Deals, Deals and More Deals
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NEWS ANALYSIS: p.10 FEATURE: p.26 A danger too far? A complex market Insuring passengers on civil light aircraft Health insurance for travelling students WEEKLY NEWS.TV UPDATES Every Wednesday at 12pm UK time www.itij.tv ESSENTIAL READING FOR TRAVEL & HEALTH INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS FEBRUARY 2018 • ISSUE 205 Deals, deals and more deals Canada condones cannabis With Canada expected to fully legalise the recreational use of marijuana by the end of summer 2018, Milan Korcok looks at what insurers need to bear in mind So far, Uruguay has been the only country in the world to completely free up pot use, but now the Great White North is already turning green, with thousands of acres opening up for cultivation almost weekly, Canadian cannabis stocks making overnight millionaires of day traders, and American backpackers switching their vacation itineraries from Peru to the wide-open Prairies. Marijuana has been available for limited medical use in Canada since 2001, but it was in 2015 that newly minted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged not only to decriminalise marijuana, but to make it widely available to adult consumers for everyday, recreational use, Most people in the travel insurance Mary Carmen González, partner with Spanish law the line as private clinics – in Spain at least – are albeit through a regulated system – controlling its industry are aware of agreements fi rm Ramallo & Pallast, said to ITIJ: “Who wins from obliged to provide emergency care if a patient’s life production, distribution, sale and possession. between hotels, tour operators and even these agreements? The private clinics, which receive is in danger. Disputes later arise if an insurer denies In addition, the Access to Cannabis for Medical taxis, which see travellers with insurance increased admissions. And the hotels, which receive payment to the clinic that provided life-saving care. Purposes Regulations (ACMPR), promulgated funnelled into private clinics in Spain, benefi ts in kind, such as free healthcare for staff , In some countries (e.g. Germany, The Netherlands, in 2016, already allows Canadians to obtain rather than the public institutions that off er and, in some instances, an additional ‘commission’ and Switzerland), basic social security led and carry cannabis for pain relief or a rapidly free or reduced-cost healthcare under the paid by the clinic. Who loses? Private clinics not healthcare is covered through private insurance. expanding list of symptomatologies. Various European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) engaged in these kind of practices, as they lose Thus, according to their social security laws, it courts and provincial human rights groups have scheme. ITIJ revisits this issue to see the out on patients. Among the losers, of course, are is mandatory for all citizens to take out private also ruled in favour of requiring some employee latest knock-on eff ects the travel insurers. Patient admissions that could insurance that covers social security healthcare health insurance plans to provide cannabis have been made in a public hospital are made benefi ts. When travelling abroad within the products to injured or ailing employees. Disputes between some insurers and medical in private clinics, where the travel insurer has to European Union, or a handful of other specifi ed Recently, two of Canada’s largest providers continue to bubble under. Most insurers pay for the treatment covered by their policy.” countries that are included in the EHIC scheme, an life insurance companies, will now pay for verifi ed emergency medical An insurer could try to avoid being subject to these EHIC can subsequently be obtained through their care at private hospitals – a service that private issues by including wording in their policies that national health insurance provider to enable the clinics are obligated to provide – but some excludes payment for care provided in private card holder to obtain certain medical treatment in insurers still mistrust and refuse to reimburse any hospitals in an eff ort to direct patients to public the Spanish public healthcare system. People with treatment given at a private hospital. ITIJ spoke facilities where they can be treated under their such social security insurance and/or an EHIC are, to some of the protagonists to see if we could European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This in an fi nd out who, if anyone, are the bad guys. of itself, though, can be problematic further down CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 Editorial comment @ITIJeditor Editor-in-chief: Ian Cameron [email protected] Sarah Watson - editor Editor: Sarah Watson [email protected] [email protected] Deputy editor: Stefan Mohamed Meeting the needs of international students is an expanding business for on topics ranging from signposting for older travellers and navigating [email protected] travel and health insurers the world over. With greater numbers of international the information revolution to appealing to the millennial mindset. It’s so Features editor: Mandy Langfield students than ever before, and more students seeking private cover for their insightful to hear your opinions on such topics, so if there’s an issue [email protected] health and belongings during their studies, international student policies are you’d like to address, please do drop us a line at [email protected]. developing apace to ensure tailored cover and assistance at the right price. In the wider realm of ITIJ, we hope you like what we’re doing with our Writer & copy-editor: Lauren Haigh See our feature on p.26 for an analysis of this burgeoning marketplace. brand new video content! If you haven’t seen it yet, check out itij.com/tv. Our other main feature this month looks at the unique travelling habits of Americans. There’s so much more to come, so look out for video round-ups of some Copy writer: Christian Northwood In a land where you can visit deserts, beaches, mountains or major cultural of our key features, clips of what to expect from the latest issue of ITIJ, and Subscriptions: [email protected] cities without crossing an international border, why would you need a passport? top story round-ups, as well as a new-look Industry Insights video format, That’s probably why two-thirds of Americans don’t have one; but although where we hear from our readers on the issues that matter most. Advertising sales: Mike Forster international travel and medical insurance is sought by just a fraction of the US If you want to be kept up to date with all – or even just some – of our James Miller population, meeting their needs is big business, and policies for the American news, select your options and subscribe at itij.com/subscribe. We’ll keep [email protected] travelling public are becoming smarter. Learn more in our feature on p.31. you informed with everything you need know about the industry, the Also in this issue, we have a number of Industry Voice op-ed pieces 2018 ITIJ Awards and the various ITIC events taking place this year. Marketing: Isabel Sturgess Kate Knowles CONTENTS HIGHLIGHTS Finance: Elspeth Reid Alex Rogers Kirstin Reid Design team: Tommy Baker Industry Voice p9 Health Matters p24 Eli Butler C Katie Mitchell Are we doing enough to Emphasising the importance of M Web team: Steve Mundey Y William McClelland accommodate older travellers? healthy business travel CM Avanti discusses signposting New study links extensive travel with poor mental health Video production: Peter Griffiths MY Director of events: Denise Clements CY CMY K Telephone: +44 (0)117 922 6600 editorial desk: extension 3 advertising desk: extension 1 subscriptions desk: extension 247 accounts desk: extension 4 fax: +44 (0)117 929 2023 email: [email protected] web: www.itij.com Company Brief p14 Feature p30 19 Lower Park Row, Bristol BS1 5BN, UK Allianz improves security and Enticing Americans abroad digital o erings How to attract US travellers beyond their own borders WOULD YOU LIKE TO New enhancements to health insurance plans SUBSCRIBE TO ITIJ? www.itij.com/subscribe Industry Voice p19 Published on behalf of: Voyageur Publishing & Events Ltd. The information contained in this publication has been published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its e digital insurer accuracy. Neither the publisher nor Voyageur Publishing & Events Ltd can accept any responsibility for any error or How can the industry navigate the information revolution? misinterpretation. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or other damage caused by reliance on the information contained in this publication, or in the event of bankruptcy or liquidation or cessation of the trade of any company, individual or fi rm mentioned is hereby excluded. The views expressed do not necessarily refl ect those of the publisher. Printed by Pensord Press, South Wales, United Kingdom Copyright © Voyageur Publishing & Events Ltd 2017. Materials in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL & HEALTH INSURANCE JOURNAL Profi le p34 ISSN 2055-1215 Sabine VanderLinden CEO of InsurTech Business at Startupbootcamp InsurTech PEFC/16-33-447 4 60 YEARS OF AIR AMBULANCE & MEDICAL ASSISTANCE LONDON STOCKHOLM DUBAI CHINA ROME BEIJING TOKYO DAKAR CONAKRY DOUALA MADAGASCAR CAPE TOWN JOHANNESBURG AUSTRALIA FROM AFRICA TO THE REST OF THE WORLD 24 Hour Emergency Control Centre Tel: +254 20 6992000 / +254 20 6992299 Mob: +254 (0) 733 639 088 / 722 314 239 Fax: +254 20 344170 Email: emergency@flydoc.org www.flydoc.org EDITOR SIGN. IMAGE ED SIGN. SALES SIGN. 1 SALES SIGN. 2 CONFR. SIGN. PAGE UPDATE NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Deals, deals and more deals Readers reveal top fi ve Editorial however, not entitled to treatment in private these agreements exist, ‘with diff erent travel insurers Blog Spanish hospitals unless that hospital characteristics and for many reasons’.