As part of its ongoing commitment to total employee health and well-being, Aetna International (www.aetnainternational.com) announced today that its employee assistance programme will now become a standard benefit across the majority of its international healthcare plans. 

“Emotional health is a large factor in overall health,” said David Healy, general manager for Aetna International in Europe. “For expats, emotional health can become a pressing concern because of the additional challenges of working outside one’s home country. Without treatment, mental health concerns can affect job performance as well as contribute to workplace accidents, and increase staff turnover and absenteeism.”

Delivered by vendor partner, Work Place Options, Aetna International’s employee assistance programme is designed to help employees stay productive by more easily managing the demands of work, family and finances whilst on overseas assignments.

Members can access confidential counselling from behavioural health experts in over 200 countries around the world. Support areas include: improving family communication, harmony between work and home life, managing life changes, handling stress, surviving the loss of a loved one, managing anxiety and depression, [dealing with workplace?] bullying and managing workplace pressure.

The service is available 24/7, 365 days a year in multiple languages and is accessible worldwide by phone, email or the web. Aetna International members can receive up to five sessions of counselling per issue per year either online, via the telephone or in person, depending on their plan level.

David Healy, general manager, commented: “By introducing EAP as a standard service across the majority of our international healthcare plans, employers avoid the need to provide this as a separate benefit to their overseas staff.”

Citigroup has announced that a subsidiary of Swiss Re Life & Health America Inc. (“Swiss Re”), replaced Prime Reinsurance Company, Inc. (“Prime Re”) as Primerica Life Insurance Company’s reinsurer on a coinsurance agreement covering a block of term life insurance policies that were in force on December 18, 2009. 

The transaction closed today and resulted in a reduction of approximately $2.5 billion of assets from Citi Holdings’ balance sheet. Prime Re, a subsidiary of Citigroup Inc., is reported by Citigroup as a part of Citi Holdings, which consists of businesses and portfolios of assets that Citigroup has determined are not central to its core franchise.

The coinsurance agreement represented the majority of Citigroup’s remaining reinsurance activities with Primerica, Inc. (“Primerica”) following Primerica’s initial public offering and ultimate separation from Citigroup. Following the transaction, Primerica Life Insurance Company will continue to conduct business with Prime Re and certain other Citigroup affiliated reinsurers on other reinsurance agreements executed prior to Primerica’s IPO.

Swiss Re Americas President and CEO J. Eric Smith said, “This transaction underscores Swiss Re’s continued commitment to strengthening our relationship with Primerica. We look forward to extending our business partnership with Primerica and Citigroup.”

Primerica CFO Alison Rand said, “We are delighted to expand our relationship with Swiss Re in an arrangement that affords us substantially the same or better protections and collateralization as our prior reinsurance transaction with Prime Re and Citi.”

Citi Holdings CEO Francesco Vanni d’Archirafi said, “This transaction represents another key step for Citi Holdings. We appreciate our long-standing productive relationship with Primerica and Swiss Re.”

Since its creation, Citigroup has reduced assets in Citi Holdings by more than $700 billion. As of December 31, 2015, Citi Holdings’ assets represented approximately 4 percent of total Citigroup assets, down from a peak of about 40 percent.

Citigroup’s Institutional Clients Group advised Citigroup on this transaction. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP served as legal advisor to Citigroup. DLA Piper LLP (US) served as legal advisor to Primerica.

Following the huge success of the 2014 IPMI report the new edition of International And Expatriate Healthcare And Insurance now includes more countries and insurers; new information on laws and regulations PLUS countries current attitudes towards expatriates. The 2016 report also includes more details of new health insurance laws locally in various countries around the world.

"...The most complete fact filled business report is back and better than ever..." Christopher Knight, CEO, iPMI Magazine.

To order this report please click here.

Want more info? Check out the report info pack here.

HBF’s average premium increase for 2016 will be lower than the industry average for the fourth consecutive year.  

Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley today approved an average increase of 5.59% for all health funds. HBF’s average increase will is 4.94%. 

HBF Managing Director Rob Bransby said the fund had been determined to keep its premium increase low despite escalating health costs and increasing member claims. 

“As a not for profit fund our goal is simple - to keep premiums to the minimum we need to pay the claims we know our members will make in the year ahead. But doing this while health costs are climbing at the rate they are today is incredibly hard.” Mr Bransby said.
 
HBF’s forecasts show that claims will rise by an average of 6.4% per member in 2015/2016, and by a similar amount the following year. Hospital claims are expected to rise by over 7% per member in 2015 and 7.4% in 2016/17. 

Mr Bransby said HBF’s 2016 premium increase, which comes into effect on 1 April, had factored in promised reforms to address rising health costs.

“The Minister has said she is serious about addressing spiralling health costs, starting with the inflated prices health funds are currently obliged to pay for medical prostheses.”. 

“We’re taken her at her word and our premium increase assumes there will be significant savings in the prices we pay for prostheses in the future - savings we will pass on to our members,”
 
Mr Bransby said as a not-for-profit fund that had no obligations to shareholders or off-shore parent compaies HBF was free to prioritise the interests of its almost one million members.  

“This is another validation of our decision to remain as a not-for-profit fund.” Mr Bransby said.

Research* from Aviva shows more than 2 in 5 (44%) businesses believe they are unlikely to be a target for cyber crime, with almost a quarter admitting that whilst they are worried they are not sure what to do to protect themselves and 8% haven’t thought about the risk at all.

In fact, just a quarter of businesses (24%) are taking steps to protect themselves from being the victim of a cyber attack despite the Office for National Statistics revealing that there were 2.5million incidents of cyber crime** just between May and August of this year.

When asked which types of cyber crime they had heard of Aviva’s SME Pulse survey found the top answers were 77% phishing, 69% identity theft and 66% hacking. Less than half of businesses surveyed were aware of ransom demands (43%) being made to them by criminals to get  information or access back, pharming (46%) where internet users are directed to a bogus website mocked up to look like a genuine one, or cyber attacks that prevent access to  a business’ systems (38%) and yet, these are also real threats to online safety.

When asked if they would know what to do if they became a victim of cyber crime more than a third (34%) admitted they didn’t and more than a quarter (27%) were not sure.

Angus Eaton, MD of commercial lines at Aviva, said: “As we know from the media stories recently there have been a number of high profile attacks where business systems have been hacked or systems disabled however it is a mistake to think criminals will only target big business.

“These criminals operate in ever more sophisticated ways using malious codes to search out vulnerabilities online so anyone could become a target. Protecting your business from cyber crime is good business because your customers want the reassurance  that their data is safe in your hands. If you haven’t done so already now is the time to put cyber risk on your agenda and take action to help prevent your business becoming a target.”

More than a third of  business owners said they had been the victim of cyber crimes such as hacking, phishing and pharming, with three quarters of those businesses estimating the recovery outlay cost their business up to £1,000 – for 6% it was up to £5,000 and for 4% it was up to £10,000. For more than a quarter of those victims of cyber crime the costs related to loss of money and the same figure for the fixing the problem. After that costs were incurred for reputational damage (11%), loss of assets or intellectual property (10%) and payment of ransom demands (7%).

Aviva has put together a list of ways to keep safe online:

• Encrypt your data – this means that only the other computer you are sending information to can decode the message you are sending
• Have a security process in place to promote safe computing in the workplace, so for example, don’t open suspect emails or attachments
• Make sure all data systems have passwords and change them at least quarterly.
• Make sure those passwords are at least 8 characters long and a combination of letters, numbers and symbols and don’t encourage sharing of passwords with anyone.
• Make sure firewalls and antivirus software are all active and up-to-date.
• Back up your data regularly and keep copies away from work premises.
• Make sure you have an incident response plan in place to help you understand what you need to do in the event of a breach/cyber attack – for example, who would you contact and how.
• Vet your service provider’s security procedures to ensure their security systems are secure and update your systems and software regularly.
• Talk to your insurance broker – it might be a good idea to have specific cyber insurance for your business and your broker can help you arrange this.

Aviva offers cyber cover designed for small to mid-market customers to help combat the increasing threat of data and privacy breach they face today. Working with IDT911™***, Aviva’s insurance also offers risk management expert services to help customers prepare in advance for and manage any issues after a data loss or breach.

* Aviva’s SME survey carried out with 1,500 businesses
** http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/crime-stats/crime-statistics/year-ending-june-2015/sty-fraud.html

*** IDT911™ is the leading provider of services that help businesses and their customers defend against data breaches and identity theft. IDT911’s unique approach—delivering proactive protection, preventive education, and swift resolution—offers unrivalled support for more than 660 client partners and 17.5 million households.

BSI (British Standards Institution) announced the intent to create PAS 3001:2016; a code of practice to provide global organisations with a standardisation document that describes best practices to manage risks and provide duty of care to their employees who are working abroad. 

Commissioned by International SOS the PAS will provide best practices on assessing risks to employees abroad and developing policies to mitigate those risks. 

Howard Kerr, Chief Executive of BSI said, “For businesses to reach their full potential they must be able to diversify into new markets. Often this means international movement of products, people and services. When it comes to people, which we consider one of the most valuable assets a business can have, they should feel safe and protected in the new territories they venture into. PAS 3001 will provide guidance to employers to safeguard and support their employees when abroad in unfamiliar locations. This in turn allows employees to confidently focus on their jobs and task at hand.”

Arnaud Vaissié, Co-founder, Chairman and CEO of International SOS, said, “Today’s organisations have increasingly large numbers of employees working and travelling abroad. As a result, employers have an increased duty of care to protect their employees. Our goal in supporting this standard is to provide best practices to deliver on that duty of care.” 

A Publicly Available Specification (PAS) is a sponsored fast-track standard that is developed through a consensus-building process facilitated by BSI. The draft title of PAS 3001:2016 is Working Abroad – The responsibilities of an organisation for health, safety and security – Code of Practice.  

BSI will compose a representative steering group of experts from industry, government, and academia that will be responsible for the technical content of the PAS. The PAS will be available for a public consultation period of one month, currently scheduled for March 2016.

International SOS invests heavily in standards and quality programmes. They are the first organisation in the world to be certified in accordance with the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) newly published Guidelines for the delivery of telehealth service.¹   In addition, International SOS has achieved global certification to ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Systems for its Assistance Centres, International SOS Clinics and Medical Services.

International SOS provides medical and travel security services. Their telehealth services platform provides medical information, advice, and referrals 24/7/365 to clients travelling or working abroad.

¹ ISO/TS 13131:2014 ED1 Health Informatics Telehealth Services Quality Planning Guidelines. The technical specification belongs to a class of standards that provide flexible, general guidelines that support innovation in healthcare. 

Merger and acquisition mania swept across the international private medical insurance industry in 2015 driven by various market factors at home and abroad.

Congratulations to Healix International on the acquisition of Capita Global Assistance. The story was the most popular published under the Mergers and Acquisitions News section. Other mentions include Aetna, Humana, Willis, PMI Health Group, AIG, ING Employee Benefits, ABRY, International Medical Group, Simplyhealth, AXA PPP Healthcare, Anthem, Cigna, ACE, Chubb, Chase Templeton and Atlas Consulting.

At International Private Medical Insurance (iPMI) Magazine we followed the insurers' appetite for scale with the following 10 news stories proving most popular to our global audience:

Healix Acquires Capita Global Assistance

Aetna To Acquire Humana For $37 Billion

Willis Drives Human Capital And Benefits Presence In UK Through Acquisition Of PMI Health Group

AIG Acquires Controlling Stake in ING Employee Benefits Global Network; Renames To AIG Global Benefits Network

ABRY Completes Acquisition of International Medical Group, Inc.

CMA Clears Simplyhealth’s Sale Of Private Medical Insurance Business To AXA PPP Healthcare

Anthem Announces Definitive Agreement To Acquire Cigna Corporation

Willis Group Completes Transaction With Miller To Form A Leading London Wholesale Specialist Insurance Broking Firm

ACE To Acquire Chubb For $28.3 Billion

Chase Templeton Acquires Employee Benefits Specialists Atlas Consulting

Congratulations to Eurocross Turkey on the opening of a new office in April 2015. The story was the most read assistance article on iPMIM in 2015. Other news congratulations go to Healix International, Rowland Brothers International, International Assistance Group, International SOS, Control Risks, CEGA and Allianz Global Assistance. 

Eurocross Turkey Celebrates The Opening Of New Office

Healix Acquires Capita Global Assistance

iPMI Magazine Speaks With Fiona Greenwood Operations Manager Rowland Brothers International

International Assistance Group’s Partners Are Mobilized To Help Nepal Earthquake Victims

Expats evacuated from Yemen with the assistance of International SOS and Control Risks

iPMI Magazine Speaks With Ida Luka-Lognoné, CEO, Allianz Worldwide Care

BBC Extends Global Relationship With CEGA

International Assistance Group Partners Predict, Plan, And Manage Their Offerings For The Busy Summer Season

Allianz Global Assistance Partners With LBF Travel

As another fantastic year in the world of iPMI draws to a close, iPMI (International Private Medical Insurance) Magazine looks back at the more interesting international private medical insurance and assistance articles and features of the year. Featuring Cigna, Aviva, Globality Health, Bellwood Prestbury, AIG, Wellaway, Aetna International, Allianz Worldwide Care, AIA + MORE.

iPMI Magazine Speaks With Arjan Toor Cigna Global iPMI Managing Director

Aviva Adds Expat Growth Destinations To International Private Medical Insurance

iPMI Magazine Speaks With Ida Luka-Lognoné, CEO, Allianz Worldwide Care

Insurance Companies And Products As We Know Them Today Will Have To Evolve

Aetna International Launches New Global Health Care Products For Groups And Individuals

Clements Worldwide Announces Launch Of International Disability Coverage For Expats & Organizations

AIG Responds To Booming Expatriate Population With New Health Product

AIA Introduces Bold Changes To New Zealand Health Insurance Market

Medical Insurance Plan Launched For International Contractors

Wellaway Limited Launches Oneworld, An International Healthcare Program, Geared Towards Expatriates Around The Globe

Cigna Global Health Benefits Expands Sales With New Expatriate Health Insurance Plan

The Rising Cost Of Global Healthcare: iPMI Providers Talk Medical Inflation And Healthcare Costs

International And Expatriate Healthcare And Insurance 2014

Cigna Hong Kong Launches "Cigna HealthFirst Elite Medical Plan"

iPMI (International Private Medical Insurance) Magazine Articles Of Interest 2015

Kenya Travel Advice: Heightened Personal Security During The Christmas Holiday Season

The Kenyan authorities have advised heightened personal security during the Christmas holiday season; on 21 December 2015, the Kenyan Ministry of Interior and Co-ordination of National Government issued a public watch notice urging citizens to play a role in counter terrorism and prevention of criminal activities by being vigilant and reporting any suspicious activity, items and people. 117,000 British residents visited Kenya in 2014. International Private Medical Insurance For Kenya Take out comprehensive international private medical insurance before you travel to Kenya, to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad or emergency repatriation and evacuation. Be sure to read…Written on Wednesday, 23 December 2015 15:32 in iPMI Magazine Travel Warnings and Intelligence

Turkey Travel Warning: Reports Of An Explosion At Sabiha Gokcen Airport

Reports of an explosion at Sabiha Gokcen airport in Istanbul at around 2am on 23 December 2015; the circumstances of the incident are currently under investigation; the airport remains open. Over 2,500,000 British nationals visit Turkey every year. Visas British nationals need a visa to travel to Turkey, except for cruise ship passengers with ‘British Citizen’ passports who arrive at sea ports for tourist visits to the port city or nearby cities, provided that the visit doesn’t exceed 72 hours. If you’re visiting Turkey as a tourist or on business, get an e-Visa online before you travel. Only use the…Written on Wednesday, 23 December 2015 12:03 in iPMI Magazine Travel Warnings and Intelligence

Tunisia Travel Warning: State Of Emergency Has Been Extended For 2 Months

State of emergency has been extended for 2 months from 24 December until 21 February 2016. Further attacks remain highly likely, including against foreigners. Security forces are on a high state of alert in Tunis and other locations. You should be especially vigilant and avoid crowded places over the holiday period, including around Mouled (24 December), Christmas and New Year. If you choose to travel to or remain in Tunisia then you should check that your insurance policy provides adequate cover. You should be especially vigilant and follow the advice of the Tunisian security authorities. There are no direct flights…Written on Wednesday, 23 December 2015 11:08 in iPMI Magazine Travel Warnings and Intelligence

USA Travel Advice: Changes To Visa Waiver Programme (VWP)

18 December 2015 and the US Congress passed a Bill updating the requirements for the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP). Under the new rules, with effect from 1 April 2016, all travellers wishing to enter the US under the VWP will need to hold a passport with an integrated chip. Around 3.8 million British nationals visit the United States every year. Most visits are trouble free. Take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before you travel. The US Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) allows most British Citizen passport holders to visit the US for up to 90 days without a visa, but…Written on Tuesday, 22 December 2015 11:05 in iPMI Magazine Travel Warnings and Intelligence

Brazil Travel Warning: Cases Of Zika Virus Reported

Cases of Zika virus have been reported in a number of states; you should take steps to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. Take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before you travel to Brazil. Foreign nationals are entitled to emergency medical treatment in Brazilian public hospitals. Public hospitals in Brazil, especially in major cities, tend to be crowded. Private hospitals will not accept you unless you can present evidence of sufficient funds or insurance. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation. If you need emergency…Written on Monday, 14 December 2015 15:20 in iPMI Magazine Travel Warnings and Intelligence

Philippines Travel Warning: Typhoon Melor (Nona)

Typhoon Melor (Nona) forecast to bring hazardous sea and weather conditions to parts of the country from 14 December 2015. Around 20 typhoons hit the Philippines each year. Most typhoons occur from June to December. There may be flooding and landslides. You should monitor the progress of approaching storms and follow the advice of the local authorities, including any evacuation orders. Typhoon Melor (Nona) is forecast to bring hazardous sea and weather conditions to parts of the country, in particular northern Visayas and southern Luzon, from 14 December. Around 133,665 British nationals visited the Philippines in 2014. Take out comprehensive…Written on Monday, 14 December 2015 12:26 in iPMI Magazine Travel Warnings and Intelligence

Lebanon Travel Security Warning: Explosions In Southern Suburb Area Beirut

12 November 2015 and there were explosions in the southern suburb area of Beirut. Reports indicate that many people have been killed and injured. iPMIM advises against all travel to the southern suburbs of Beirut. Avoid this area and monitor local media for updates. On 10 January 2015, 9 people were killed and over 30 wounded in a suicide bomb attack in the Jebel Mohsen area of Tripoli. On 28 January 2015, there was an attack on the Israeli military in the Shebaa Farms area with reports of cross-border shelling near the towns of Majidiyeh, Kfarshouba, Abbasiye and Wazzani. A…Written on Friday, 13 November 2015 14:00 in iPMI Magazine Travel Warnings and Intelligence

iPMIM Advises Against All But Essential Travel By Air To Or From Sharm El Sheikh Airport

Over 900,000 British nationals visit Egypt every year. Most visits are trouble-free. 31 October 2015, a flight from Sharm el Sheikh to St Petersburg crashed in North Sinai. Egyptian and Russian authorities are conducting an investigation. There is a significant possibility that the crash was caused by an explosive device. As a precautionary measure, we are now advising against all but essential travel by air to or from Sharm el Sheikh. UK carriers will not take passengers directly to Sharm el Sheikh airport. FCO are working with the Egyptian authorities and air carriers to put special security measures in place…Written on Thursday, 05 November 2015 07:39 in iPMI Magazine Travel Warnings and Intelligence
Philippines Travel Advice: Security Ramped Up For APEC Summit

The Philippines hosts the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit in Manila on 16 to 20 November. There will be a heightened security presence across the city including at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Scheduled road closures and security checkpoints will cause delays in travel across the city and many schools, government offices and businesses will be closed. If you are flying to or from Manila during this period check with your airline, as flight delays, diversions and cancellations may occur. Around 133,665 British nationals visited the Philippines in 2014. Most visits are trouble-free. Take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance…Written on Monday, 02 November 2015 14:14 in iPMI Magazine Travel Warnings and Intelligence

Egypt Travel Advice

31 October 2015, a flight from Sharm el Sheikh to St Petersburg crashed in North Sinai; Egyptian and Russian authorities are conducting an investigation. Over 900,000 British nationals visit Egypt every year. Most visits are trouble-free. Parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place from 18 October to 23 November. There may be rallies around the country in the run up to the elections. You should avoid all rallies and demonstrations. On election days tight controls will be in place around polling stations with access restricted to voters and officially accredited observers. In previous elections British nationals have been arrested close…Written on Monday, 02 November 2015 11:20 in iPMI Magazine Travel Warnings and Intelligence

UK FCO: Concerns About Quality Of Medical Treatment In Holiday Resorts In Egypt

The South Sinai Hospital in Sharm el Sheikh is currently under investigation by the Egyptian Ministry of Health; there are alternative state and private hospitals in Sharm el Sheikh. You can find a list of most commonly used hospitals in Egypt on the British Embassy website. In an emergency dial 123 and ask for an ambulance. You should contact your travel company and your insurance/medical assistance company promptly if you are referred to a medical facility for treatment. There are reports of some hotel doctors overcharging for treatment and medicines. Examine your bill closely and challenge excessive charges. Pharmacies outside…Written on Monday, 05 October 2015 11:21 in iPMI Magazine Travel Warnings and Intelligence

Tajikistan Travel Warning: Armed Clashes Involving Security Forces Resulting In A Number Of Deaths Reported Close To Dushanbe International Airport

4 September, armed clashes involving security forces resulting in a number of deaths were reported close to Dushanbe International Airport. Tajik authorities are investigating and there is an increased security presence in the area. Given the possibility of further incidents, you should take extra care and monitor the local media. Tourism, health and transport infrastructure is poor and travel requires careful planning. Avoid off-road areas immediately adjoining the Afghan, Uzbek and Kyrgyz borders, which may be mined. Take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance including evacuation by air ambulance before you travel.Written on Friday, 04 September 2015 10:56 in iPMI Magazine Travel Warnings and Intelligence

International Trains From Budapest Have Been Suspended Until Further Notice

International trains from Budapest Keleti train station have been suspended until further notice due to disruption. Monitor the local media, and check with your carrier and the Hungarian Railways (MÁV) website for further information. Since the end of August 2015 there has been considerable disruption to rail and road transport from Budapest to the Austrian border. This is due to police and border enforcement action as a result of significant numbers of people seeking to transit through Hungary. Around 400,000 British nationals visit Hungary each year. Take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before you travel.Written on Friday, 04 September 2015 10:53 in iPMI Magazine Travel Warnings and Intelligence

India Travel Warning: Flood Warnings For Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam And West Bengal

A flood warning has been issued to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and West Bengal due to the possibility of heavy rainfall in the foothills of the Himalayas over the next few days. The rainfall will also lead to swelling of rivers Kosi, Gandak and Ghaghara, tributaries of Ganga and all tributaries of Brahmaputra. You should monitor local and international weather updates from the Indian Meteorological Department and follow the advice of local authorities and your travel company. Over 800,000 British nationals visit India every year. Before you travel to India, take out comprehensive medical and travel insurance and read the…Written on Wednesday, 19 August 2015 06:20 in iPMI Magazine Travel Warnings and Intelligence

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