CSA Travel Protection Invests in Sales Organization

New Sales Leadership Reinforces Company’s Commitment to Clients

CSA Travel Protection, dedicated for more than 20 years to providing travel insurance and emergency assistance services, announced today new leadership and expansion of its sales organization.

With CSA Travel Protection since 2000, Henrik Romberg is the new head of sales and product development. Most recently he was VP of corporate strategy and now reports directly to Chris Carnicelli, CEO, Generali Global Assistance North America.

“Romberg is uniquely suited to lead the sales organization given the breadth of his experience in product development, business excellence and compliance. I’m excited to work with him in his new role,” Carnicelli says. “This investment in the company’s sales division reflects the importance that we put on client satisfaction.”

Expanding the sales team, Al Contrera comes to CSA Travel Protection as the sales manager for custom retail. Rhonda Abedsalam is the new national account manager for the western region in the vacation rental business. They bring extensive knowledge and experience in the travel insurance and financial industries.

Contrera has been in sales management for the past 15 years of his 23-year career. Previously, Contrera was the vice president of CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc. He was responsible for overseeing product distribution, training, advisor recruiting and advisor sales. He’s also worked in the sales leadership capacity at Smith Barney, Citibank and Edward Jones.

Abedsalam has 13 years of experience in the travel insurance and insurance industries. Prior to CSA Travel Protection, she held sales leadership positions at Allstate and GEICO.

About CSA Travel Protection

CSA Travel Protection, a Generali Global Assistance company, is dedicated to providing affordable travel insurance and emergency assistance services to protect travelers’ valuable investments and provide the peace of mind one deserves while traveling. For 20 years CSA has developed a reputation for standing behind its customers and by offering products and services to meet their needs. Through superior customer service, extensive experience and industry-leading innovation, CSA is with its clients every step of the way, whenever and wherever they are needed.

Insurance is underwritten by Generali US Branch, New York, New York; NAIC #11231. Generali US Branch operates under the following names: In California: Generali Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A. (U.S. Branch) In Virginia: The General Insurance Company of Trieste and Venice - U.S. Branch.

2016 Hurricane Season Forecast and Travel Insurance

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Forecasters predict the Atlantic hurricane season, which spans from June to November, will be the strongest in over 4 years, with hot spots along the U.S. East Coast, Florida and the Gulf Coast.

Though it’s rare that vacation plans are affected by such an event, it’s always good to prepare your customers if they are traveling to a hurricane-prone area. Even still, it’s a good idea to help ensure your customers are protected this season so they can be reimbursed for their trip costs in case they need to cancel their vacations for a covered reason.

Our travel insurance plans provide coverage for a number of weather-related events your customers might encounter during hurricane season, such as mandatory hurricane evacuations, flight delays and/or cancellations, and the traveler’s personal home being made uninhabitable by hurricane or natural disaster.

Keep in mind: Once a hurricane is forecasted or it becomes evident that a storm will impact travel to your customer’s destination, the event is considered foreseeable. This means the insurance plan can no longer be purchased to cover losses that your clients might suffer from that specific storm. For this reason, it could benefit your customers to purchase travel insurance sooner rather than later.

What the forecasters are saying

  • “The 2016 and 2017 Atlantic hurricane seasons will be the strongest in over four years, and have the most United States hurricane landfalls since 11 were experienced during the destructive seasons of 2004 and 2005,” according to Global Weather Oscillations.
  • Probability that at least one major hurricane will make landfall:
    • Along entire U.S. coastline- 50%
    • U.S. East Coast Including Florida- 30%
    • Gulf Coast- 29%
  • NOAA predicts a 70 percent likelihood of 10 to 16 named storms, of which 4 to 8 could become hurricanes, including 1 to 4 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher).
  • Want to know what the probability is that a hurricane or named storm will make landfall in your county this season? Check out the United States Landfalling Hurricane Probability Project.

Travel insurance plans are administered by Customized Services Administrators, Inc., CA Lic. No. 821931, located in San Diego, CA and doing business as Generali Global Assistance and Insurance Services. Plans are available to residents of the U.S. but may not be available in all jurisdictions. Benefits and services are described on a general basis; certain conditions and exclusions apply. Travel Retailers may not be licensed to sell insurance, in all states, and are not authorized to answer technical questions about the benefits, exclusions, and conditions of this insurance and cannot evaluate the adequacy of your existing insurance. This plan provides insurance coverage for your trip that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. The purchase of this plan is not required in order to purchase any other travel product or service offered to you by your travel retailers. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker. This notice provides general information on Generali Global Assistance’s products and services only. The information contained herein is not part of an insurance policy and may not be used to modify any insurance policy that might be issued. In the event the actual policy forms are inconsistent with any information provided herein, the language of the policy forms shall govern.

Travel insurance plans are underwritten by: Generali U.S. Branch, New York, NY; NAIC # 11231. Generali US Branch operates under the following names: Generali Assicurazioni Generali S.P.A. (U.S. Branch) in California, Assicurazioni Generali – U.S. Branch in Colorado, Generali U.S. Branch DBA The General Insurance Company of Trieste & Venice in Oregon, and The General Insurance Company of Trieste and Venice – U.S. Branch in Virginia. Generali US Branch is admitted or licensed to do business in all states and the District of Columbia.

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38% of American Travelers Interested in Staying at a Vacation Rental This Summer

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A majority of Americans are planning a vacation this summer, but did you know that 38% are interested in staying at a vacation rental? Or how many travelers consider issues like the Zika Virus when choosing a destination? Those are just some of the questions answered in a recent survey about summer travel habits, recently released by our 24-Hour Emergency Assistance provider, Generali Global Assistance.

See if these statistics about summer travel plans match what you’re seeing in your business. You may even notice an insightful travel trend you hadn’t seen before!

  • 61% of Americans intend to go on a trip this summer, for one week (39%) or two (26%).
  • The average budget is $1,771. Less than half of Americans consider summer trips to be a category in which they want to cut costs, slightly for 25% or even significantly for 17% of them. However, their intended budget plays a major role in their choice of destination (55%). Opportunities for leisure or cultural activities also play an essential role (52%).
  • 27% of Americans consider health risks to be an essential factor in the choice of destination.

  • When they think of their ideal vacation, they want to get together as a family, with their spouse or with friends (30%), as well as rest and find peace of mind (21%).
  • The seaside (44%) and the city (43%) are the favorite destinations for their summer trips.
  • As far as their practices are concerned, the preferred way for Americans to book accommodations is by computer (77%), mainly for the convenience (37%) and also because they usually book this way (21%).
  • While 55% intend to book a hotel, 35% would choose to stay for free with friends or family, or at their vacation home.
  • They show interest in renting an entire private home (38%) and in renting a room or shared space (20%).
  • 35% of Americans would not completely switch off from work during their vacation. Half of them would spend between 30 min and 2 hours per week on it.

Read more about the survey findings

Learn more about partnering with CSA

Note: Conducted by Ipsos at the request of Generali Global Assistance on a sample of 3,000 Europeans (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Belgian and Austrian), the aim of this reference survey — carried out by telephone and published for the 16th year running — is to offer an annual estimate of the vacation plans of the citizens of the countries in question, in addition to their motivations, destinations and preferred types of trips. The 2016 survey was also carried out in the United States and Brazil with a view to comparing practices (samples of 750 individuals surveyed online in each country).

Travel insurance plans are administered by Customized Services Administrators, Inc., CA Lic. No. 0821931, located in San Diego, CA and doing business as CSA Travel Protection and Insurance Services.  Plans are available to residents of the U.S. but may not be available in all jurisdictions.  Benefits and services are described on a general basis; certain conditions and exclusions apply.

Travel insurance plans are underwritten by: Generali U.S. Branch, New York, NY; NAIC # 11231. Generali US Branch operates under the following names: Generali Assicurazioni Generali S.P.A. (U.S. Branch) in California, Assicurazioni Generali – U.S. Branch in Colorado, Generali U.S. Branch DBA The General Insurance Company of Trieste & Venice in Oregon, and The General Insurance Company of Trieste and Venice – U.S. Branch in Virginia. Generali US Branch is admitted or licensed to do business in all states and the District of Columbia.

Average American Traveler to Spend $1,771 on Summer Vacation

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A majority of Americans are planning a vacation this summer, but did you know that their favorite foreign destination is Mexico? Or how many travelers consider issues like the Zika Virus when choosing a destination? Those are just some of the questions answered in a recent survey about summer travel habits, recently released by our 24-Hour Emergency Assistance provider, Generali Global Assistance.

See if these statistics about summer travel plans match what you’re seeing in your business. You may even notice an insightful travel trend you hadn’t seen before!

  • 61% of Americans intend to go on a trip this summer, for one week (39%) or two (26%).
  • The average budget is $1,771. Less than half of Americans consider summer trips to be a category in which they want to cut costs, slightly for 25% or even significantly for 17% of them. However, their intended budget plays a major role in their choice of destination (55%). Opportunities for leisure or cultural activities also play an essential role (52%).
  • 27% of Americans consider health risks to be an essential factor in the choice of destination.

  • When they think of their ideal vacation, they want to get together as a family, with their spouse or with friends (30%), as well as rest and find peace of mind (21%).
  • The seaside (44%) and the city (43%) are the favorite destinations for their summer trips.
  • As far as their practices are concerned, the preferred way for Americans to book accommodations is by computer (77%), mainly for the convenience (37%) and also because they usually book this way (21%).
  • While 55% intend to book a hotel, 35% would choose to stay for free with friends or family, or at their vacation home.
  • They show interest in renting an entire private home (38%) and in renting a room or shared space (20%).
  • 35% of Americans would not completely switch off from work during their vacation. Half of them would spend between 30 min and 2 hours per week on it.

Read more about the survey findings

Sign up to sell CSA's travel insurance plans

Note: Conducted by Ipsos at the request of Generali Global Assistance on a sample of 3,000 Europeans (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Belgian and Austrian), the aim of this reference survey — carried out by telephone and published for the 16th year running — is to offer an annual estimate of the vacation plans of the citizens of the countries in question, in addition to their motivations, destinations and preferred types of trips. The 2016 survey was also carried out in the United States and Brazil with a view to comparing practices (samples of 750 individuals surveyed online in each country).

Travel insurance plans are administered by Customized Services Administrators, Inc., CA Lic. No. 0821931, located in San Diego, CA and doing business as CSA Travel Protection and Insurance Services.  Plans are available to residents of the U.S. but may not be available in all jurisdictions.  Benefits and services are described on a general basis; certain conditions and exclusions apply.

Travel insurance plans are underwritten by: Generali U.S. Branch, New York, NY; NAIC # 11231. Generali US Branch operates under the following names: Generali Assicurazioni Generali S.P.A. (U.S. Branch) in California, Assicurazioni Generali – U.S. Branch in Colorado, Generali U.S. Branch DBA The General Insurance Company of Trieste & Venice in Oregon, and The General Insurance Company of Trieste and Venice – U.S. Branch in Virginia. Generali US Branch is admitted or licensed to do business in all states and the District of Columbia.