Retail

Why Work with Generali: 30 Years of Reliability

A service-oriented agency with expert staff, Regency Travel loves what they do—Making Dreams Come True—and they’re getting ready to celebrate their 40th anniversary.

Booking cruises, tours, airfare, lodging and more, Regency specializes in putting all of the details together and helping their clients find affordable trips. Recently, we had the chance to stop by their San Diego office to help answer their latest coverage questions and celebrate our 30-year partnership. Regency has tried other travel insurers, but after three decades of working together use Generali Global Assistance as their preferred provider.

Why? Here’s what Regency Travel had to say during our recent visit:

What do you like about working with us? We’d like to know. Send us your feedback in our partner poll.

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.

A7471905

U.S. Travelers Reduce Budgets, Will Still Spend More Than Their European Counterparts

Generali Global Assistance announces the results of 19th annual Holiday Barometer

SAN DIEGO – June 4, 2019 – Generali Global Assistance (GGA) today announced the results of its 19th annual Holiday Barometer conducted on behalf of its parent company, Europ Assistance, by consumer research firm Ipsos. This year’s barometer found that the number of Americans who indicated that they would be taking vacation this summer held steady at 68 percent equal to the number of respondents in Brazil (68%) and five points higher than the number of European respondents (63%).

There were several interesting differences when it came to responses from Europeans, Americans, and Brazilians this year. US travelers indicated their travel budget for this year reduced by 10 percent to $2,373 (€2,131) while Europeans indicated that their travel budgets increased by 3 percent to € 2,019. The increase was mainly attributable to countries in the Euro Zone (which excludes the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Poland) as budgets increased to €2,099 for that region.  Brazilian travelers also indicated that their budgets decreased by almost 3 percent to R$ 5,058 (€1,138).

“In the 19th annual holiday barometer, we have seen the consolidation of many of the positive trends we have recognized in recent years,” said Chris Carnicelli, CEO of Generali Global Assistance. “While Americans have experienced a 10 percent reduction in their travel budgets, they are still the highest of those surveyed.  As an assistance provider, we look to stay current with travel trends in order to accurately anticipate our customers’ needs. It’s part of our ‘you live we care’ motto that we look to fulfill every day.”

Americans are last in terms of how much vacation time they’ll take this year with respondents indicating 1.4 weeks on average. Interestingly, Brazil led all respondents at 2.2 weeks of vacation while Europe was close behind at an average of 1.8 weeks. Part of the 10 percent reduction in travel budget may have to do with where the majority of Americans plan on taking their vacation this year. While 35 percent haven’t decided on their destination yet, 50 percent of Americans indicated they would be traveling domestically this summer. In terms of destination type, American travelers were pretty closely split between beach (45%) and city (42%) destinations while Europeans (62%) and Brazilians (50%) preferred beach vacations.

One commonality was that budget was the most important factor when making plans to all European, American, and Brazilian travelers. Americans ranked taking part in leisure and cultural activities and the climate as their second and third biggest considerations, respectively. Risk of a personal attack and a terrorist attack rounded out Americans’ four and five spots, while comparatively Brazilians ranked them as their fourth and third biggest concerns. Europeans, on the other hand, ranked risk of terrorism as their fourth largest concern with risk of a personal attack coming in at number six. That said, the number of travelers who indicated they were concerned about terrorism was down across the board with percentages for Europeans, Americans, and Brazilians all dropping by six to seven points from years prior.

Americans are some of the most outdoorsy when it comes to atypical vacation activities with 46 percent indicating they would like to spend their summer vacation camping in the wilderness. That is compared to only 28 percent of Europeans who indicated they would do the same. Interestingly, Polish travelers had the highest number of respondents who indicated they would like to spend their vacation camping in the wilderness (52%). That said, Americans were also the most likely to work on their vacation with just 54 percent indicating they would be disconnecting completely – compared to the United Kingdom (76%), France (71%), Italy (67%), and Brazil (63%). Furthermore, 50 percent of US travelers indicated they would spend 30 minutes to 2 hours on work during their vacation time.

Methodology

The 2019 edition of the Cyber Barometer from Europ Assistance and Ipsos was conducted in 12 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Portugal, Belgium, Poland, and Brazil. In each country, 1,000 consumers aged 18 years and older (aged 16 and up in Brazil) took part in an online questionnaire. The survey was conducted between March and April 2019 and investigated consumer holiday plans and travel preferences.

About Generali Global Assistance

Generali Global Assistance has been a leading provider of travel insurance and other assistance services for more than 25 years.  The Company offers a full suite of innovative, vertically integrated travel insurance and emergency services, identity protection solutions, and beneficiary companion services.  Generali Global Assistance is part of the Europ Assistance Group, the travel insurer and assistance provider of the multinational Generali Group, which for over 185 years has created a presence in 60 countries with over 76,000 employees.  Our success has been built on the foundation of trust that clients have placed in our ability to provide assistance in the most difficult of circumstances.

Media Contact

Jesse Tron
M Group Strategic Communications (for Generali Global Assistance North America)
+1 646-417-8516  

jtron@mgroupsc.com

www.generalitravelinsurance.com/press
Twitter: www.twitter.com/GeneraliTravel
Facebook: www.facebook.com/generalitravelinsurance/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/generalitravel/

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.

A7491905

Sell More Insurance—While Leaving Coverage Discussions to Us

Offering travel insurance can be tough. Insurance isn’t easy for anyone and coverage matters can be complicated. With years of experience, we know a few ways to make the sale a little simpler, while leaving the coverage conversations to us—your travel insurance experts. Follow these three tips, make more commission and help your clients travel satisfied.

1. Assume the sale

Not everyone thinks about purchasing insurance, but the troubles that insurance covers could happen to anyone. When offering coverage, assume your clients are aware of these risks and can travel with more peace of mind if they insure their plans.

Scripting:

“Your total before purchasing travel insurance is $X.”

2. Present the penalties

Clients with non-refundable plans may not be able to afford another vacation if they have to cancel or interrupt their trip unexpectedly. Make your clients aware of this risk. If your clients have a penalty schedule, offer travel insurance after you explain it to them.

Scripting:

“If you have to cancel within X days before your trip, you will be held responsible for $X in cancellation penalties. However, I can add travel insurance to your booking for $X and you’ll receive coverage for trip cancellations and interruptions from covered reasons.”

3. Better safe than sorry

Coverage is detailed and your clients might want to think about it. Travel insurance comes with a free look period for this purpose. Clients can buy coverage when they book and review their plan details within the free look period. If they decide to cancel their coverage during the free look, they’ll receive a full refund of their plan cost, (provided they haven’t traveled or filed a claim). This scenario is preferable to clients opting out at booking and something happening while they’re deciding whether or not to purchase coverage. At that point, it’s too late.

Scripting:

“We highly recommend purchasing insurance while booking today. Sometimes travelers aren’t sure and decide to wait, then something happens before they’re able to purchase coverage and it’s too late. If you buy coverage now, it comes with a free look period and you have the next 10 days to decide if you want to keep it. If you decide to cancel, you’ll receive a full refund of your plan cost, as long as you haven’t traveled or filed a claim.”

If your clients start asking coverage questions, don’t fret, our representatives are happy to help answer them. Encourage your clients to contact our customer service team: 866-999-4018.

Insurance aside—what are some of your tried and true tips for making the most out of your wave season bookings? Send them to us, we’ll be sharing your suggestions on social media in the coming weeks.

Send My Suggestion

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.

A7071901

Generali Global Assistance Releases 2018 Recap For Travel and Insurance Trends

The average cost of a trip increased by 5%, while premiums held steady

Generali Global Assistance’s Travel Insurance division (“the Company), has released its findings on travel and insurance trends – compiled from the Company’s proprietary data on insured travel – from the 2018 season.

For the year, the average cost of a trip that travelers insured was $1,976.83 – a slight increase of 5 percent compared to 2017. The average premium remained the same as 2017 at $139 per trip. The average number of people on each plan also got a slight bump up to 1.80 in 2018 from 1.75 the year prior. The average length of a trip has held steady at 9 days for three years running. The average number of days between the purchase of a trip and departure rose to a high of 90 days compared to an average of 81 days in 2017.

Commenting on today’s news, Chris Carnicelli, CEO, Generali Global Assistance said “Natural disasters continued to dominate headlines in 2018, disrupting travel on a global scale. As these types of events proliferate, consumers will continue to look for ways to help protect their valuable travel investments.”

The vacation rental space also saw slight increases from last year, but with a large portion of vacation renters being repeat customers many of the other metrics remained the same as the years prior. In 2018, the average trip cost for vacation home rentals was $1,878 an increase of 1.4 percent from the year prior and 5.6 percent increase over 2016. Meanwhile, average premium cost increased by 1.5 percent, up to $80.16. The average duration remained at 6 days, the same as the three years prior – the average number of days between the purchase of a trip and departure increased to 90 days.

In 2018, insured cruise trips increased by 1,211% compared to 2017, while insured air travel trips rose by 43%. Interestingly there was some movement in the top five travel destinations with the U.S. and Europe swapping spots and Alaska beating out Mexico for a spot in the top five. Rounding out the list we have Italy and Bermuda bumping Canada and Australia out of the top ten and Hawaii moves up a spot to number nine on the list.

“The significant rise in both insured cruise and air travel is encouraging as it is an indication that consumers are gaining a fuller understanding of the need to insure their trips. We will continue to work diligently to educate consumers to not only explain the benefits of travel insurance, but how it works. There are still misconceptions about travel insurance in general and through greater transparency we are striving to clear those up,” Carnicelli added.

Top ten most booked destinations by travelers (compiled from the Generali Global Assistance’s proprietary data on insured travel) were:

2017 2018
Caribbean Caribbean
Europe U.S.
U.S. Europe
Bahamas Bahamas
Mexico Alaska
Asia Mexico
Alaska Asia
Canada Italy
South America Hawaii
Australia Bermuda

About Generali Global Assistance
Generali Global Assistance, formerly Europ Assistance USA, has been a leading provider of travel insurance and other assistance services for more than 25 years. The Company offers a full suite of innovative, vertically integrated travel insurance and emergency services, identity protection solutions, and beneficiary companion services. Generali Global Assistance is part of the multinational Generali Group, which for over 185 years has created a presence in 60 countries with over 76,000 employees. Our success has been built on the foundation of trust that clients have placed in our ability to provide assistance in the most difficult of circumstances.

Generali Global Assistance offers travel insurance through vacation rental and property management companies, leading travel agencies, online travel agencies, other travel suppliers and directly to consumers. For more information on Generali Global Assistance and the policies offered for travelers, please visit: www.generalitravelinsurance.com.

Media Contact
Jesse Tron
M Group Strategic Communications (for Generali Global Assistance North America)
+1 212 266 0192
jtron@mgroupsc.com

www.generalitravelinsurance.com/press
Twitter: www.twitter.com/GeneraliTravel
Facebook: www.facebook.com/generalitravelinsurance/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/generalitravel/

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.

A7031901