Worldchoice increases insurance options for members

ABC Holiday Extras has joined GE Financial Insurance (GEFI) as a preferred insurance supplier for the Worldchoice consortium.

According to Worldchoice take-up of the policies has been “very positive” and the majority of the 750-strong consortium’s members have already signed up. Both companies have introduced new features for 2002. GEFI for example provides scheduled airline failure insurance as standard within all of its Worldchoice policies following the September 11 attacks. Meanwhile ABC Holiday Extras, which provides policies that are underwritten by AXA Insurance, has lowered the cost of its annual insurance policies to undercut off the shelf packages from leading high street retailers such as Boots and Tesco.

Commenting on the decision to appoint two insurance suppliers, Colin Heal, chairman of Worldchoice said: “We have acted at the request of our members who wanted increased choice and flexibility from the Worldchoice insurance policies, which are already the best on the market. Both ABC and GEFI have taken every step to accommodate these demands and as such have created cost effective and comprehensive travel cover for all age groups with policies designed to cover all eventualities – even scuba diving.”

*Meanwhile GEFI has signed a three year deal with Help the Aged to provide a travel insurance policy without age restrictions via Marsh Affinity, a provider of branded consumer insurance programmes.

The travel insurance policy for Help the Aged customers offers access to a range of benefits including:
* no upper age limit on general travel policies – excludes winter sports cover which has maximum age limit of 65
* Homewatch – up to £350 is available to cover any emergency repairs, which are required while the policyholder is on holiday.
* 24 hour helplines providing pre-travel advice, legal advice and emergency medical assistance
* a maximum of £2 million to cover emergency medical expenses and emergency transport outside the UK
* up to £2 million is available to cover personal liability claims

Andy Alden, Insurance Manager for Help the Aged said: “It is one of our key strategic aims to allow older people more active and fulfilled lives by removing the major barrier of ageism. Older people want to travel further and for longer. We are pleased that together with GEFI Europe we are able to offer a comprehensive travel insurance policy regardless of age.”