In a recent International Private Medical Insurance Magazine executive round table business forum, we spoke with leading C-Level executives about the major differences between international private medical insurance plans and local insurance plans.

As expatriate hot spots around the world continue to mandate insurance cover for expatriate employees, under various visa and employment laws, questions from the business community continue to be raised. Issues focus around how new laws will help and assist expatriates and what levels of cover they may expect from local insurance plans.

GREGOR SCHULTE Globality Health: At their heart, international health insurance plans are designed to cover all costs of high quality medical care regardless of the location of the insured person and the standard of local health services. Whereas a local plan is designed to provide cover primarily in a single country, taking into account the insurance practice and requirements of that country, access to state healthcare provisions and treatment costs in local hospitals only.

Of course international plans offer cover that transcends borders and generally include benefits specifically applicable to expatriates, such as repatriation and evacuation cover, assistance services and benefits, portability and freedom to choose the healthcare provider. The result is that iPMI usually provides far higher levels of benefits than those available from ‘local’ schemes, although this is dependent on which country is considered.

ANDREW APPS ALC Health*: Superficially there are many similarities between a local and international private medical (iPMI) plan. The fundamental difference is the target audience for each of these two very different products.

An iPMI plan is designed to cover a policyholder, usually an expatriate, for practically any health-related matter they may encounter, a local scheme does not have the same mandate, being designed with the local population in mind and most often acting as a support to local, often staterun facilities. This means that the features of each of these plans are markedly different.

The most noticeable difference is that an international plan usually offers a wider, more comprehensive range of benefits and with much higher benefit limits. For example, with an iPMI plan there can be generous cover for items such as GP visits, full chronic conditions cover, routine pregnancy and childbirth cover, evacuation and repatriation cover, and usually overall sum insured amounts that can be ten or twenty times higher than those of a local scheme.

Typically, an iPMI plan will also be portable, and not restricted to their country of residence, allowing the geographically mobile policyholder full access to all of their benefits wherever they are, in their chosen area of cover. Some iPMI plans also do not require their insured members to seek treatment within a network. The policyholder has the freedom to choose where they wish to receive treatment.

Naturally local schemes are usually less expensive than international plans, but correspondingly, the benefits are far less comprehensive, with low benefit limits (sometimes the benefits are blatantly only a contribution towards the total cost of treatment), out-of-network penalties, co-pay benefits, none or very limited out-of-country coverage. Most local schemes also do not offer 24 hour support.

Similarly by their very nature, local schemes are very much tailored to the local population with policy documentation available only in the local language and the benefits tailored to the audience the plan is designed for. The unwary expatriate with local cover may well find that he either has to make do with low levels of cover, or more likely will have to self-pay at least part of his treatment.

PHIL AUSTIN Cigna: International Health Insurance plans by their nature are better suited to expatriate life than local plans. They usually provide cover worldwide, meaning that wherever the individual happens to be in the world, they will be able to receive treatment.

Local plans on the other hand will normally only provide cover in a single country. This means that when the expatriate is making a trip back home, or is spending time in another country, they are potentially ineligible for treatment.

Moving to a new country often brings about basic challenges like language barriers and cultural adjustments. An international health insurance plan helps the expatriate remove a lot of this uncertainty as they will be dealing with a provider with experience in working with expats and experience in global healthcare. This means that often a language barrier can be removed by speaking to the insurer who can communicate directly with the hospital, and the expat can seek advice about local customs and peculiarities.

Finally and perhaps most importantly, expatriates who are not permanent residents or citizens of the country they are moving to may be ineligible for a local plan.

SHIRLEY PUCCINO GeoBlue: Local plans are designed to deliver coverage and services inside the host county and tend to incorporate underlying government health programs, networks, and delivery systems reflecting local languages, customs, business practices and provider relationships. International health insurance plans strive to provide more comprehensive global cover and an optimal experience globally, while to the extent possible, allow for local nuances in plan administration, delivery and practices.

READ THE COMPLETE ROUND TABLE, CLICK HERE.

*At the time of round table publication Andrew was working at ALC Health.

Aviva has launched a new dedicated protection system to help advisers protect more lives, more easily. Called Aviva Life Protection Solutions (ALPS), the new end to end platform represents the largest change to happen in the Aviva protection business for many years.

With more people than ever taking steps to protect their families from the unexpected by taking out life insurance, income protection and critical illness cover, Aviva’s new ALPS system provides advisers with a user-friendly, interactive and intuitive way to help clients get tailored protection cover, whoever they are and whatever their needs.

Key features of ALPS include:

• At the heart of ALPS is a slicker, quicker ‘quote and apply’ system. With multi-product applications advisers will, for the first time, be able to offer clients income
• protection, life insurance and critical illness cover on the same application.
• Signature free applications (e-sigs) for own life cases makes the application process simpler and quicker.
• Aviva quotes multi-product quotes are now available on all major portals. See ‘quote and apply in action’ video here.
• Using a bank of over 500,000 questions, 600 different conditions, interactive underwriting mode is expected to produce 75% immediate acceptances, giving more certain customer outcomes, immediately.
• Nine out of 10 customers can also expect to receive a decision based on application alone [no further evidence required] within 24 hours.
• Extra and quicker commission payments for advisers using interactive underwriting.
• New end-to-end system is accessible through one single portal (Aviva for Advisers website) making it quicker and easier than ever to provide clients with all the cover they need, instantly.
• A broad range of flexible, new protection products for Life, Critical Illness and Income Protection cover will allows advisers to provide clients with tailored solutions to meet their changing needs, both now and in the future (See Technical Guide to Protection)
• New and improved features, like family income cover on Life and Critical illness options, and comprehensive critical illness cover for 56 conditions, as well as up to £3 million sum assured, makes a more flexible and appealing offer for customers.
• Quick and easy, real-time case tracking provides advisers with the ultimate control 24/7. Self service status; progress and ‘next action’ reports and the ability to view and download case documents instantly, gives advisers the information they need, when they need it, to manage their business efficiently.

Louise Colley, protection director at Aviva says, “Protection is the bedrock of financial planning, giving people the confidence to build their futures without fear of the unknown.  We believe everyone deserves to understand both the financial risks they face, and the importance of protection.  

“The introduction of Aviva Life Protection Solutions has helped us transform the way advisers do business with us so they can protect more lives, more easily.

"ALPS is an intuitive and interactive system which I’ve no doubt will save advisers valuable time and money, at the same time as better identifying customers’ protection needs and providing them with that all-important peace of mind.

“By totally re-engineering our system, the journey from quote through to claim is much cleaner and easier to navigate and this will revolutionise how advisers will write protection business with us in the future.”

Access to the new ALPS digital services and Aviva’s complete (online) product range is available through all major portals including Aviva for Advisers, using existing sign on details. Available free of charge to all Aviva for Advisers registered users, advisers have everything they need to fully support and service their clients quickly and securely.

Healthy Passenger Demand in November

Global passenger traffic results for November 2014 show a continuation of the healthy demand trend of recent months. Total revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) rose 6.0% compared to November 2013, which was ahead of the 5.7% year-over-year growth recorded in October as well as the 10-year average growth rate of 5.6%. November capacity expanded by 5.4%, leading to a 0.5 percentage point rise in the load factor to 76.7%. Growth was driven primarily by domestic markets which experienced a 6.9% increase in demand over the previous November (an acceleration over the 5.3% year-to-date average for domestic travel).

November Global Air Freight Growth Concentrates In Asia And Middle East

November 2014 data for global air freight markets showing that demand measured in freight tonne kilometers (FTK) grew 4.2% compared to November 2013. Capacity grew by 3.3% over the previous November. Compared to October 2014, air freight demand expanded by a healthy 0.8%. The most significant growth was recorded by carriers in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions, at 5.9% and 12.9%, respectively.

Cigna Life Insurance New Zealand Launches New Travel Insurance Cover

Cigna’s new comprehensive travel insurance provides mature customers with peace of mind and sense of security when travelling away from home. Cigna announced today its entry into the travel insurance market, with the new Cigna 50+ Travel Insurance designed specifically with the mature traveller in mind. Cigna already provides travel insurance through partner companies, but this is their first travel insurance product under the Cigna brand.

Status Global Insurance Now Offering Travel Insurance For Extensive Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

Status Global Insurance are excited to announce the ground-breaking launch of the specialised travel insurance product, Fit-4-Travel, which offers comprehensive cover, with no upper age limit to UK citizens residing throughout the EU, who have extensive pre-existing medical conditions. Many insurance companies aren’t able to provide travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions, or if they do you end up paying an absurdly expensive premium. This can leave travellers’ well-being, and wallets dangerously exposed if they have a flare-up of an existing medical condition when abroad. Arranged in partnership with International Travel and Healthcare Ltd Fit-4-Travel provides a reasonably priced product that will cover a very wide range of pre-existing medical conditions.

Alternate Health Care Delivery Models And Payment Reform May Stall At Current Levels

A joint pulse survey between Aon Hewitt, the global talent, retirement and health solutions business of Aon (NYSE: AON), and Catalyst for Payment Reform, an independent, non-profit employer coalition pushing for better value in U.S. health care, shows that while employers find alternative provider delivery models and payment reform attractive, most admit they do not understand them or the value they provide. As a result, they may miss a significant opportunity to lead and improve results (health and financial) for their workforce and business.

Natural Catastrophe Insurance Losses Hit Five-Year Low In 2014

Impact Forecasting has launched its Annual Global Climate and Catastrophe Report, which evaluates the impact of the natural disaster events that occurred worldwide during 2014. The report reveals that 258 separate global natural disasters occurred in 2014, compared to a ten-year average of 260 events, causing a combined total insured loss of USD39 billion – 38 percent below the ten-year average of USD63 billion, and the lowest annual insured loss total since 2009. The two costliest insured loss events of the year were both a result of severe thunderstorms, in June (Europe: USD3.0 billion) and in May (United States: USD2.9 billion). Meanwhile, global economic losses from natural catastrophes in 2014 stood at USD132 billion – 37 percent below the ten-year average of USD211 billion. The September flood event in northern India and Pakistan resulted in the largest economic loss of the year, causing an estimated USD18 billion in damage and representing the fifth consecutive year that Pakistan has registered a billion-dollar flood event.

Workers Compensation Claims Will Decrease In 2015

Aon Risk Solutions has released its second Health Care Workers Compensation Barometer report. The report explores trends in frequency, severity and overall loss rates related to workers’ compensation for approximately 1,150 heath care facilities across the country. The 2014 report projects workers compensation loss rates will decrease one percent annually. The Health Care Workers Compensation Barometer report also shows that frequency of workers compensation claims has been slowly and consistently decreasing at the same one percent level over the ten year experience period analyzed.

Merger Creates One Of The Largest Providers In Canadian Travel Insurance

Allianz Worldwide Partners and The Co-operators have announced the completion of the merger of their respective Canadian travel insurance companies. The merger of Allianz Global Assistance Canada and TIC Travel Insurance Coordinators, first announced in September, has created one of the largest travel insurance providers in the country, operating as Allianz Global Assistance. The combined entity will leverage the strengths of the two organizations to offer industry-leading products and services for Canadian travellers and visitors to Canada.

Global passenger traffic results for July 2014 show demand growth of 5.3% (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) over the previous July. Capacity expanded exactly in tandem with demand (5.3%), resulting in a global load factor of 82.3%, unchanged from last year.

“July was another strong month of growth for air travel. People are connecting by air in ever greater numbers. That’s true across all regions. Despite the various economic challenges, the outlook for passenger travel remains broadly positive. The overall sluggishness at the beginning of the year appears to be behind us with growth in China and other emerging economies offsetting recent deterioration in the Eurozone,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

International Passenger Markets

July international passenger demand rose by 5.5% compared to the same month in 2013. This was outstripped by a capacity expansion of 6.2% which resulted in a slight weakening of the load factor to 81.9% (down 0.5 percentage points from the year-ago period, but still at a very high level).

European carriers reported growth of 5.3% in July compared to a year ago. Capacity expanded slightly more aggressively at 5.6%, but the region still reported a very high load factor of 85.1%. While this is a robust performance, latest indicators show a weakening in key European economies such as Germany reflecting the impact of sanctions associated with the deepening Russia-Ukraine crisis.

Asia Pacific airlines are benefitting from an improved economic environment. Demand growth was slightly above the global average at 5.6% which lagged a capacity increase of 6.8%. Load factor fell 0.9 percentage points to 78.9%. The biggest factor affecting demand developments is the response of the Chinese economy to stimulus measures which saw year-on-year GDP growth reach 7.5% in July.

North American airlines saw international demand grow by 2.9%--the slowest of all regions. Capacity expansion was nearly double that at 5.6%; nonetheless the load factor stood at 85.1%. Overall business conditions are the strongest since mid-2010, which bodes well for the region’s carriers.

Airlines in the Middle East recorded the strongest growth at 9.2%. This was ahead of a capacity expansion of 8.2%. Load factor rose 0.7 percentage points to 78.0%. The carriers are benefitting from the strength of regional economies and solid growth in business-related premium travel.

Latin American carriers reported growth of 6.7%, in line with a 6.6% capacity increase. Load factors stood at 82.5%. Robust economic performance in Colombia, Peru and Chile is being offset by weakness in Brazil. Furthermore, regional trade volumes are not expanding, the impact of which has been a dialing down of travel demand from the 8% growth range experienced in 2013.

African airlines reported growth of 4.9%, reversing the year-on-year contraction experienced in June. With capacity rising 4.5%, load factor improved slightly to 70.2%. The biggest factor impacting international traffic demand in July was the slowdown of the South African economy.

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa intensified towards the end of July, the impact of which will likely be seen in August.

Domestic Passenger Markets

Demand on domestic routes rose by 4.9% in July over the previous year, ahead of a 3.5% capacity increase, pushing load factor up 1.1 percentage points to 83.0%.

The strongest growth was recorded in China (8.8%) and Russia (9.9%). Russian airlines saw the strongest growth rate among major domestic markets at 9.9%. While the Russia-Ukraine crisis has seen a slowdown in the Russian economy, domestic demand grew as a result of a significant reduction in fares.

India’s domestic market increased by a solid 6.0% in July over the previous year. This could be an early sign of the success of the new government’s business-friendly stance. However, the government’s July budget announcement showed little spending stimulus which could keep India’s growth trend below the pace of other emerging markets.

The Bottom Line

“Airlines reported growth in July, which is a positive story for the global economy. Robust economic conditions support the expansion of travel. In turn connectivity stimulates economic growth and creates jobs. It’s a tried and tested virtuous circle. And the expectation is for continued solid growth over the remainder of 2014,” said Tyler. “We cannot ignore, however, the risks that could de-rail this trajectory. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa, weakness in the Eurozone, hostilities in Eastern Ukraine and instability in the Middle East loom large. Airlines are on track to record a profit of some $18 billion this year. But that is a net profit margin of just 2.4% which does not provide much of a buffer. So it is critical that governments shore-up connectivity with business friendly policies based on reasonable taxation, cost-efficient infrastructure and smart regulation.”

Marsh Canada, a subsidiary of Marsh, a global leader in insurance broking and risk management, announced today the acquisition of Kocisko Insurance Brokers Inc., a full-service commercial insurance brokerage based in Montreal, Quebec.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Kocisko focuses on providing commercial insurance and risk management solutions to construction and surety operations throughout the province of Quebec. The Kocisko team will join Marsh Canada’s National Construction and Surety Practice, and will be based in Marsh’s Montreal location.

“I’m delighted to welcome Terry Kocisko and his talented and experienced team of construction and surety specialists to Marsh,” said Alan Garner, president & CEO, Marsh Canada Limited. “This addition enables us to offer greater resources and a broader platform to serve the needs of construction clients in Quebec.”

“Becoming a part of Marsh Canada Limited is a terrific evolution for Kocisko,” said Terry Kocisko, CEO of Kocisko. “Our clients will benefit from the tremendous service and broader array of capabilities and resources that Marsh has to offer.”

Customers with Aviva’s International Solutions private medical insurance will now be able to access a new personal membership smartphone app, which can store their medical records, provides details of how to claim wherever they are in the world, and gives immediate access to emergency assistance and medical advice.

The free International Solutions App provides customers with peace of mind that if they need urgent medical treatment abroad, their medical history can be quickly and safely accessed and shared from their mobile device. The app enables customers anywhere in the world to view, update and provide trusted medical professionals with tailored access to their personal medical records.

With a high level of functionality, the International Solutions App allows customers to record a range of medical details including allergies, conditions, immunizations, medications and tests, as well as the ability to store images of scans and x-rays. The customer can choose which medical records to share with their healthcare providers, and any information they would like to store in a password-protected Emergency Records area, which a chosen family member or colleague can immediately access in the event of an emergency.

When healthcare or emergency support is needed, the app will enable customers to dial straight through to Aviva and its 24 hour emergency assistance and medical advice service, as well as to a list of their healthcare providers. There is also a clear step-by-step guide on how to make a claim and details about International Solutions cover.

Teresa Rogers, head of international at Aviva UK Health said, “Our international customers are increasingly mobile across the globe and remote working on mobile devices has become the norm, so we’re delighted to be able to improve customers’ experience of their International Solutions cover by providing them with safe mobile access to their personal medical records and round-the-clock health services. The launch of the app is the next stage of Aviva’s digitisation of its International Solutions offer and it will provide customers with greater convenience and flexibility in accessing healthcare and sharing vital medical records with providers, wherever they are in the world. In the event of illness or injury abroad, the app will give customers peace of mind that all their vital health information is recorded and quickly accessible.”

The International Solutions App is available to download free, with immediate, effect for all individual and corporate customers with an Aviva International Solutions policy¹. It has been produced in partnership with Medelinked², who developed Aviva’s My Health Passport online record system for International Solutions customers, which launched in 2012.

Recognising the app will also benefit and appeal to other customers, Aviva has arranged an exclusive discount for other Aviva product holders. Anyone with an Aviva policy will be able to download the app for £12.50 for 12 months or £7.50 for 6 months. Standard rates apply for non-Aviva customers, at £29.95 for 12 months or £19.95 for 6 months.

There is also a free 30 day trial for any customer. The app stores customers’ medical records securely through the My Health Passport online records system. The customer has sole control over the information that is stored and whether they wish any healthcare individual or organisation to view any part of their medical records. Aviva is unable to access any of the data, unless the user chooses to specifically share chosen information.

1. The Aviva International Solutions App is available to all customers with an Aviva International Solutions policy, through Google Play and ITunes App stores. Supported phones are the iPhone 4 and above, with operating system iOS 7 and above, and most Android phones with operating system version 4 and above.

2. Medelinked is the new name for Zaptag UK Ltd, which developed Aviva’s My Health Passport online records system for International Solutions customers in 2012.

UK Private Medical Insurance Company

You may be a frequent flyer business traveler, student, leisure or medical health tourist considering the Expatriate Life.

Perhaps you are already established as a Expatriate living far from home on distant shores. Where ever you are now, understanding UK Private Medical Insurance company requirements is vital to safe, risk free Global travel. Accidents do happen and when you least expect it. Insuring you have the right type of Private Medical Insurance plan from the right private medical insurance company will mean, should anything untoward happen, you will not be faced with a large medical bill, or even worse, insufficient medical care.

Expatriates searching the internet to source, compare and select the best Private Medical Insurance company are now covered by International Private Medical Insurance Magazines Online UK Private Medical Insurance company guide.

Get the lowdown on who's who and which Private Medical Insurance companies you should trust with your life. Since 2009 International Private Medical Insurance Magazine has been providing mission critical news and information about UK Private Medical Insurance companies and providers to individual expatriates, expat groups, expatriate employers and Expatriate Health Insurance brokers and intermediaries.

It is important to fully understand UK Private Medical Insurance requirements before you travel and insure you select the right and most appropriate Private Medical Insurance plan and cover for leisure, business, educational or health travel purposes. Private Medical Insurance companies do come in all shapes and sizes so be sure to do a complete comparison of the Private Medical Insurance company, plan, costs and fine print.

Make your Private Medical Insurance plan and company covers you for costs relating to repatriation, emergency evacuation, medical and non medical transport services by ground ambulance or air ambulance.

Private Medical Insurance Company

You may be a frequent flyer business traveler, student, leisure or medical health tourist considering the Expatriate Life.

Perhaps you are already established as a Expatriate living far from home on distant shores. Where ever you are now, understanding Private Medical Insurance company requirements is vital to safe, risk free Global travel. Accidents do happen and when you least expect it. Insuring you have the right type of Private Medical Insurance plan from the right private medical insurance company will mean, should anything untoward happen, you will not be faced with a large medical bill, or even worse, insufficient medical care.

Expatriates searching the internet to source, compare and select the best Private Medical Insurance company are now covered by International Private Medical Insurance Magazines Online Private Medical Insurance company guide.

Get the lowdown on who's who and which Private Medical Insurance companies you should trust with your life. Since 2009 International Private Medical Insurance Magazine has been providing mission critical news and information about Private Medical Insurance companies and providers to individual expatriates, expat groups, expatriate employers and Expatriate Health Insurance brokers and intermediaries.

It is important to fully understand Private Medical Insurance requirements before you travel and insure you select the right and most appropriate Private Medical Insurance plan and cover for leisure, business, educational or health travel purposes. Private Medical Insurance companies do come in all shapes and sizes so be sure to do a complete comparison of the Private Medical Insurance company, plan, costs and fine print.

Make your Private Medical Insurance plan and company covers you for costs relating to repatriation, emergency evacuation, medical and non medical transport services by ground ambulance or air ambulance.

Private Medical Insurance

You may be a frequent flyer business traveler, student, leisure or medical health tourist considering the Expatriate Life.

Perhaps you are already established as a Expatriate living far from home on distant shores. Where ever you are now, understanding Private Medical Insurance requirements is vital to safe, risk free Global travel. Accidents do happen and when you least expect it. Insuring you have the right type of Private Medical Insurance will mean, should anything untoward happen, you will not be faced with a large medical bill, or even worse, insufficient medical care.

Expatriates searching the internet to source, compare and select the best Private Medical Insurance are now covered by International Private Medical Insurance Magazines Online Private Medical Insurance company guide.

Get the lowdown on who's who and which Private Medical Insurance companies you should trust with your life. Since 2009 International Private Medical Insurance Magazine has been providing mission critical news and information about Private Medical Insurance to individual expatriates, expat groups, expatriate employers and Expatriate Health Insurance brokers and intermediaries.

It is important to fully understand Private Medical Insurance requirements before you travel and insure you select the right and most appropriate Private Medical Insurance plan and cover for leisure, business, educational or health travel purposes. Private Medical Insurance comes in all shapes and sizes so be sure to do a complete comparison of the Private Medical Insurance plan, costs and fine print.

Make your Private Medical Insurance plan covers you for costs relating to repatriation, emergency evacuation, medical and non medical transport services by ground ambulance or air ambulance.

Now Health International, the international health insurance provider today announces their new Intermediaries Online web service – a fast and secure way for intermediaries to get quotes and buy online on behalf of customers.

In addition to providing immediate access to agents’ quotes online, Intermediaries Online also provides each agent with their own dedicated URL they can use to generate commission remotely. Now Health has also created an easy to follow online user guide that shows agents how to use Intermediaries Online.

In addition to the demo video, there are a number of tools to help agents use Intermediaries Online:

• Display advertising to use on websites
• Co-branded emails to generate commission from an existing customer base
• Presentation material

Alison Massey Marketing and Ecommerce Director commented, “We hope our agents will find this new and exciting service a huge step forward in speeding up the quote and sale process for their clients.”