Zurich in July 2018 acquired Blue Insurance, a travel insurance intermediary in the U.K. and Irish markets. The acquisition was made through Zurich’s Cover-More subsidiary, which provides travel insurance and medical assistance services, for an estimated €70 million. Blue Insurance offers direct-to-consumer travel insurance distribution capabilities through online brands in the U.K. and Ireland. Blue Insurance will be part of Cover More’s Europe and UK business, led by Judith

Zurich Insurance Group in March 2018 accelerated the growth of Cover-More Group, its specialist global travel insurance and assistance solutions business, by entering into agreements to acquire providers of traveler assistance in Latin America. These acquired businesses operate under the Travel Ace and Universal Assistance brands. The transaction incorporates 19 legal entities operating throughout Latin America, most notably in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico. Under Zurich’s ownership, the

MSH International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Paris-based broker SIACI SAINT HONORE Group and supplier of expatriate insurance services worldwide, in September 2017 announced the acquisition of Imagine Financial and its travel medical assistance group, Intrepid 24/7. Both Imagine Financial and Intrepid 24/7 are housed under the umbrella of Ingle International, a provider of plug and play solutions that drive revenue and enhance customer engagement for the insurance, healthcare, special

CSA Travel Protection, a travel insurance provider, in May 2017 began rebranding to Generali Global Assistance as part of a wider program to rebrand several Europ Assistance business lines in the United States to Generali Global Assistance (GGA). Products and solutions carrying the CSA Travel Protection name will transition over time, while retaining and enhancing offerings and services to customers. As GGA, they will be able to offer a

The Health Insurance Group in September 2016 introduced a global and expatriate Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that provides help and support to people working abroad who are in crisis or need. Partnering with Morneau Shepell, the leading provider of integrated health and productivity solutions in Canada, The Health Insurance Group, located in the United Kingdom, offers a comprehensive suite of international assistance programs, including worldwide EAP, to help employees

Travel insurance and assistance services are quickly gaining favor among travel professionals who work for companies that provide them. A new study, “Assessing the Prevalence and Value of Travel Insurance and Assistance Services”, published in September 2016 by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and AIG Travel, reveals that 95 percent of travel professionals feel that providing insurance or assistance services to employees is a valuable benefit for those

Europ Assistance USA, a subsidiary of Generali Group and global provider of assistance services in the fields of travel, home and family, health, and automotive, has re-branded itself as Generali Global Assistance North America (GGA), effective 12 June, 2016. The multi-phase re-branding operation will begin with the company’s Identity Protection Services division. All products and solutions carrying the Europ Assistance USA name will be transitioned to fall under GGA

Allianz Worldwide Care announced in October 2015 the appointment of Alexis Obligi as Director of Sales and Marketing and member of the Executive Committee, joining from Henner where he was Deputy Managing Director of International & Corporate Business Development. Obligi’s appointment follows that of Ida Luka-Lognoné as CEO in July 2015, succeeding Ron Buchan who retired and became chairman of the board. Obligi reports to the CEO and replaces

AIG USA launched a new product, AIG Home Protection, a voluntary employee benefit that covers out-of-pocket expenses related to repairing or replacing home appliances. Available to groups with at least 2,500 employees, it covers parts and labor for repairing or replacing mechanical and electrical failures on products within the home, up to USD 5000/year. The program is an interesting example of B2B2E (business-to-business-to-employee) marketing and of leveraging P/C capabilities