Healthy April Passenger Demand

Global passenger traffic results for April showing robust demand growth compared to April 2014. Total revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) rose 5.9%. April capacity (available seat kilometers or ASKs) increased by 6.1%, and load factor slipped 0.1 percentage points to 79.4%.…Written on Friday, 12 June 2015 04:43 in iPMI Magazine Travel News

Airline Profitability Strengthens Further

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced an upward revision of its 2015 industry outlook to a $29.3 billion net profit. On expected revenues of $727 billion, the industry would achieve a 4.0% net profit margin. The significant strengthening from…Written on Friday, 12 June 2015 04:56 in iPMI Magazine Travel News

Preliminary First Quarter Commercial Aviation Safety Performance Data

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released preliminary first quarter 2015 (January 1-March 31) commercial aviation safety performance data. The preliminary results are subject to revision based on the determination of the Accident Classification Task Force. The first quarter 2015…Written on Friday, 12 June 2015 04:53 in iPMI Magazine Travel News

The Financial Shock Of A Sudden Disability Or Critical Illness

A sudden critical illness or disability can have serious financial consequences for the individuals and families affected. However, most Europeans do not have the financial protection in place to deal with such a shock. According to Swiss Re's European Insurance…Written on Friday, 12 June 2015 04:52 in iPMI Magazine Breaking News

Airlines To Address Carry-On Bag Dilemma

Download video (MP4) Interview with Tom Windmuller, IATA SVP for Airport, Passenger, Cargo and Security The International Air Transport Association (IATA), announced a new initiative to optimize the accommodation of carry-on bags given differing carry-on bag sizes and airline policies.…Written on Friday, 12 June 2015 04:50 in iPMI Magazine Travel News

Industry Stepping Up Engagement On Consumer Protection

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is stepping up efforts to engage with stakeholders—governments, travelers and consumer groups—on the important issue of consumer protection. There are now over 60 countries with some form of passenger rights regulations, with more countries…Written on Friday, 12 June 2015 04:48 in iPMI Magazine Travel News

Air Freight Momentum Slows

Global air freight markets showing a 3.3% increase in cargo volumes (freight tonne kilometers or FTKs) in April 2015 compared to April in the previous year. While there is growth compared to the same month in 2014, there has been…Written on Friday, 12 June 2015 04:45 in iPMI Magazine Travel News

Are Employers Ready To Keep Employees Fit For work?

Cigna UK HealthCare Benefits (Cigna UKHB) shares findings from new research on employer readiness to adopt the Department of Work and Pension’s (DWP) new Fit for Work occupational health service. As the DWP is currently rolling out their new Fit…Written on Friday, 12 June 2015 04:40 in iPMI Magazine Breaking News

Assurant To Exit Health Insurance Market

Assurant, Inc. (NYSE:AIZ) has concluded a comprehensive review of strategic alternatives for its health business and will exit the health insurance market as the Company sharpens its focus on housing and lifestyle specialty protection offerings. To maximize shareholder value, Assurant…Written on Wednesday, 10 June 2015 15:32 in iPMI Magazine Breaking News

ING Exchanges EUR 337.5 Million Notes Of NN Anchor Investors Into NN Shares

ING announced today it will exchange the second tranche of EUR 337.5 million of mandatory exchangeable subordinated notes into 13.6 million NN Group ordinary shares. The exchange is part of the anchor investment in NN Group by three Asian institutional…Written on Wednesday, 10 June 2015 09:50 in iPMI Magazine Breaking News

Tokio Marine Holdings To Acquire HCC Insurance Holdings In $7.5 Billion Transaction

Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc. (TMHD) and HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. (HCC) (NYSE:HCC) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which TMHD will acquire all outstanding shares of HCC, a U.S. insurance holding company comprising property &…Written on Wednesday, 10 June 2015 09:47 in iPMI Magazine Mergers Acquisitions News

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

As one of the world’s leading network of international assistance providers, International Assistance Group (IAG) has a wealth of experience and expertise in the field of natural and manmade disasters. Rarely have these skills been more apparent than in the…Written on Friday, 05 June 2015 10:10 in iPMI Magazine Medical Travel Technical Roadside Assistance Company News

How K&R Risks Relate To Everyday Business

Since 2001, the threats associated with international organizations have changed, growing each year. Some dangerous hotspots are exhaustively covered in the news, such as the Middle East or Somalia, but others might be unexpected. Kidnappings can and do occur everywhere—no…Written on Thursday, 04 June 2015 11:13 in iPMI Magazine Risk News

ABOUT International Private Medical Insurance Magazine

International Private Medical Insurance Magazine (iPMIM) is the ultimate International Private Medical Insurance online platform and health insurance magazine, serving global expatriate, corporate, health and travel insurance markets.

Due to the nomadic nature of the international healthcare industry International Private Medical Insurance Magazine is an internet based news service for worldwide healthcare professionals, who need to understand the impacts of healthcare and insurance policy, regulatory, and legislative developments.International Private Medical Insurance Magazine is the leading international industry voice, of the international travel, health, expat, assistance and private medical insurance market.

International Private Medical Insurance Magazine  details private medical insurance providers; the advantages and disadvantages of private medical insurance; international private medical insurance Vs travel insurance; private medical insurance comparison; International Private Medical Insurance Magazine  acts as a worldwide guide to private medical insurance, with the most up-to-date news and views from leading providers of private medical insurance plans, including private medical insurance companies like Cigna International, Globality Health, Eurocross Turkey, HTH Worldwide, ALC Healthcare, GeoBlue, Integra Global, Expatriate Healthcare and many more.

Health insurance cover and risk protection for expatriates, business travellers, tourists, mobile and remote workers and multinational corporations managing global mobility programs and frequent corporate travel plans.

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As one of the world’s leading network of international assistance providers, International Assistance Group (IAG) has a wealth of experience and expertise in the field of natural and manmade disasters. Rarely have these skills been more apparent than in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck Nepal on 25^th April 2015. The alliance of assistance companies is proud of the way in which its Partners have overcome considerable challenges and spearheaded efforts to respond to this disaster. Through their care and dedication, they have played an active role in locating, evacuating and repatriating those in need and handled over 980 individual cases.

Measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, the quake triggered a brutal wave of aftershocks, landslides and avalanches that left 8,600 dead and countless others injured, missing, homeless or stranded. The response of IAG Core Partners involved, such as AA International (HQ in Malaysia), Bupa Global Assistance (HQ in Denmark), Capita in the UK and On Call International in the United States, was immediate and effective. At the height of rescue efforts, in-country crisis teams were meeting several times per day to coordinate interventions and ensure that help reached those affected.

SOS International, the IAG Core Partner in the Netherlands, was able to repatriate 350 Dutch nationals thanks to close collaboration with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while Customer Care, part of Cover-More Group and the IAG Australian Partner, quickly had a team on the ground in Kathmandu to coordinate an airlift via their chartered Airbus A330 flight. In total, On Call International, the IAG Core Partner in the US handled 107 cases in Nepal including extractions from outside of Kathmandu (Lukla, Gorka and Langtang) and a repatriation of remains from base camp of Everest.

The long-established IAG Assistance Partner in India, East West Rescue, directly handled 35 cases, each involving between two and 100 people. They worked in close cooperation with the diplomatic representatives of the various nationals stranded in Nepal. Their actions were key, as Delhi was the closest destination providing specialised medical care to the injured following evacuations.

It goes without saying that these international organisations were reliant upon the invaluable support of the main local Partner in Nepal, Alpine Rescue Service. Since the quake, Alpine Rescue Service has responded to approximately 350 cases, executed around 300 evacuations and chartered over 14 flights. Their staff has gone above and beyond the call of duty to liaise with the Nepalese government and international agencies, and their local knowledge has made all the difference to Nepalese people and international travellers alike.

International Assistance Group is especially grateful for the work of Alpine Rescue Service in light of the immense operational challenges involved. The Nepalese communications networks and local infrastructure sustained significant damage during the disaster, and in some cases were eradicated altogether, which hampered efforts to locate and transport those in need. Damage to medical facilities, increased air traffic, the strain on the Nepalese government and poor weather conditions all exacerbated these difficulties, as did the remote nature of the terrain. Maintaining business continuity was a feat that required all of IAG Partners’ characteristic ingenuity; for example, Alpine Rescue Service kept its communications system running thanks to generators and solar and battery inverters.

As the immediate aftermath of the quake gives way to reconstruction work, IAG Partners’ thoughts are already turning to ways of fine-tuning their processes for the future. For example, Partners such as Customer Care in Australia have established multidisciplinary crisis teams to react to events as they unfold.

Above all, International Assistance Group is proud of the way in which its network has supported the vital disaster response on this occasion. “When put to the ultimate test, the ability to send and receive Partner referrals, exchange local knowledge and share technical expertise made all the difference to the people caught up in this disaster and we trust that we will be well-equipped to deal with whatever the future may hold,” said Cécile Hermetz, General Manager, International Assistance Group.

ING Group has made a capital injection into NN Group of EUR 57 million by subscribing for newly issued shares for an aggregate amount of EUR 57 million and ING has provided NN Bank a EUR 63 million facility which allows the bank to draw additional Tier 1 capital.

With this provision of capital, ING Group fulfils a commitment to the European Commission (EC) pertaining to the capitalisation of NN Bank, which is included in the EC decision of 16 November 2012. That decision required ING Group to create a competitive bank in the Netherlands separate from ING Group.

With these transactions, ING Group has achieved full compliance with the EC commitment on the capitalisation of NN Bank. The transactions have no material impact on the capital position of ING Group and no impact on the capital position of ING Bank. The capital injection of EUR 57 million into NN Group has been made against the issuance of 2,178,899 ordinary shares in NN Group at a price per share of EUR 26.16, equal to yesterday's closing share price. The shares acquired by ING Group are not subject to a lock-up.

NN Group has used the proceeds to make a capital injection of EUR 57 million in NN Bank. As a result of this transaction, NN Bank's phased-in common equity Tier 1 ratio has increased from 13.8% to 15.7% on a pro-forma basis as at 31 March 2015. The EUR 63 million facility gives NN Bank the unconditional right to draw down additional Tier 1 capital from ING until 31 December 2018 at prevailing market terms. The transaction announced today raises ING's stake in NN Group slightly, to 54.8%. As announced previously, ING Group intends to divest its remaining stake in NN Group over time, in line with its strategy to divest all of its insurance and investment management businesses.

Jelf, an independent full service UK based brokerage that supports businesses and individuals, announces its interim results.

Financial highlights 

Strong financial performance continues:

• Revenues 11.0% ahead of last year at £43.7m (2014: £39.3m)
• EBITDAE pre-share costs increased by 24.6% to £8.1m (2014: £6.5m)
• EBITDAE margin pre-share costs increased by 12.3% to 18.5% (2014: 16.4%)
• Fully diluted Earnings per Share increased by 12.8% to 1.67p (2014: 1.48p)
• Interim maiden dividend of 0.8p

The business continues to be cash generative and £2.5m of debt has been repaid early:

• Net debt is £27.6m (excluding deferred consideration net debt is £15.2m) compared to net debt of £13.1m (excluding deferred consideration net debt is £8.9m) at 31 March 2014 reflecting the acquisition of The Beaumonts Insurance Group in December 2014.

Operating highlights

• Organic growth achieved of 4.2% (excluding the impact of acquisitions)
• The Insurance business EBITDAE has increased by 18.2% to £5.3m (2014: £4.4m)
• Employee Benefits EBITDAE has increased by 27.2% to £1.7m (2014: £1.4m)
• Financial Planning EBITDAE has increased by 167% to £299k (2014: £112k)
• Margins continue to improve whilst at the same time investment continues to be made in both sales capability and infrastructure
• Jelf Insurance Partnership delivered £5.2m of revenues (2014: £4.7m) and £762k of EBITDAE (2014: £550k). It is on track with expectations and capturing the expected synergies of the acquisition
• The Beaumonts Insurance Group, acquired in December 2014, is trading strongly and capturing the acquisition synergies ahead of expectations
• Awarded Investor in Customers highest ‘3 Star’ accolade for client service for the third year running

Commenting on the results Alex Alway, Group Chief Executive, said, “I am pleased that all our businesses are trading strongly and outperforming last year and we expect to continue this trend in the second half of the year. Our acquisitions are integrating well into the Jelf business and delivering positive benefits.”

With a growing number of Americans retiring abroad, a poll released by Clements Worldwide indicates that international political instability and terrorism top the list of worries among would-be expatriates.

The survey by Clements, a global insurance provider with 68 years’ experience covering individuals living and working outside of their country of citizenship, also found strong concern but lack of information about the availability of appropriate health care insurance overseas. Asked to choose the risks of overseas living they feared most, 92 percent of respondents selected political or economic upheaval, while 86 percent picked terrorism. Eighty-nine percent expressed concern about a health crisis, while 79 percent said they were concerned about a natural disaster. When asked which factor they were “extremely concerned about,” the largest share, 18 percent, chose terrorism and 15 percent political upheaval.

“Americans appear to be forgoing retirement abroad due to fears of terrorism and potential political upheaval,” said Sergio Sanchez, chief marketing officer at Clements Worldwide. “And that’s unfortunate because our international claims data show that such risks, and the costs associated with them, pale in comparison to those created by insufficient health care coverage, or by having the wrong auto or personal accident insurance while abroad.”

In all, 24 percent of 1,179 people over age 50, and with household income over $100,000, said they are considering expatriate life within the next 15 years. Respondents planning to retire outside of the United States were somehow less worried about the more commonplace threats of traffic or personal accidents, with just one percent saying they were “extremely concerned” about such mishaps.

Europe was the top destination considered by 59 percent, followed by the Caribbean (40 percent) and Central and South America (32 percent). Less than nine percent of those likely to relocate are considering a new life in Asia, while fewer than three percent are looking at Africa and less than two percent at the Middle East, suggesting concern about instability in those regions.

“Risks vary based on location,” said Mr. Sanchez. “Those considering a move abroad should begin with the basics, such as comprehensive international health and automobile coverage. Then they should consider factors specific to their destination, such as personal property insurance for theft or vandalism and political violence insurance including coverage for emergency evacuation. Regardless of nationality, it’s critical for would-be retirees, and even currently employed professionals planning to or already living outside their home country, to reach out to a specialized international insurance broker who is familiar with their needs and the regulations that affect expatriates around the world. Having the wrong coverage can be as harmful as having no coverage.”

For instance, while access to affordable health care was the second biggest relocation concern among those planning to live abroad -- at 68 percent, second only to the cost of living (72 percent) -- a majority of respondents were not clear about what their health coverage needs abroad would be, or if expatriate coverage with access to U.S. medical facilities would be available.

Respondents were also unclear as to whether they will have to become a citizen of their destination country to receive health coverage. Nearly half were unsure about this, while 22 percent said that is the case.

“Finding a suitable international health policy should not stand in the way of expatriate retirement planning,” said Mr. Sanchez. “At Clements we offer programs like GlobalCare® for individuals and organizations that include unsurpassed benefits in hard currency, allow access to western-style facilities worldwide including coverage for doctor visits in the US, and Englishlanguage support. Designed to meet the healthcare needs of expats, contractors, and travelers, Clements' core plans automatically include the benefit of emergency medical evacuation at no extra cost.”

The survey was conducted online from March 19 to March 23.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for global air freight markets, showing a modest 1.6% rise in volumes in March compared to a year ago, measured in Freight Tonne Kilometers (FTK).

The industry’s March performance stands in sharp contrast to the exceptionally strong 12.2% rise reported for February. February’s performance, however, was positively skewed by the combined impacts of the timing of the Lunar New Year and the labor dispute at US West Coast seaports.

Freight performance over the first quarter of the year indicates year-on-year growth of 5.3%. This is in line with general global economic trends and slightly higher than the 4.5% growth that was anticipated in IATA’s December outlook.

The regional growth picture remains highly mixed. Latin American and European carriers reported market contractions while Middle East carriers showed rapid growth.

“The air cargo industry is on a solid but unspectacular growth trend. And there is little evidence today that would point towards an acceleration as the year goes on,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

Longer-term, IATA called on governments to work in partnership to remove barriers to trade. “The growth in air cargo markets has shifted down a gear. World trade and air cargo are still growing, but only in line with industrial production. Removing barriers to trade in line with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) would deliver a much needed boost to the global economy,” said Tyler. The World Economic Forum estimates that the WTO TFA could boost the global economy by as much as $1 trillion.

Regional Analysis in Detail

Asia-Pacific carriers reported FTK growth of 2.0% in March compared to March 2014. This appearance of a sharp slowdown from the February rate of 20.5% is a reflection of the impact of Lunar New Year and the US West Coast port strike. Capacity expanded 3.9%.

European carriers declined 2.4% in March, compared to a year ago. The European Central Bank has been engaged in quantitative easing in an attempt to improve the economy and to offset weakness which persists as a result of the Russian sanctions. Capacity rose 2.3%.

North American airlines reported growth of 0.8% year-on-year. Economic indicators for employment, business and consumer confidence are positive, which should point to stronger growth in the coming months. Capacity fell 3.1%.

Middle Eastern carriers saw FTKs grow by 10.6%, fuelled by network and capacity expansion. Trade is also increasing among Middle Eastern economies. Capacity grew 17.1%.

Latin American airlines reported a fall of 6.4% in year-on-year FTKs. The key economies of Brazil and Argentina continue to struggle, and a general increase in regional trade activity is yet to carry over into stronger air freight demand. Capacity expanded 3.3%.

African airlines experienced a 2.4% increase in FTKs. The region has posted solid growth in Q1 2015, indicating that regional trade is holding up well, despite the under-performance of the Nigerian and South African economies. Capacity rose 0.5%.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced global passenger traffic results for March 2015 showing demand (revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) rose 7.4% compared to March 2014. This was an improvement on February, when year-over-year growth was 6.4%.

The acceleration in the year-on-year comparison reflects the residual impact of the February Lunar New Year celebrations, which tend to boost leisure travel in the weeks before and after the holiday. In 2014, the holiday occurred at the end of January. However, underlying traffic trends confirm demand remains robust. March capacity rose 5.6% and load factor climbed 1.3 percentage points to 80.0%. Domestic markets experienced stronger growth than international markets, but both performed well.

“March traffic continues the trend of healthy demand for travel. We may, however, see a softening of demand in the second quarter. There are signs that regional trade activity in Asia-Pacific may be slowing and Eurozone economic weakness continues to disappoint,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

International Passenger Markets

March international passenger traffic rose 7.0% compared to the year-ago period. Capacity climbed 5.4% and load factor increased 1.2 percentage points to 78.9%. All regions recorded year-over increases in demand except for Africa.

• Asia-Pacific airlines recorded an 11.1% increase in demand compared to March 2014, strongest among the regions. The timing of the Lunar New Year in mid-February contributed to the robust performance as holiday-related travel continued into early March. Capacity rose 7.1%, boosting load factor 2.9 percentage points to 78.5%. The underlying trend in air travel on Asia-Pacific carriers is likely to be weaker than performance suggests as regional trade activity appears to be slowing after strong gains in late 2014.
• European carriers’ international traffic climbed 5.4% in March compared to the year-ago period. Capacity rose 3.6% and load factor climbed 1.4 percentage points to 80.8%, highest among the regions. While the Eurozone is reporting very weak economic expansion, outside the Eurozone, nations like Turkey continue to record strong growth.
• North American airlines experienced just a 2.7% traffic rise in March over a year ago, reflecting the maturity of these travel markets. The US economy continues to lead developed economies in performance. Capacity rose 2.1%, edging up load factor 0.5 percentage points to 80.4%.
• Middle East carriers demand climbed 9.8% in March but capacity growth of 11.9% meant that load factor fell 1.5 percentage points to 77.1% compared to March 2014. Middle East economies are comparatively well-placed to withstand the drop in oil prices and measures of non-oil-related business activity continue to show improvement.
• Latin American airlines’ traffic rose 4.3% in March compared to March 2014. Regional trade volumes have been improving, but the Brazilian economy continues to tread water. Capacity rose 5.5% and load factor slipped 0.9 percentage points to 77.4%.
• African airlines endured another month of declining demand, as traffic dropped 1.1% in March compared to a year ago. The weakness reflects adverse economic developments in parts of the continent including Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, which is suffering from the collapse in oil prices. Accompanying cuts in capacity of 3.2%, pushed load factor upwards 1.4 percentage points to 65.7%, still the lowest among the regions.

Domestic Passenger Markets

Domestic air travel rose 8.0% in March year-on-year, driven by growth in China and India. Capacity rose 6.0% and load factor was 82.0%, up 1.5% percentage points over March 2014.

• China domestic air travel soared 22% in March compared to a year ago, showing the residual impact of the Lunar New Year celebrations. However, recent data show that GDP for the first quarter was 7.0%, which was slightly less than fourth quarter 2014 growth of 7.3%.
• India’s airlines saw traffic jump 17.9% in March, likely reflecting market stimulation by local carriers and a strengthening economy.

The Bottom Line: “The devastating earthquake in Nepal has gripped the world’s attention. It also has highlighted aviation’s vital role. Airlines help transport the responders who perform their heroic efforts in bringing food, medical supplies and equipment to those in need. All our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of this disaster and to those who are working around the clock to deliver hope and aid,” said Tyler.

“Next month, Miami will be the focus of the global air transport industry, when the 71st IATA Annual General Meeting will take place, 7-9 June. The United States is the world’s largest market and among its most vibrant economies, in part owing to the enormous contribution made by aviation. In the US, aviation supports some 5.7 million jobs and nearly $562 billion in GDP. Our message is that aviation can play an even bigger role, but only if governments understand that aviation’s greatest contribution is in the value creation it enables, not in the taxes and fees that can be extracted from it,” said Tyler.

Healix International, a global leader in international medical, security and travel assistance services has announced its intention to acquire Capita Global Assistance.

Capita Global Assistance provides worldwide medical and travel assistance to business and leisure travellers for its impressive portfolio of clients.

Scott Sunderman, Group CEO of Healix International explained, “The acquisition is a natural fit for Healix as it builds upon our existing strengths in the global travel risk management market and supports our ambitious growth plans.

“We pride ourselves on service excellence and the high quality of medical care provided by a team of critical care nurses, doctors and specialist consultants. All are highly experienced in international healthcare delivery and aviation medicine and are backed up globally by our extensive, independent network of primary and secondary healthcare facilities.

“The expertise and dedication of our staff have been key to Healix’s success and we look forward to welcoming employees from Capita Global Assistance to our skilled team and enrolling them in the Healix family.”

Scott Sunderman remarked, “We have the infrastructure in place to successfully integrate this business with exceptional staff, bespoke systems, a highly valued global network providing on the ground support and an enviable track record of service excellence with our existing client base of multinational corporations, insurers, government departments and NGO’s.

“The acquisition of Capita Global Assistance is a feather in our cap and a boost to our growth plans and we are looking forward to welcoming new staff and clients to the Healix experience.”

About Healix International

Healix International is a global leader in international medical, security and travel assistance services.  Working on behalf of multinational corporations, governments, NGO’s and insurers, we are relied upon to look after the welfare of millions of expatriates, business travellers and local nationals living and working in every country of the world, 24 hours a day.

Many of these people reside in the most remote, challenging and hostile of environments.  Last year, we responded to over 450,000 requests for medical assistance globally, managed over 35,000 acute in-patient cases in over 160 countries, and conducted over 2,200 aero-medical evacuations from over 110 countries.

To find out more about Healix International visit their micro website on iPMI Magazine, click here now.

Cigna (NYSE: CI) has named Javier Cano as Managing Director of its Global Health Benefits business in Europe to ensure the growing number of globally mobile customers benefit from Cigna's global capabilities and local expertise. 

Cigna Global Health Benefits is a leading provider of group healthcare and employee benefits solutions for globally mobile employees of small, medium and large businesses, multinational corporates and IGOs/NGOs. We are a truly international organisation with operations in more than 30 countries and over 50 years of experience. Currently, Cigna provides global health care insurance benefits and related services to more than one million customers worldwide. 

Javier joined Cigna in 2006 as Business Development Director for the Spanish business. In 2010 he launched Cigna’s Individual PMI business in Europe, building new direct channels alongside established intermediary distribution. Javier then became Spain Country Manager for Cigna in 2011 where he has successfully grown the business across the individual, domestic and global benefits’ segments. He will continue to lead Cigna’s business in Spain as part of his new role.

While Javier continues to be based in Madrid, he leads a team operating across Europe with key operational hubs in UK, Belgium and Spain.

Javier commented, “I’m delighted to bring together Cigna’s resources in Europe at a time when global mobility and demand for health benefits are both increasing. There’s no doubt that global mobility has an important part to play in economic growth. And I’m confident that Cigna is well-positioned to support the different global health benefits needs of employers across Europe.”

Cigna Global Health Benefits is part of Cigna, a US-based global health service company, dedicated to helping the people we serve improve their health, well-being and sense of security. To learn more please visit www.cignaglobalhealth.com  and www.cignainspire.com 

HTH Worldwide have announced the availability of travel protection insurance plans with important upgrades, including robust benefits and competitive pricing. HTH's TripProtector plans offer comprehensive travel and health benefits, three levels of coverage, and pricing that fits travelers' personal characteristics and itineraries. These plans cover both domestic and international trips and are underwritten by Nationwide^®.

TripProtector plans cover trip cancellation and interruption for illness, terrorism, and dangerous weather, as well as baggage loss and trip delay. Medical benefits include outpatient and inpatient services for sickness and injury, and medical evacuation. Plan designs come in three levels and top out at $50,000 of trip cancellation, 200% of trip costs for trip interruption, $500,000 in medical benefits and $1 million in medical evacuation.

"Many traditional travel protection plans offer an array of coverages but fall short on medical benefits," said Brendan Sharkey, Director of Individual Products at HTH Worldwide. "Travelers often feel compelled to buy an additional travel medical plan. TripProtector offers travelers the best of both worlds, making it a great option for people interested in protecting both their health and their investment."

All TripProtector customers enjoy HTH Worldwide's exceptional member service and medical assistance, including concierge-level access to the best local doctors and hospitals all around the world. They also carry with them HTH's award-winning mPassport app to search for English-speaking, highly qualified doctors, translate key medical terms and phrases, and find country-specific equivalents for brand name medications.

For a full description of the new TripProtector plans and to purchase online, visit www.hthtravelinsurance.com.

SOURCE: https://ipmimagazine.com/medical-health-insurance/en/health-medical-travel-expatriate-insurance-product-news/item/3448-hth-worldwide-offers-new-travel-protection-plans