, MOROCCO tel: +212 5 22 46 72 22 fax: +212 5 22 26 00 27
NRK Koishikawa Bldg., 1-21-14 Koishikawa, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-0002, JAPAN email: website:
mouaden@isas.ma www.isas.ma
tel: +81-(0)3-3811-7520 fax: +81-(0)3-3811-7511
AA International Indonesia
email: website:
network@emergency.co.jp emergency.co.jp/english
Global Assistance & Healthcare
Brandon Heng – CEO
Alain Durand – President Director
Tifa Building, 10th Floor, No.1003, Jl. Kuningan Barat 1 No. 26, Mampang Prapatan, Jakarta 12710, INDONESIA
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 website: www.global-assistance.net fax: +62 21 299 78 9555/66
tel: +62 21 2927 9600 24/7: ops-jakarta@aa-international.co.id
email: marketing@aa-international.co.id website: www.aa-international.co.id
Global Assistance Partners Co.,Ltd.
AIG Travel
Gna KH CHUNG – CEO
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: website: fax: +603 2685 5673
412 Vabien III, 86, TongIl-ro,Jung-gu, Seoul 04517, REPUBLIC OF KOREA tel: +82 1670 0722 fax: +82 2 720 8839
martin.villarino@aig.com aig.com/travel
Asian Travel And Medical Services
Global Doctor China
Rahul Gupta – Sr. Manager - International Business
Regina Zheng – Operations Manager Suite 306, Building 8 Bai Huan Jia yuan / No.66 Yuan, Guangqu Road,Chaoyang District, Beijing P.R.China Post Code 100022 CHINA tel: +86 10 5815 1188 Ext. 812 email: regina@globaldoctor.com.au website: www.globaldoctor.com.au fax: +86 10 8775 9138
131/1 , PICNIC GARDEN ROAD , KOLKATA - 700039 , INDIA tel: +91-9836309173 fax: +91 033-23440170
operations@globalassistance.co.kr www.globalassistance.co.kr
email: website:
email: website:
rahul.gupta@asiantms.com www.asiantms.com
Global MediCALL Assistance
Asia Rescue & Medical Services Pvt. Ltd Dr.Anraj Singh – Director
Sridhar K – Chief Operations Officer
Flat 2B, Jaivijay Apartment , 61 B Palm Avenue Kolkata – 700019 West Bengal, INDIA
MALAYSIA - www.globalmedicallassistance.com
24/7 tel: +91 983 1090 831 24/7 tel: +91 033 4060 4013
email: website:
tel: +6 03 3359 6969 fax: +6 03 3359 6161
arms@armsindia.com www.armsindia.com
AP Companies KAZAKHSTAN
Dr Nino Susanto – Operational Director Beltway Office Park Tower C 2nd floor Jl. TB Simatupang Kav. 41, Jakarta 12550, INDONESIA email: med.assistance@medikaplaza.com tel: +6221 80866000 website: www.medikaplaza.com
4, 148 Mamir, Auzovskiy region, Almati, KAZAKHSTAN email: KZT@ap-companies.com website: www.ap-companies.com
Orient Air Medical Association (OAMA)
AP Companies UZBEKISTAN Ilhom Sadikov – Business Development Manager
Connie Zhang – Medical Network Manager No.8 North Building, Qingtian, Haitang District, Sanya, 572013, CHINA
4a, Uzumzor street, Ulukbek region,Tashkent, UZBEKISTAN tel: +9 987 123 890 41
marketing@globalmedicallassistance.com ops@globalmedicallassistance.com
MEDIKA PLAZA
Elmira Turmagambetova – General Manager
tel: + 7 727 350 52 76
email: email
email: website:
uzb@ap-companies.com www.ap-companies.com
+86 898 8898 3120 tel: 24/7 tel: +86 180 1646 1628
BrightCare Assist
email: website:
operation@oama.cn www.oama.cn
ADAC Ambulance Service
Gloria Lee Carmen V. Matti – CEO
Christoph Ullrich – Senior Manager International Network
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 website: www.brightcare-assist.com fax: (+632) 224-4152
Hansastr. 19, D - 80686 Munich, GERMANY tel: +49 897 676 29 12 mob: +49 171 555 29 12
42
email: christoph.ullrich@adac.de website: www.adac.de/ambulance
For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com
SERVICE DIRECTORY
or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)
AIG Travel
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 email: sally.waithe@aig.com tel: +44 (0)1273 456 484 website: aig.com/travel
77-79 Nezhinskaya Str., 65023, Odessa, UKRAINE tel: +38 048 7373 441 fax: +38 048 7373 442
AP Companies Natalya Butakova – Business Development Manager
Costas Danilenko – CEO
17 Varshavskoye Shosse, Moscow 117105, RUSSIA
PO Box II, 125124 Moscow, RUSSIA
email: website:
natalya@ap-companies.ru www.ap-companies.ru
tel: +7 495 775 0999 fax: +7 495 775 0998
Argos Assistance Srl
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: +39 027 254 6325 fax: +39 069 933 5053
tel: +43 (0) 2742 49 11 fax: +43 (0) 27 42 89165
operations@argosassistance.com www.argosassistance.com
email: website:
Athens Assistance
email: website:
office@ifra.at www.ifra.at
Interamerican Assistance S.A.
Dr. Dimitris Koliniatis – CEO
Inez Tissink – Coordinator International Activities
Bouboulinas 20, TK 185 35, Piraeus, Athens, GREECE
Syngrou Avenue 350,17680 Kallithea, Athens, GREECE
tel: +30 210 4296 631 fax: +30 210 4296 661
tel: (+30) 210 94 61 750 fax: (+30) 210 94 61 004
email: operations@athensassistance.gr website: www.athensassistance.gr
email: website:
tissinki@interamerican.gr www.interamerican.gr
Malteser Service Center
Au International Service / Assist Ukraine Andrey ZIMIN – Director
Johannes Hoischen – International Network and Repatriation
Str. Sholudenko 3, 04116 Kiev, UKRAINE
Erna-Scheffler-Strasse 2, 51103 Köln, GERMANY
email: website:
tel: +38044 251 28 11
tel: +49 221 98 22 9333 fax: +49 40 694597 61339
assist@assist-ukraine.com assist-ukraine.com
ambulance@malteser.org www.malteser-service-center.de
email: website:
Marm Assistance
BMC HEALTH SOLUTIONS 24HR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE Antonio Magliocca – Medical Director
Hamdi Inan – CEO
Via del pozzo 30, Monteriggioni, 53100, Siena, ITALY
AirPort Plaza, Ankara Caddesi, No:486, Kurtkoy 34912, Istanbul, TURKEY
24hr tel: +39 0823 966 694 +39 0823 966 694 fax:
email: website:
tel: +90 216 560 07 24 fax: +90 216 560 07 07
info@assistenzamedicah24.it www.medicalassistanceh24.com
email: website:
marm@marm.com.tr www.marmassistance.com
Medicall AG
CNAS Carole Luisy – Managing Director
Markus Detel – Manager International Network
80 rue des alliés, 38100, Grenoble, FRANCE
Zurichstrasse 38, CH-8306 Bruttisellen, SWITZERLAND
tel: +33 438 49 83 49 fax: +33 438 49 83 40
email: website:
carole.luisy@cnas-assistance.com www.cnas-assistance.com
email: mservices@medicall.ch website: www.medicall.ch
tel: +41 44 655 16 67
DRF Luftrettung / German Air Rescue
German Air Rescue
gmbs@gvassistance.com www.gvassistance.com
email: website:
Global Voyager Assistance - Russia
tel: +7 495 989 1120 fax: +7 495 989 1130
German Air Rescue – Claim-Variante rot / schwarz
AVAILABLE ONLINE - itij.com/servicedirectory
National Health Service LLC
Dr. Peter Huber – CEO
Dr. Ashfaq Rizvi – Financial Director
Rita-Maiburg-Str. 2, D-70794 Filderstadt, GERMANY
101000 Russia, Moscow, Potapovsky lane 5-2, RUSSIA
24h tel: +49 711 7007 3010 fax: +49 711 7007 3119
tel: +7 (495) 374-88-24 fax: +7 (495) 374-88-24
email: ops@drf-luftrettung.de website: www.drf-luftrettung.de/air-ambulance
DRK Assistance
drrizvi@nhsassist.ru www.nhsassist.ru
Save Assistance France
Andreas Speich – Managing Director
Thomas Blanchet – Key Account Manager / Responsable Grands Comptes 6 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, Le Campus, Bat. B1, 78180 Montigny-Le-Bretonneux., FRANCE +33 (0)13062 6752 tel: email: website: 24h tel: +33 (0)13062 1122
Aufm Hennekamp 71, 40225 Düsseldorf, GERMANY tel: +49 (211) 301 805 0 fax: +49 (211) 301 805 21
email: website:
moc@drkassistance.de www.drkassistance.com
blanchet@saveassistance.com www.saveassistance.com
Savitar Group Ltd.
EgyCross Assistance
Maria Berkova – General Manager
Dr. Hany Benyamen – CEO
3rd floor, entrance #4, 20/3 Bolshoy Karetniy lane, Moscow, 127051, RUSSIA tel: +7 495 987 1775 email: svg@savitar-gr.com website: www.savitar-gr.com fax: +7 495 987 1776
Av. del General Perón, 25 . Planta 10 F, 28020 Madrid, SPAIN tel: +34 910 602 414 tel: +20 100 6222 910
email: website:
email: website:
ecanetwork@egycross-assistance.com www.egycross-europe.com
Semesur
Eurocross Turkeya
Eugenio Crenes – General Manager
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
Paseo de la Castellana 18, 7ª Planta, 28046 Madrid, SPAIN tel: +34 911 010 470 fax: +34 902 001 410
email: info@semesur.com website: www.tangiersinternational.com
Tangiers International
Global Assistance a.s. Ing. Marek Jaroš – General Manager
Jane Hegeler – Managing Director
Dopraváku 749/3, 18400 Prague 8, CZECH REPUBLIC
54 Melita Street, Valetta, VLT 1122, MALTA
tel: +420 266 799 770 fax: +420 266 799 797
tel: +356 277 800 16 fax: +356 272 055 00
email: ops@1220.cz website: www.1220.cz
43
email: website:
info@tangiersinternational.com www.tangiersinternational.com
For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com
SERVICE DIRECTORY
or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)
AVAILABLE ONLINE - itij.com/servicedirectory
CONNEX Assistance JLT
Assistance Companies
Lara Helmi – International Network Director #204 Gold Crest Executive Tower, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES tel: +97 14 368 36 25 email: dubai@connexassistance.com website: www.connexassistance.com fax: +97 14 420 49 12
Providers of assistance services for the global travel and health insurance industry, including travel, medical and security assistance and repatriation services
Eagle Assistance International
TBS Team 24 d.o.o Edvard Hojnik – General Manger
Ossama Trambley – Chairman
CROATIA, SLOVENIA, SERBIA, MNE, BH, KOS, MAC
38 Dr Mohammed Ali Al Baqli, El-Nozha, Cairo Governorate, EGYPT
tel: +386 2616 5819 fax: +386 2618 5800
email: website:
tel: email: website:
info@tbs-team24.com www. tbs-team24.com
Marcos Morgan – Founder & CEO tel: email: website:
+20 122 216 1133 Trambley@eagleassistance.com +20 120 242 4444
+20 127 373 1478 Marcos@eagleassistance.com www.eagleassistance.com
Fakeeh International
Tyrol Air Ambulance
Dr. Fatih Mehmet GUL – Executive Director
Manfred Helldoppler – Managing Director
Palestine Street, Al Hamra District P.O. Box 2537 21461, JEDDAH/SAUDI ARABIA email: ops@fakeehinternational.com tel: +966 12 6603080 website: www.fakeehinternational.com
Fuerstenweg 180, A-6026 Innsbruck-Airport, AUSTRIA tel: +43 512 22422 100 fax: +43 512 288 888
email: website:
taa@taa.at www.taa.at
GORAL ASSISTANCE LTD
Active Care Management
Marcel Kadoche – International Network and Development Manager
Paul Schlosser – Client Relationship Manager 3600 Rhodes Dr., Windsor, ON, N8W 5A4, CANADA tel: +519 945 8256 ext.1111 fax: +519 251 5165
|
Maskit 27 str. Herzeliya Industrial Park 46733, ISRAEL tel: +972 9 9579930 fax: +972 9 9579931
email: pschlosser@active-care.ca website: www.active-care.ca
email: info@goralassist.com website: www.goralassist.com
IRAN ASSISTANCE
AIG Travel Jim Koziol – General Manager, North America
Ashkan Lahiji – International Network Manager
3330 Business Park Drive, Stevens Point WI 54482, USA
No 24,SOS building,15th Street, Gandi Avenue, Tehran,15175, IRAN
tel: +1 715 295 9105
email: website:
tel: +98-21-88648620 - 24 fax: +98-21-88648502
jim.koziol@aig.com aig.com/travel
email: website:
operation@iranassistance.com www.iranassistance.com
LGA ASSISTANCE DUBAI
ASSIST CARD
Dr. Ahmed Monir – CEO
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 website: www.assistcard.com toll free--: +1 800 874 2223
Al Salam Tower, Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES tel: +971 55 314 5045 mob: +971 52 758 1032
AXA Partners US
dr.ahmed@lgadubai.com www.lgadubai.com
Marm Assistance
Simon Jackson – Chief Commercial Officer
Hamdi Inan – CEO
122 South Michigan Ave, Suite 1100, Chicago, IL 60603, USA tel: +1 312 935 1771
email: website:
email: website:
AirPort Plaza, Ankara Caddesi, No:486, Kurtkoy 34912, Istanbul, TURKEY
simon.jackson@axa-assistance.us www.axa-assistance.us
tel: +90 216 560 07 24 fax: +90 216 560 07 07
CanAssistance
email: website:
marm@marm.com.tr www.marmassistance.com
Swan International Assistance – Mutual Care Fabienne Lavoie – Director, International Operations and Claims
Mr. Joseph Akiki – CEO
550 Sherbrooke Street West, Suite B-9, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 3S3, CANADA tel: +1 514 286 7707 email: fabienne.lavoie@canassistance.com website: www.canassistance.com fax: +1 514 286 8413
P.O. Box 2265 Jounieh, Lebanon tel 24/7: +961 9 224 008/009 +961 9 224 010 fax:
email: website:
request@swanassistance.com www.swanassistance.com
GORAL ASSISTANCE CANADA INC.
Catastrophic Claims Specialist
David Ohayon – Local Manager 2155 Vincent St, Montreal, QC H4M 1M6, CANADA tel: +1 514 448 1343 fax: +1 514 448 1835
email: website:
info@goralassist.ca www.goralassist.com
Specialist management of high-cost claims, particularly medical
MDabraod
Global Excel Management
Ignacio C. Marquez – COO
John Spears – VP Business Development & Marketing
2999 NE 191st Street, Suite 608, Aventura, Florida, USA
73 Queen St, Sherbrooke, QC J1M 0C9, CANADA
tel: +1 (786) 475-5475 fax: +1 718 847 0533
tel: +1 819 566 8833 fax: +1 819 566 8447
email: website:
operations@mdabroad.com www.mdabroad.com
SunMed International, LLC
email: corpinfo@globalexcel.com website: www.globalexcel.com
New Frontier Group
Dra. Kinyi Haber – Medical Director. VP International Operation
Gitte Bach – President and CEO
2000 NW 89th Place. Miami FL 33172, UNITED STATES
1024 Bayside Drive, Suite 144, Newport Beach, California, 92660-7462, USA tel: +1 949 429 7130 email: Bach@NewFrontierGroup.com website: www.newfrontiergroup.com fax: +1 949 666 6520
tel: +1 786 888 6792 fax: +1 786 551 0763
email: email
khaber@sunmedint.net www.sunmedint.net
TMCA Group Corp
Plotkin Health Inc – A Subsidiary of MacroHealth LP
Crystal Wharton – President
Shaun A. Plotkin BA (Uvic), LLB (Monash), GDLP – President
217 Broadway Suite 608, New York, New York 10007, USA
27-3088 Francis Road, Richmond, British Columbia V7C 5V9, CANADA
tel: +1 646 398 9021 fax: +1 646 398 9025
tel: +1 604 241 9639 fax: +1 604 241 0733
email: Crystal@tmcatravel.com website: www.tmcatravel.com
44
email: website:
shaun@plotkinconsulting.com www.plotkinconsulting.com
For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com
SERVICE DIRECTORY
or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)
AVAILABLE ONLINE - itij.com/servicedirectory
Claims at TuGo
Claims Management
Taka Katsube – Director Assistance & Cost Managment 10th Floor, 6081 No.3 Road, Richmond, BC V6Y 2B2, CANADA
Companies offering specialist third-party claims management, case management, advice and assistance
tel: +1 604 303 2113 fax: +1 604 276 4593
Eurocross Turkey
email: website:
tkat@tugo.com www.tugo.com
Global Excel Management
Mehtap Baylam Akkaya – CEO
John Spears – VP Business Development & Marketing
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
73 Queen St, Sherbrooke, QC J1M 0C9, CANADA tel: +1 819 566 8833 fax: +1 819 566 8447
email: corpinfo@globalexcel.com website: www.globalexcel.com
Global Medical Management
Get Listed Now
Soraia Arroyo Lynch – VP of Marketing & Networks 880 SW 145th Ave., Suite 400, Pembroke Pines, FL, 33027, USA
sales@itij.com or telephone: +44 (0)117 925 51 51 (opt.1)
tel: +1 (954) 334 4802 fax: +1 (954) 370 8613
Global Assistance & Healthcare
email: website:
SLynch@gmmi.com www.gmmi.com
MD ABROAD
Alain Durand – President Director
Ignacio C. Marquez – COO
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 website: www.global-assistance.net fax: +62 21 299 78 9555/66
2999 NE 191st Street, Suite 608, Aventura, Florida, USA tel: + 1 (786) 475-5475 fax: +1 718 847 0533
email: website:
operations@mdabroad.com www.mdabroad.com
New Frontier Group
Claims at TuGo Taka Katsube – Director Assistance & Cost Managment
Gitte Bach – President and CEO
10th Floor, 6081 No.3 Road, Richmond, BC V6Y 2B2, CANADA
1024 Bayside Drive, Suite 144, Newport Beach, California, 92660-7462, USA
tel: +1 604 303 2113 fax: +1 604 276 4593
tel: +1 949 429 7130 fax: +1 949 666 6520
email: website:
tkat@tugo.com www.tugo.com
Global Excel Management
email: Bach@NewFrontierGroup.com website: www.newfrontiergroup.com
Penfield Care
John Spears – VP Business Development & Marketing
Mr Stephen Zatylny – President
73 Queen St, Sherbrooke, QC J1M 0C9, CANADA
A1-130 Terence Matthews Crescent, Ottawa, Ontario, K2M 0J1, CANADA
tel: fax:
+1 819 566 8833 +1 819 566 8447
email: website:
tel: +1 613 703 9861 fax: +1 819 200 0281
corpinfo@globalexcel.com www.globalexcel.com
New Frontier Group
info@penfieldcare.com www.penfieldcare.com
email: website:
Plotkin Health Inc – A Subsidiary of MacroHealth LP
Gitte Bach – President and CEO
Shaun A. Plotkin BA (Uvic), LLB (Monash), GDLP – President
1024 Bayside Drive, Suite 144, Newport Beach, California, 92660-7462, USA
27-3088 Francis Road, Richmond, British Columbia V7C 5V9, CANADA
tel: +1 949 429 7130 fax: +1 949 666 6520
tel: +1 604 241 9639 fax: +1 604 241 0733
email: Bach@NewFrontierGroup.com website: www.newfrontiergroup.com
Star Healthcare Network, Inc.
email: website:
shaun@plotkinconsulting.com www.plotkinconsulting.com
Star Healthcare Network, Inc.
Gigi Galen Grobstein – President
Gigi Galen Grobstein – President
120 Bloomingdale Road, Suite #304, White Plains, NY 10605, USA
120 Bloomingdale Road, Suite #304, White Plains, NY 10605, USA
tel: + 1 914 358 9121 fax: + 1 914 358 9206
email: website:
Ggalen@starhealthcarenet.com www.starhealthcarenet.com
tel: + 1 914 358 9121 fax: + 1 914 358 9206
email: Ggalen@starhealthcarenet.com website: www.starhealthcarenet.com
AIMS
Cost Containment
Bernadette Breton – Chief Executive Officer AIMS House, 3 West St, Bryanston 2191, Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA
Companies controlling medical expenditure for insurers and assistance providers
tel: +00 27 11 783 0135 fax: +00 27 11 783 2950
email: website:
operations@aims.org.za www.aims.org.za
AP Companies
Eurocross Turkey
Natalya Butakova – Business Development Manager
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
17 Varshavskoye Shosse, Moscow 117105, RUSSIA tel: +7 495 989 1120 fax: +7 495 989 1130
Global Excel Management
email: website:
natalya@ap-companies.ru www.ap-companies.ru
Travel Agents
Mary-Jo McDonald (MJ) – Managing Director Sanderum Centre, 30a Upper High Street, Thame, OX9 3EX, UK tel: +44 1865 400 007 fax: +44 845 003 1351
email: website:
24/7 medical travel agency and medical repatriation specialist, uniquely skilled in routing passengers home worldwide
corpinfo@globalexcel.com www.globalexcel.com
Voyageur Aeromedical Travel
Marm Assistance Hamdi Inan – CEO
Marc Banting – Director
AirPort Plaza, Ankara Caddesi, No:486, Kurtkoy 34912, Istanbul, TURKEY
19 Lower Park Row, Bristol, UK
tel: +90 216 560 07 24 fax: +90 216 560 07 07
tel: +44 (0)117 921 0401 fax: +44 (0)845 384 7008
email: website:
marm@marm.com.tr www.marmassistance.com
45
email: marc@voyageur.co.uk website: www.voyageur24.com
For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com
SERVICE DIRECTORY
or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)
Rowland Brothers International Ltd.
Critical Care Patient Transport
Fiona Greenwood – Operations Director 299-305 Whitehorse Road, West Croydon, Surrey CR0 2HR, UK
Specialist transport service providers for critical care patients
tel: fax:
DRK Assistance of MacroHealth LP
+44 20 8684 2324 +44 20 8684 8000
email: website:
info@rowlandbrothersinternational.com www.rowlandbrothersinternational.com
Singapore Casket Company Ltd
Andreas Speich – Managing Director
Calvin Tang
Aufm Hennekamp 71, 40225 Düsseldorf, GERMANY tel: +49 211 301 805-0 fax: +49 211 301 805-21
131 Lavender Street, Singapore, 338737, SINGAPORE
email: moc@drkassistance.com website: www.drkassistance.com
tel: +65 6293 4388 fax: +65 6296 5993
European Air Ambulance
Mourad Messaoud – General Manager
Luxembourg Airport, B.P.24, L-5201, Sandweiler, LUXEMBOURG email: website:
email: customerservice@singaporecasket.com.sg website: www.singaporecasket.com.sg
Spain Funeral Services
Patrick Schomaker – Director Sales & Marketing 24hr tel: +352 26 26 00 +352 26 26 01 fax:
AVAILABLE ONLINE - itij.com/servicedirectory
calle jesus 25-29200- ANTEQUERA, SPAIN
alert@air-ambulance.com www.air-ambulance.com
tel: +34 902 008 407 tel: +34 627 053 979
email: website:
contact@spainfuneralservices.com www.spainfuneralservices.com
Malteser Service Center Johannes Hoischen – International Network and Repatriation
Ground Transport - Medical
Erna-Scheffler-Strasse 2, 51103 Köln, GERMANY tel: +49 221 98 22 9333 fax: +49 40 694597 61339
email: website:
ambulance@malteser.org www.malteser-service-center.de
Medical transportation for patients who need to be transferred by road
Skyalta
CNAS
David Ewing – Executive Vice-President, Global Markets
Carole Luisy – Managing Director
Montreal/PE Trudeau Int Airport, 9025 Avenue Ryan, Montreal (Quebec), H9P 1A2, CANADA tel: +1 514 497 7000 email: alert@sky-alta.com website: www.sky-alta.com fax: +1 514 636 0096
80 rue des alliés, 38100, Grenoble, FRANCE tel: +33 438 49 83 49 fax: +33 438 49 83 40
email: website:
carole.luisy@cnas-assistance.com www.cnas-assistance.com
DRK Assistance
Funeral Directors
Andreas Speich – Managing Director Aufm Hennekamp 71, 40225 Düsseldorf, GERMANY
Organisers of international funeral repatriations or the repatriation of mortal remains
tel: +49 211 301 805-0 fax +49 211 301 805-21
Crossing World Group
email: website:
moc@drkassistance.com www.drkassistance.com
GroundMed Australia
Anuska Meliá – CEO
Matthew Kline & Mark Wardrop – Executive Directors
Calle San Vicente Ferrer, 141 46184 San Antonio de Benageber, Valencia, SPAIN tel: +34 96 135 3438 email: info@crossingworldgroup.com website: www.crossingworldgroup.com fax: +34 96 135 3438
Hangar 650 Drover Road, Bankstown Airport. NSW, Sydney, AUSTRALIA 2200 tel: +61 2 8700 0685 fax: +61 2 8700 0663
Flying Home Pte Ltd
email: website:
ops@airmed.com.au www.airmed.com.au
Medresponse Ambulance Services
Mr Ang Ziqian – Director
James Bautista – Business Development Manager
Blk 4 Lorong 8 Toa Payoh #01-1345A, SINGAPORE tel: +65 6253 0001 fax: +65 6353 5801
email: website:
Unit 26-A Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave., Makati, Metro Manila, PHILIPPINES tel: +63 921 225 7470 email: email 24/7: +63 917 185 9911
enquiry@flyinghome.com www.flyinghome.com
Funeral Home AURIGA Ltd.
Gateway International EMS
Helena Sulikova – Chief of International Department
Oliver L. Müller – CEO
B. Nemcové Street 1052/1, 412 01 Litomerice, CZECH REPUBLIC
1440 G St. NW, Washington DC, 20005, USA
email: enquiry@flyinghome.com website: www.flyinghome.com
tel: +420 724 257 899 fax: +420 416 732 582
tel: +1-888-828-5258 fax: +1-201-205-2239
Funeralia
24/7 Chauffeured Transportation & Ground Ambulance
International funeral services, UKRAINE, POLAND, ITALY email: website:
990 Biscayne Blvd. Suite 502 Miami, FL 33132, USA
funeralia.org@gmail.com www.Funeralia.org
tel: +1-305-501-2009
FUNERARIA OFFICIA ROBERTO ZEGA - Worldwide Repatriations Specialist
email: website:
ops@lifemedworldwide.com www.lifemedworldwide.com
One Call Medical Transports
Cristina Zega – Repatriations Manager
24 Hour Worldwide Ground Transports
Via Clelia, 26 / 28 - 00181 Roma, ITALY tel: +39 06 78 40 300 fax: +39 06 78 02 488
email: operations@gateway-ems.com website: www.gateway-ems.com
LifeMed Worldwide
Oleg Antoni Milinski – Funeral Director tel: +38 0971 498 785 fax: +48 5131 236 78
ops@medresponse.ph www.medresponse.ph
email: website:
3815 E Main St., Suite C St. Charles, IL 60174, USA
info@zega.it www.zega.it
tel: +1 630 444 2100 fax: +1 630 823 2900
email: ops@ocmt.com website: www.ocmt.com
Menuha Laad Ltd Eitan Kariv – CEO
Hospitals
30 Hashaham St. Petach Tikva, ISRAEL tel: fax:
+972 3 639 9990 +972 3 687 2950
email: website:
replaad@gmail.com www.menuhalaadrepatriation.com
Facilities offering medical diagnosis and treatment, including clinics and urgent care centers
46
For all Service Directory enquiries email: sales@itij.com
SERVICE DIRECTORY
or please call +44 (0) 117 925 5151 (opt. 1)
Medical Wings
Antalya Life Hospitals
Dr.Sura Jaidwatee, M.D. – Medical Flight Manager
Fadil Aksu – International Network Supervisor
222 Don Mueang International Airport Office Building 3rd Floor, Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Sanambin, Don Mueang, Bangkok 10210, THAILAND 24hr tel: +662 247 3392 email: m.w@medicalwings.com website: www.medicalwings.com +662 535 4734 fax:
Şirinyali Mahallesi,1487 Sokak, No:4 Antalya, TURKEY tel: fax:
AVAILABLE ONLINE - itij.com/servicedirectory
+90 549 784 88 60 +90 242 310 80 70
email: antalya@lifehospital.com.tr website: www.lifehospital.com.tr
Prime Nursing Care, Inc.
Private Anadolu Hospitals Antalya Pinar Ergün Sönmez – International Patient Manager
Franziska Hollenstein – CEO / Founder
Caybasi Mah. 1352 sk. No: 8, 07100 Antalya, TURKEY
2005 Van Buren Street, Suite 215, Hollywood, Florida, 33020, USA
tel: fax:
24/7: + 1 754 999 0460 fax: + 1 754 222 5051
+90 2422 493 300 +90 2423 116 778
email: pinar.ergun@anatoliahospital.com website: www.anatoliahospital.com
email: website:
contact@primenursingcare.com www.primenursingcare.com
PARKVIEW AIR MEDICAL
Luz Saúde SA Eve Jokel, MPH – International Director
David Ewing – Executive Vice President, Global Markets
Rua Carlos Alberto da Mota Pinto, 17-9.º 1070-313 Lisboa, PORTUGAL
9025 Avenue Ryan, Montréal (Quebec), H9P 1A2, CANADA
tel: +351 213 138 260 fax: +351 213 530 292
tel: +1 519 942 8143 fax: +1 519 941 4213
intlpatientservices@luzsaude.pt luzsaude.pt/en
email: website:
Quironsalud
email: repat@parkviewairmedical.com website: www.parkviewairmedical.com
SkyCare Global LLC. Miguel Torregrosa – International Inbound Business ManagerBusiness Manager
Stephen Avise – VP of Operations
SPAIN
835 Seminole Blvd., Tarpon Springs FL, 34689, USA
tel: +34 901 123 456
US tel: +1 727 230 2263 EU tel: +39 345 461 8122
email: g24@quironsalud.es website: www.quironsalud.es/international
Jackson Memorial Hospital International
info@skycareglobal.com www.skycareglobal.com
email: website:
Medical Provider
Dominick Destefano – Associate Director of Sales 1500 NW 12th Avenue, Suite 829 East, Miami, FL 33136, USA tel: +305-355-1211 fax: +305-355-5545
Providers of medical services such as telemedicine, remote medical assistance, and doctor visits
Dominick.destefano@jhsmiami.org www.jmhi.org
email: website:
AMREF Flying Doctors
Sharp Global Patient Services Jacquie Schwoerke – Vice President, Sharp GPS
Dr Bettina Vadera – Medical Director
8695 Spectrum Center Blvd., San Diego, CA 92123, USA
Wilson Airport, Langata Road, PO Box 18617, Nairobi, KENYA
toll free: +1 619 471 0466 +1 858 499 4967 fax:
tel: +254 20 6000 090 fax: +254 20 344 170
email: website:
Sharp.GlobalPatientServices@sharp.com www.sharp.com
email: website:
Doctorcall
UC San Diego Health System International Patient Program Stacy Holberg – Director of International Program Operations
Joe Beeltah – Client Liaison Executive
136 W. Dickinson Street, Suite 109, San Diego, CA 92103-8222, USA
121 Harley Street, London W1G 6AX, UK
tel: +1 619 471 0466 fax: +1 619 543 5282
24/7 tel: +44 0344 257 0345 int. tel: +44 161 214 1906
sholberg@ucsd.edu health.ucsd.edu/international
email: website:
emergency@flydoc.org www.flydoc.org
Medical Escort On Commercial Airlines
email: website:
guarantees@doctorcall.co.uk www.doctorcall.co.uk
Technology
Providers of nurses and doctors to accompany non-critical patients onboard commercial flights
Providers of specialist software for the insurance and assistance industries
Cambridge Global Payments
AirMed Australia Matthew Kline & Mark Wardrop – Executive Directors
Brad Loder – VP Marketing & Corporate Sponsorships
Hangar 650 Drover Road, Bankstown Airport. NSW, Sydney, AUSTRALIA 2200
212 King Street West, Suite 400, Toronto, ON M5H 1K5 CANADA
tel: +61 2 8700 0685 fax: +61 2 8700 0663
email: website:
ops@airmed.com.au www.airmed.com.au
tel: +1 (416) 646 6401 ext. 2392
email: bloder@cambridgefx.com website: www.cambridgefx.com
Aquarium Software Ltd
AMREF Flying Doctors Dr Bettina Vadera – Medical Director
Mark Colonnese – Director
Wilson Airport, Langata Road, PO Box 18617, Nairobi, KENYA
Poplar House, 126a Ashley Road, Hale, WA14 2UN, UK
tel: fax:
+254 20 6000 090 +254 20 344 170
email: website:
tel: +44 (0)161 927 5620 tel: +1 213 205 2200
emergency@flydoc.org www.flydoc.org
mark.colonnese@aquarium-software.com
www.aquarium-software.com
Firemelon (Magenta Insurance System)
DRK Assistance
Zena Carter – Managing Director
Andreas Speich – Managing Director
5th Floor, Moneda House, 25-27 Wellington Place, Belfast, BT1 6GD, NORTHERN IRELAND email: zena.carter@firemelon.com tel: +44 07859 053970 website: www.firemelon.com
Aufm Hennekamp 71, 40225 Düsseldorf, GERMANY tel: +49 211 301 805-0 fax: +49 211 301 805-21
email: website:
email: Bach@NewFrontierGroup.com website: www.newfrontiergroup.com
Nordic Insurance Software
European Air Ambulance Patrick Schomaker – Director Sales & Marketing
Elliott Draga – Head of Sales and Marketing
Luxembourg Airport, B.P.24, L-5201, Sandweiler, LUXEMBOURG
Aarhusgade 88, 6th Floor, 2100 Copenhagen, DENMARK
24hr tel: +352 26 26 00 +352 26 26 01 fax:
email: website:
alert@air-ambulance.com www.air-ambulance.com
tel: +1 (905) 866-8262
47
email: website:
elliott.draga@nisportal.com www.nisportal.com
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