NEW YORK -- Travel insurer Access America introduced a new product,
the Navigator, that it said is the industry's first to include
concierge services and to provide trip cancellation coverage for a
number of business reasons. Designed to meet the needs of the
luxury traveler, it also provides higher coverage levels than are
typical.
The concierge feature enables customers to obtain destination
information, get help selecting a restaurant in an unfamiliar city,
obtain hard-to-get event tickets and reserve golf tee times.
The insurer said it was responding to the changeable economic
climate and the lifestyles of luxury travelers when it introduced
new coverage for a number of business reasons for canceling or
interrupting a trip, including job loss (after one year's
employment); merger or acquisition of the company at which the
client is employed; or fire, flood, burglary, vandalism or natural
disaster that have made the client's place of employment unsuitable
for business.
Access America also said it aimed to enable agents --
particularly those with an upscale business -- to address or
develop a market for travel insurance among those who need high
coverages and who will find concierge services most appealing.
Navigator is available in three versions -- Comprehensive,
Standard or Basic -- but all three include Access America's 24-hour
in-house Hotline Assistance, as well as the concierge services.
The Standard plan is designed for business travelers, people on
frequent flyer tickets or anyone who does not need coverage against
trip cancellation. The Basic plan is right for those who want
coverage against trip cancellation, interruption or delay for a
quick weekend getaway.
Meanwhile, Access America said it redesigned its Web site, www.accessamerica.com, to allow customers for the
first time to buy their insurance on line and identify their
agency, which ensures the agency will earn its commission.
Beth Godlin, Access America's senior vice president of
marketing, said, "This Web site was designed with travel agents in
mind." The travel insurer said the redesigned site helps agents
work more efficiently by providing for paperless sales.
In a couple of other firsts, Access America has made its site
available for linkage to the Web site of any agency wishing to sell
its products, and the site now can be used to order brochures, ask
questions, obtain claim forms, file a notice of claim, download
selling tools and request training sessions. In addition, agents
can print out a travel protection waiver to use with clients who
decline travel insurance.