As of February 1 and as part of a global brand transition, assistance and specialty insurance provider Mondial Assistance Canada is named Allianz Global Assistance.

Mondial Assistance Canada is a subsidiary of Allianz Global Assistance, an international leader in assistance and insurance services with operation centres in 28 countries, which in turn has been part of the Allianz Group for more than ten years.

According to Canadian CEO Scott McKellar, this rebranding will bring both enhanced brand recognition and business opportunities.

“Our company in Canada has been supporting Canadian travelers with value-added assistance services for over 24 years. We became a member of the Allianz Group 10 years ago, and have grown considerably as a result; this growth has positioned us as a true single source for specialty insurance and assistance products to the Canadian market,”Mr. McKellar said.

“We’re now excited to adopt the Allianz Global Assistance name in Canada as we continue to enrich, and care for, the brands of our partners. Taking on this globally recognized brand will exemplify strength and stability and provide our client with a sense of security, as they will be accompanied by one of the world’s leading insurance companies.”

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The 46^th Super Bowl kicks off this Sunday from Indianapolis, and whether you are a football fan or not, you might find some of these facts about the big game intriguing:

Fact 1: Eighty percent of all Super Bowl tickets sold go to corporate sponsors of the NFL and of the Super Bowl.

Fact 2: The first two Super Bowls were not actually called “Super Bowl.” The first two went by the title of “AFL-NFL World Championship Game.” The term “Super Bowl,” was not used until the third game, between the New York Jets and the Baltimore Colts.

Fact 3: One out of every 12 people watching the game only does so to see the commercials.

Fact 4: A ticket for Super Bowl I cost ten dollars.

Fact 5: The Super Bowl is not good for worker productivity. On the Monday following the Super Bowl, an average of six percent of the workforce calls in sick.

Fact 6: While it might be bad for productivity, the Super Bowl is good for one thing: the antacid business. Typically, antacid sales increase 20 percent the day after the game.

Fact 7: Only three people have won a Super Bowl both as a player and a coach: (Mike Ditka, Tom Flores and Tony Dungy)

Fact 8: The longest winning “streak” in the Super Bowl is two games. No team has ever pulled off the three-peat. The following teams have two consecutive wins:  Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and New England Patriots, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh is the only team to have won two consecutive Super Bowls twice (the ’74 & ’75 seasons and the ’78 &’79 seasons).

Fact 9: In America, Super Bowl Sunday is second in food consumption behind only Thanksgiving Day. How much food is gobbled down? How about an estimated 14,500 tons of chips, 4,000 tons of popcorn and 8 million pounds of guacamole!

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The capsizing of the Costa Concordia could not have come at a worse time for the cruise industry – right at the start of the peak booking season.

Even if passengers aren’t scared away, the accident will cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

It’s too early to tell exactly how much insurance firms will have to pay out to cover the damage to the ship and loss of life, but analysts have estimated that claims could total at least $500 million. One went as far as to say the total bill for insurers could reach $1 billion

“We would be surprised if any single player had more than 5%-10% of the risk,” Numis analyst Nicholas Johnson wrote in a note. He said the risk is similar to that of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, where no one company had more than 2 per cent of the total insurance liability.

Costa’s parent company, Miami-based Carnival Corp., which operates 101 ships under several brands including Carnival, Cunard, Holland America, Princess and Seabourn, did not respond to requests for an interview about its insurance coverage. But the company is responsible for at least $40 million in insurance deductibles.

At least 11 people died in the accident with nearly two dozen others still missing. .

The capsizing of the Concordia in the waters off Italy comes at the start of a three-month period that is the busiest time of year for bookings, known in the industry as wave season. Sales now set the tone for the rest of the year, which could be affected if passengers are frightened off by the chilling images of the stricken vessel

Although the industry has been slowly recovering from the Great Recession, this incident could further damage bookings.

“The publicity is just going to kill them,” said Blake Fleetwood, president of Cook Travel. “They’ll stay quiet for a week or two. Then Carnival will have a blitz of sales. So for the consumer, it’s going to be a great time to buy a cruise.”

Other cruise lines will follow, slashing prices, Fleetwood said.

“The baby boomer crowd, which the cruise lines are counting on to fill their cabins, is going to be especially spooked by this incident,” he added.

But some experts doubt the tragedy, which was extremely rare, will scare off travellers.

Stewart Chiron, CEO of CruiseGuy.com, a cruise marketing company, thinks the only group turned off by the accident would be first-time cruisers who were already on the fence about booking. Roughly 19 million people took a cruise last year he said without incident.

“People understand that this is an accident,” Chiron said. “I don’t think there will even be a hiccup.”

Gauging cruise demand is tricky. Unlike airplane tickets or hotel rooms which are mostly booked online by vacationers themselves, a large bulk of cruises are sold through travel agents who are paid a commission for each stateroom sold. Tour companies also book large blocks of rooms in advance from the lines and then resell them at a profit. The industry is so fragmented that most booking tare just anecdotal.

Chiron notes that the only real way to judge demand is to see if cruise lines slash prices.

“In a week or two if we are seeing $299 Caribbean cruises, then we’ve got a problem,” he said. An eight-day Carnival cruise in March currently starts at $599.

For the insurance companies, it is also too early to tell the extent of their liability. A lot depends on if the ship can be repaired or not.

Carnival has two different types of insurance policies that would cover the $500 million to $1 billion in claims from the Concordia.

HULL INSURANCE:

This insurance covers damage to the ship. Carnival is responsible for the first $30 million in damage. The rest is covered by a network of insurers led by XL Group, an Irish insurer with executive offices in Bermuda. A company spokeswoman refused to comment.

German insurer Allianz Global said it has a “minor stake” in the Concordia claims. A third firm, London-based RSA Insurance Group is liable for up to $15 million, according to an industry source. Other yet unnamed companies also will have to pay out claims.

Chicago-based Aon Corp. brokered the hull insurance deal but a company spokeswoman refused to comment.

“The amount of this hull claim will heavily depend on whether the ship can be salvaged and repaired or whether, in the worst case, the wreck will have to be disassembled on site,” Allianz said on its website.

LIABILITY INSURANCE:

The second type of insurance coverage purchased by Carnival is for personal injury liability. The company said in a statement Monday that it has a $10 million deductible on that policy. That coverage would include any payments related to injuries and deaths of passengers and crew, the cost to clean up any leaking oil and the loss of cargo.

Claims would be paid out even if the ship’s captain is found to be negligent. The cruise company has said that Capt. Francesco Schettino deviated from his approved course. Later, an Italian coast guard officer ordered Schettino back on the ship to assist in the rescue.

Cruise lines and shipping companies join together in groups, known as protection and indemnity clubs, to spread out their individual risk. Each member of the club pays in dues and then claims are paid out from the collective funds.

Carnival insured the Concordia through two clubs. The first, which has the bulk of the liability, is the Standard Club, according to a spokesman for the group. The second is through a club called Steamship Mutual. After Carnival pays its $10 million deductive, these two clubs are responsible for the next $8 million in combined liability claims.

The next $52 million in claims would be paid out by a larger collective called the International Group P&I Clubs, which represents 13 of the clubs, which insure more than 90 per cent of the world’s ocean shipping.

After that, there is a reinsurance policy taken out with large firms that would cover losses up to $3 billion, according to the Standard Club. Reinsurance companies protect insurance firms against catastrophic losses. Carnival did not take out insurance for loss of use of the ship. The company said it expects lose $85 million to $95 million in bookings.

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In its latest list of best employers in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Aon Hewitt Human Resources included a number of insurance and financial services companies, including TIC Travel Insurance Coordinators Ltd. This is the third consecutive year travel insurer TIC, ranked 19^th for 2012 (50 – 399 employees), has been included in the list.

“Our employees make the difference in how we meet travelers’ needs, so we strive to provide them with a well-rounded employee experience,” said TIC President David Hartman in a statement. “Our environment is engaging and dynamic, which helps ensure they have an enjoyable and positive workplace where they can grow professionally and personally while contributing to our business success.”

TIC employees also have the opportunity to share in common values by participating in volunteer, wellness, sustainability and other committees. The company supports employee community involvement in several ways, including providing two paid volunteer days annually, donating to their charity of choice, and sponsoring participation in international development projects with Leave for Change.

“Our focus on people is reflected in and outside of our organization. We care about travel insurance, and our employees have a lot to do with conveying that to everyone we serve. We couldn’t have been named a 50 Best GTA Employer without their help so to them, we say thank you.”

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Canadian snowbirds who eschew the cold, northern winters in favour of a warmer few months have one more option for travel insurance.

PC Financial has expanded its Travel Insurance To Go for active seniors. The policy provides up to $1 million dollars in emergency medical travel coverage for seniors aged 60 to 74 (no coverage for pre-existing medical conditions not controlled for at least 180 days prior to departure). For less than $100, this includes single person coverage for up to eight days, when travelling to out-of-province and worldwide destinations. (No coverage for destinations to which a Canadian Foreign Affairs travel advisory applies.)

Launched earlier this year for families (two adults and up to four children under 18) and individuals under 60, PC Financial Travel Insurance To Go was the first in Canada to offer travelers the opportunity to buy emergency medical travel insurance in a retail setting.

You might also be interested in: Top three insurance claims for snowbirds 

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A flight on Virgin Galagtic’s WhiteKnightTwo or SpaceShipTwo spacecraft takes travelers into sub-orbit – and costs $200,000, including a $20,000 deposit. Already, over 450 civilians have left their deposits and are planning to become some of the first space tourists.

Until 2004, no privately-operated manned spaceflight had occurred. Now, with Virgin Galactic, owned by Richard Branson, and other personal spaceflight companies like Xcor and SpaceLinq emerging, space tourism and commercial space flight is in demand.

Travel insurer Allianz Global Assistance has recognized the need for space cover. Pairing with the International Space Transport Association (ISTA), the company has created a space travel policy.

Allianz Global Assistance said its cover will help travellers before, during and after their space flight to ensure that their unique galactic experience, as well as the experience of their families back on Earth, will be as safe, serene and comfortable as possible. With the first commercial flights being scheduled for October 2012, the next few months Allianz Global Assistance will start contacting space lines, travel agents, space travellers, and consumer organizations.

“We currently provide yearly insurance coverage to more than 30 million people worldwide”, comments Erick Morazin, Director of Global Accounts, Allianz Global Assistance. “At Allianz Global Assistance, we are looking into space tourism as a new market for the next generation of travellers. Our partnership with the International Space Transport Association (ISTA) demonstrates our support and interest in the Space Travel industry.”

Allianz Global Assistance is currently co-developing a full range of travel insurance with ISTA for space tourists, space scientists and space lines, such as Virgin Galactic, Xcor and SpaceLinq, and medical assistance solutions, as well as expert advice and personal services for space travellers.

“Space is decidedly our new frontier and we are now ready to take this giant leap forward to ensure peace of mind and well-being of all our future space-travelling customers,” said Morazin.

Taras Ploshchansky, Director Legal Affairs of ISTA Headquarters in The Hague, continued: “Our aim is to meet the needs of this new industry in terms of worldwide representation, guidance and support. Taking passengers, cargo and payload into space will require establishing and implementing new laws and regulations, as well as research, marketing and communication practices.”

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Desjardins Travel Insurance customers can now use their Apple mobile devices to receive travel guidance and support throughout their trip with a new mobile feature from Desjardins Financial Security, a subsidiary of Desjardins Group.

“We have 25 years of experience in this constantly-changing field, and initiatives like this new travel assistance service have helped us, over the years, secure a prime position among travel insurers. We are constantly looking to innovate in order to offer our customers a unique experience. That is how we have developed a strong relationship with travelers,” says Linda Fiset, Vice-President, Creditor and Direct Insurance, Desjardins Group.

Accessible through the Desjardins mobile services application, travelers can get receive emergency travel assistance number and important information for a variety of unplanned events. Customers also have access to the number to call to extend their insurance as well as useful travel tips.

Members and customers enjoy many other mobile features, such as the ability to make inter-currency transfers or even transfers to Desjardins Securities accounts, and pay municipal taxes, income tax or driver’s license bills. They also have access to a history of their transactions for the last 31 days.

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As the days continue to get shorter and shorter and the temperature starts to drop, some Canadians are preparing to say “goodbye” to Canada – at least temporarily – for the snowbird lifestyle in warmer climates.

Some Canadians head south and take up residence in popular “snowbird” locales including Arizona, Florida and parts of Mexico, but for many, incurring a medical issue can be a costly end to their lifestyle.

Insurer RSA says health-related issues are the most common insurance claims for snowbirds, most notably claims related to:

1. Pneumonia
2. Heart conditions
3. Gastro-intestinal conditions

“With an aging baby boomer population and medical advancements and treatments, we are seeing people experiencing more serious health conditions when travelling than we have in the past and medical treatments outside of Canada can be extremely costly,” said Erin Finn, Director of Underwriting for RSA Travel. “We love that snowbirds are able to enjoy their winters by travelling to warmer destinations but making sure they have proper travel and medical insurance coverage before they leave will provide them with peace of mind while they are away.”

RSA offers the following tips for snowbirds and other travelers:

• Read and ensure you understand your travel insurance coverage before you leave on your trip
• Speak with your broker or agent to ensure you have the proper coverage you require
• Check with your doctor to ensure you’re healthy enough to travel
• Ensure that you have properly filled out your medical questionnaire
• Keep in mind that when traveling outside Canada, you may be expected to pay medical providers up front

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Gander International Airport in Newfoundland was once a cosmopolitan crossroads where transatlantic flights carrying everyone from world leaders to Humphrey Bogart touched down to refuel.

Its modernist lounge with geometric flooring and sleek furniture is a trip back to 1959, when the Queen opened it as an avant-garde ode to the glamour of air travel.

But Gander’s global prominence faded when jumbo jets started criss-crossing the Atlantic non-stop. Traffic at the sprawling airfield – a former Second World War staging point – dwindled to cargo planes, military flights, emergency landings and the odd private jet.

Then 9-11 hit.

As terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, closed American air space, 38 passenger planes heading west over the Atlantic with more than 6,500 passengers and crew were diverted to Gander.

Almost 10 years after those stranded people arrived in the international lounge, bone weary and shaken, many are planning to return. Some of them say it was the best detour of their lives, a safe harbour of welcome and warmth amid chaos and shock.

“I’m just going back to tell everybody there: Thank you,” said Monica Burke. The police dispatcher and 911 operator was on her way home to Seattle from Dublin when her flight suddenly headed for Newfoundland, a place she had never seen or planned to visit.

“Everybody in the town put their lives on hold so they could take care of us,” she said of Gander. “We just descended from the sky and landed on their doorsteps.”

Striking school bus drivers laid down their picket signs to drive the unexpected guests around. Pharmacists filled prescriptions for free. Shop owners declined payment. The arena at the Gander Community Centre became a giant walk-in fridge for food donations.

“If you think of the logistics involved, it’s pretty spectacular what they were able to put together,” Burke said of the town – population 10,000 – and nearby communities like Gambo, Lewisporte, Appleton and Norris Arm.

It was about 12 hours on the Gander tarmac before Burke cleared heightened security and was bused, with no access to her checked-in luggage, to the local Royal Canadian Legion where she saw on TV what had happened that day.

“I remember my work supervisor saying: ‘Where are you?’ and I said: ‘Somewhere in Canada.’

“At some point I broke down crying because finally everything hit me. I didn’t know where I was, I didn’t know when I was getting home, all this stuff had happened to my country and I was stranded.”

That’s when Gander volunteer Beulah Cooper, who’s as quick with a joke as she is to lend a hand, stepped in.

Burke and two other women stayed at the Cooper home, while about a dozen other passengers who were camped out in schools and community halls came over for showers.

Of all the people she helped during those five non-stop days, Cooper’s heart especially went out to Hannah and Dennis O’Rourke. They had also arrived from Dublin and were desperately awaiting news of their son, Kevin, a 44-year-old New York City firefighter.

“We drove around town a bit and we talked about the duties of a firefighter, as my son was a firefighter at the time,” Cooper said after flipping through albums of photos and thank-you cards.

“But I also realize that Gander’s not New York.”

Dennis O’Rourke says he will always be grateful for how the people of Gander helped him and his wife cope.

“They were just unbelievable the way they treated us up there,” he said from his home in New York. “They fed us, and put us up and if we needed anything, they’d get it for you.

“It reminded me of years ago when I was a kid. You didn’t lock your houses or anything like that. I was just amazed. It was like going back in time.”

Several days after the O’Rourkes returned to New York, their son was found in the rubble of the World Trade Center. He had been trying to rescue people trapped in the north tower.

Gary Tuff was acting manager of safety and security for emergency response services at the Gander airport on 9-11. Officials kept an eye on the burning twin towers on a TV in the emergency control centre, he said.

“Shortly after the buildings collapsed, you could hear all the man-down alarms from the firefighters going off like birds chirping in the background. It sent an eerie thought through us in the firefighting service that know what that will have meant there. Heavy, heavy casualties.”

Air traffic controllers used an aircraft divergence plan from Y2K – the response to computer chaos anticipated on New Year’s Eve 1999 – to smoothly land and park the influx of jets.

Const. Oz Fudge, a Gander police officer, remembers being called to the airport as about 1,000 spectators gathered to watch the big planes coming in.

“There was one after another,” he said. “I’m looking at this and I’m saying: ‘Oh my God. Each one of those planes must have anywhere from 200 to 300 people on-board.’

“I think reality really kicked in at that point.”

Humans weren’t the only passengers that needed care. Bonnie Harris, manager of the Gander animal shelter, worked flat out with staff and volunteers tending to nine dogs and 10 cats, including an epileptic feline, and a cocker spaniel puppy named Ralph who would go on to become an American show champion.

Two rare Bonobo monkeys en route to a zoo in Ohio had their own handler.

Harris and two other women initially crawled through piles of luggage to reach pets held deep in the cargo holds of the planes. Some animals had gone about two days without food or water, she said.

They were moved into an airline holding area where they could be fed and exercised.

Harris’s only regret is that in the mad pace of those days, she forgot to pin notes to the kennels asking owners to let her know their pets arrived safely. Most of the dogs and cats had apparently been shipped on their own, or their owners were on flights diverted elsewhere.

“It would have been nice to have a picture of them with their family,” Harris said.

Like many Gander and area residents, Fudge is bemused if not embarrassed by international reaction to the region’s outpouring of kindness.

“I mean, Newfoundland and Labrador, up through the years, we’ve never had a lot. What we’ve had, we’ve always shared. And I think that’s just the way in which we were brought up.

“When we saw what was happening, we just said: ‘Well, we’ve got to help.’”

Fudge is especially touched that Gander is to receive at least one section of World Trade Center steel, a gift of thanks from the Bethpage Fire Department on Long Island, N.Y.

Gander Mayor Claude Elliott said the steel will be part of a 9-11 memorial at the local North Atlantic Aviation Museum. Several stranded passengers, Canadian and American dignitaries, and international media are also expected to mark the 10th anniversary at a memorial service on Sept. 11, he said.

It will be a tribute to those who died, and to those who helped the living.

“As the passengers were leaving … many people said that they had lost all faith in mankind,” Elliott recalled. “But they said: ‘After five days here in Gander, you’ve restored that faith in me.’ And I think if there’s one legacy that we’ll be known for, it’s that there are still good people left in the world.”

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While the memories of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States are still in the minds of many Americans, they’re not planning on changing their travel plans.

A recent survey from the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies found that 84 percent of Americans would not refrain from traveling for business on September 11, 2011, the 10-year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack. Fewer than one in five of Americans are fearful of flying on September 11, 2011, while only 16 percent are fearful about flying on an airplane on a national holiday.

In other survey findings regarding the 9/11 anniversary:

• Nearly one-third of respondents would be concerned about being near a nuclear power plant on September 11;
• 22% would avoid a chemical plant;
• 18% would avoid entering a sports stadium or entertainment venue with a large crowd of people;
• 16% would be concerned about being near an oil refinery;
• 13% would be concerned about being near a military base;
• 14% would not take a cruise;
• 11% would not take a train; and
• 9% would avoid taking a ferry.

When it comes to hotel stays, Americans have been less affected by the attacks: 43 percent ranked cleanliness over security (11 percent) as the most important factor in selecting a hotel. Price and location were top factors for 23% and 19% of respondents, respectively.

“Travelers should take safety precautions more seriously, and travel security should be higher on their checklist than cleanliness,” said Jim Villa, a senior vice president and North American manager for Chubb’s Accident & Health business. “It seems that more people are concerned about housekeeping than security.”

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View the video here on your mobile device.

Narrator: A nation hard at work….turning the 2012 London Olympic dream into reality. There’s a buzz of activity and a growing sense of anticipation – not just at the Olympic venues – but across all walks of life in London and the United Kingdom…

With everyone preparing for a huge influx of visitors into London and the other towns and cities that will host Olympic events. London’s Public Transport System is being transformed with 10 rail lines serving the Olympic Park from all points of the compass. A train will pull into one of the three main stations every 15 seconds. And all of this will leave a legacy for Londoners and future visitors long after the Games have come and gone.

 Boris Johnson – Mayor of London: You are seeing overwhelming public support still for the Olympic Games and people recognise that there is a real legacy value such as what you can see around us, but also it’s going to be the greatest party on earth.

 Narrator:  Tens of thousands of visitors are expected in London during the Olympics and they all need somewhere to stay. New hotels are already opening, with the city heading for a Games target of 120,000 rooms across all budget levels. And that’s drawing people from all over the world to work in the burgeoning hotel and restaurant business.

Julien Maisonneuve – Executive Chef, St Pancras Renaissance Hotel: If you look at my job now it’s a great opportunity for me to be part of the future for London and part of the food industry as well. Everything makes sense to be in the UK.

Narrator: Some of Britain’s Olympic venues are also already open for business. Visitors to the Lee Valley White Water Centre on the outskirts of London can actually experience the same course that will test the world’s best canoers and kayakers next July. And for everyday transport, London’s cycle network is being improved to cater for the growing army of locals and tourists who now make bike journeys every day. With the Olympics on the horizon, new opportunities are opening up for designers and entrepreneurs…

Anthony Lau-Managing Designer, Cycle Hoop: Next year at the Ol mpics we know there is going to be a huge demand for bike parking at all the venues. The thing I’m sitting on now is called the “Car Bike Port” and essentially it’s a bike rack that fits into a car space. The idea is that you are taking up 1 car space and providing spaces for 10 bicycles.

Narrator: Existing facilities and tourist attractions are also benefitting from upgrades and refurbishments following the decision to stage the Olympics in the United Kingdom. London already has more international visitors than any other city on the planet, with major sport, culture and art events staged every year.And that big event experience is going into the planning and preparation for the Olympics, which the bid team promise will be the greenest, most accessible, legacy driven games in history.

Jeremy Hunt – Secretary of State for Culture, Media, Sport and the Olympics: It’s a chance for us Brits to show everyone that putting on a spectacle, when it comes to pageantry, when it comes to efficient organisation and when it comes to a friendly welcome we can do it as well if not better than anywhere in the world.

Narrator: The Olympic Park development has already transformed what was an industrialised and heavily polluted wasteland Exciting times in London and the UK, not only for this generation, but for generations to come.

Gary Dawes – Senior Foreman, Skanska Rail: I’m extremely proud, I’ve got 3 young boys who every day ask me “what happened today, what happened yesterday daddy” and I’m proud to tell them what involvement I’ve given to this part of the Olympics. This time is our time to shine!

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There are some bizarre new fads sweeping the globe and finding their homes on the Internet. Planking, owling and batting are the latest sensations in which people manipulate their bodies into specific shapes and take photos of the result.

In planking, a person is photographed lying down flat in an unusual place. In owling, a person is photographed while “perched” owl-like in a unique location. In batting, participants have their photo taken while hanging upside-down in an unusual spot.

Man planking across square seat-cushions at an art gallery opening. / Creative Commons (Click to enlarge.)

But these crazes aren’t always fun and games. In May 2011, a 20 year-old Australian fell seven storeys to his death while planking on an apartment balcony in Brisbane. In the pursuit of capturing planking, owling or batting photos, many participants put themselves in harm’s way.

AXA UK, the largest travel insurance in the nation, says that it has already seen as many claims this summer as for the whole of last year from holidaymakers injuring themselves after falling off balconies and other surfaces.

“AXA believes many of these are related to the rise of crazes such as owling, planking and batting where people take pictures of themselves in unusual positions and places and then post them on-line,” said the insurer in a release.

“Often the incidents coincide with heavy drinking which in itself can negate a travel insurance claim.  But the company also advises travellers that irresponsible behaviour, whether under the influence or not, will mean insurance claims may well be turned down,” AXA UK said.

Roman Bryl, underwriting manager at AXA travel insurance says: “We don’t want to stop anyone having fun on holiday but we are very concerned by the rise in ‘accidents’ reported to us this year.

“We would urge all holidaymakers and their families to be aware of the dangers and potential consequences of taking part in these crazes – it’s just not worth the risk in terms of both your health and finances.”

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View the video here on your mobile device.

Narrator: Sure, small cars are good on gas and easy to park, but are you sacrificing safety for good fuel economy? ILSTV posed this question to David Zuby, Chief Research Officer for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

David Zuby: Today we’re putting out thirteen new crash test ratings for small cars and six of those small cars earned Top Safety Picks. Which means they get a good rating in all four of the tests that we do. Small cars are much safer than they used to be. A few years ago many of the small cars we tested were rated poor in our side impact crash test and few were rated good.

Now, none is rated poor and many cars earn good ratings in all four of our tough tests. Small cars which have the best fuel economy for years years have not always been equipped with the same safety features as more expensive cars, but today all thirteen of the  vehicles we are releasing results for are equipped with front air bags, standard side air bags, and most have electronic stability control to help keep you from being in a crash in the first place.

Small cars will never be as protected as larger cars despite all the improvement in safety. There is an advantage in being in a larger, heavier car. Interest in small cars and fuel efficiency goes up when gas prices go up. The good news about today’s results is there are small cars with very good gas mileage but also have the highest level of crash protection available today.

IIHS Top Safety Pick Awards for Small Cars:

2012 Ford Focus

2012 Honda Civic

2011 Hyundai Elantra

2011 Lexus CT200h

2011 Nissan Juke

2011 Toyota Prius

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Hotels, airlines, tour companies and other leisure and hospitality providers collect “vast quantities” of personal, identifiable information which makes that industry a chief target of cyber attacks, according to Willis Group Holdings.

Willis’ Cyber Risk Unit reports that cyber-related insurance claims have spiked by 56 per cent over the past year alone, with an increasing proportion of victims in the hospitality industry. Citing a recent survey, the Willis Summer 2011 Leisure Newsletter warns that hotels, resorts, tour companies, and other leisure and entertainment providers are increasingly vulnerable to hackers seeking to steal personal information. The Newsletter highlights the major risks posed by the deluge of personal data and explores actions companies can take to protect themselves against cyber crime.

The Ponemon Institute, a US-based information technology think tank, estimates that the costs of recovering from a cyber attack –including costs associated with notifying customers and implementing credit monitoring software to help ensure victims’ credit records are not compromised by the misuse of stolen data — typically range anywhere between US$100,000 to US$1 million. However, Willis warns that some of the largest breaches can cost in excess of US$100 million. More stringent data protection legislation coming into force will only further increase companies’ financial exposure to cyber crime, both in terms of liabilities to banks and individuals, to say nothing of the more difficult to quantify reputational damage such attacks can cause.

The main culprits of data breaches include rogue employees, malicious attacks, and innocent mistakes made by outsourcing firms employed to manage customer data.

Laurie Fraser, Global Markets Leisure Practice Leader for Willis said: “Hackers are getting ever more sophisticated, penetrating firewalls to drain corporate databases of their customers’ personal details, including credit-card numbers when not encrypted, medical histories and other personal information. This year has already seen at least three high profile cyber crime cases where security breaches triggered public outrage and panic over identity theft and fraud. The incidents badly bruised the reputations of popular consumer brands, as well as exposed firms to a host of increased costs as well as potential liabilities.”

Jeremy Smith, Practice Leader of Willis’ London Cyber Team, observed: “Companies that hold substantial volumes of personal, identifiable data are irresistible to web-based pirates.”

In response, Smith said that cyber liability insurance, which has existed for about 10 years, is evolving to reflect the current environment, helping companies to transfer the risks and costs of data loss and cyber piracy.

“Willis is working closely with the insurance industry to stress test existing policies’ ability to address the nature of cyber crime and develop exclusive wordings that assist in the transfer of these risks. Recent breakthroughs include the introduction of identity theft solutions and Payment Card Industry fines coverage, which helps to protect companies from penalties linked to the mismanagement of credit card data.”

You might also be interested in: Five industries most vulnerable to phishing attacks 

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In May 2011, Canadian residents took 4.2 million trips to the United States – a decrease of 1.7 percent from April, says Statistics Canada. As Canadians head south of the border, a recent RBC Insurance survey conducted by Ipsos Reid found that many aren’t protecting themselves with travel insurance.

Younger Canadians – those between the ages of 18 and 34 – said they rarely or never purchase travel insurance when heading to the U.S. For those who do purchase insurance,  more than half – 56 percent – said they don’t take the time to understand what their policy covers before they leave on their tip.

The survey also found that 34 percent of young Canadians say they don’t need travel insurance if they’re heading to the United States because their provincial health plan will cover their medical costs. “However,” said RBC Insurance, “A two day hospital stay for a broken leg in California can cost up to $8,000 per day and the average provincial health plan would pay only $200 daily, leaving the individual responsible for the $7,800 difference. In comparison, a 30 year old travelling for eight days in the U.S. could buy full emergency medical travel insurance for just $33.”

Eighty-four percent of young travelers said they don’t need to buy travel insurance if they’re staying in Canada but heading to a different province or territory. The truth is government health insurance (GHIP) plans may limit the reimbursement of emergency medical expenses once travellers leave their home province. For example, an air ambulance with a full medical team travelling from Calgary to Toronto can cost $24,000 and is not covered by GHIP.

More than half – 57 percent – of young travelers say that they have sufficient coverage through their work or credit card, so don’t need to buy additional coverage.

“There is often confusion and misconceptions around the different types of insurance available,” said Tim Bzowey, vice-president, Travel, RBC Insurance. “It’s important to understand what your needs are and the different types of travel insurance available to ensure financial protection against any unexpected travel situations.”

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RSA Travel Insurance Inc./Assurance Voyage RSA inc. (RSA Travel), part of RSA Canada, has completed its acquisition of the business assets and insurance expertise of travel distributor etfs and the etfs trademark.

“We are delighted to welcome etfs into the RSA Canada family,” said RSA President and CEO Rowan Saunders in a statement. “Together, RSA and etfs are a strong presence in the Canadian travel insurance market and a leader in this sector within the RSA group globally.”

RSA’s Adrian Hall, who currently heads the Personal Specialty Insurance (PSI) business, has been named Managing Director of RSA Travel which includes the etfs brand.

“I am very excited about the opportunities ahead of us,” said Adrian Hall. “We are now well- positioned to achieve our goal of becoming the leading travel insurer in the country.”

RSA announced in June that it had agreed to acquire the business assets and insurance expertise of etfs, one of Canada’s largest distributors of travel and health insurance. RSA and etfs have a long-standing partnership with RSA underwriting etfs products for almost 10 years. Together RSA and etfs write almost $100 million in premium and service more than 1,000 distributors and over one million customers.

The deal does not include Global Excel Management Inc. (GEM), the former claims and assistance business of etfs. RSA will continue its long term partnership with GEM which will remain the claims and assistance provider for RSA’s travel business.

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View the video here on your mobile device.

Narrator: Volvo’s traffic safety researchers are now working with the development of a unique warning system that both detects wild animals and automatically brakes if the driver doesn’t react in time. The goal is to both prevent and reduce the seriousness of many accidents involving wild animals. In Canada alone over 52,000 accidents involving wild animals occur every year.

Andreas Eidehall: We hope that  we will be able to help avoid or mitigate many of the serious collisions with animals that occur today.

Narrator: Right now the researchers are teaching the system what the different types of animals look like from different angles and in different situations in front of a car and how they react in such situations. Here in the zoological park, it’s all about collecting information relating to shape, size and movement.

Andreas Eidehall: I think it’s the large variation in the shape of different animals that we are training the system on different sizes of animals and so on. I’m confident that we will succeed in this.

Narrator: The technology involved is based on a very advanced collaboration between camera and radar techniques that Volvo has previously used to avoid accidents between pedestrians and motorists. The aim is that this technology should be able to detect and warn about the presence of different types of animals. Volvo is currently looking into different technologies for night detection. In this test, a system with infra red illumination is being evaluated.

Andreas Eidehall: Right now we are developing the infra-red illumination of the system to be able to detect animals at night. Seeing as most animal collisions occur in darkness it’s extremely important to have night detection.

Narrator: Volvo Cars has a number of tests remaining before this technology is fully developed, but even so anticipate having a fully functioning wild animal warning system in only a few years – a system capable of avoiding collisions with elk, deer and reindeer. The technology that will hopefully considerably reduce the number of accidents involving wild animals is, of course, also capable of detecting pedestrians in the dark – which is another type of traffic safety problem.

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The last year has seen a rise in Canadian companies using social networks, blogs, microblogs and forums to win new business, reveals a new survey from workplace solutions provider Regus.

According to the survey, 34 percent of firms are successfully using social networking to win new customers, up six percentage points from last year’s survey.

The research also reveals globally more firms are using social media to engage with existing customers than a year ago, with the following highlights:

• 43 percent of businesses in Canada use websites such as Twitter to engage, connect with and inform existing customers
• In Canada, 50 percent of firms encourage their employees to join social networks such as Linkedin and Xing
• 43 percent of Canadian companies dedicate up to 20 percent of their marketing budget to business social networking activity
• Globally, the survey reported a seven percent increase in the proportion of businesses successfully recruiting new customers through social networks such as Facebook

Social networking has fully evolved from a nice-to-have to a necessity as the majority of businesses in Canada (67%), and internationally (74%) agree that social media activity is playing a bigger role in their marketing strategy. Canadian (69%) and global firms (61%) are also emphasizing the need for a balance of marketing media, confirming their belief that without a combination of traditional and digital techniques, marketing campaigns will not work.

Wes Lenci, Regus regional vice president for Canada comments: “As businesses emerge from the downturn they are increasingly reconsidering pre-recession working practices and opting for more flexible, competitive strategies.  From supply chain management, to leaner working practices, to cloud computing, to increased use of video communications and mobile working – no area of business is being overlooked. Particularly in Canada where Itracks reports that most companies believe that social media has a positive impact on word-of-mouth, awareness, promotions and referrals, more and more companies are leveraging this channel to increase the loyalty of existing customers, and as a successful acquisition tool.”

You might also be interested in: Guest Post: 5 ways I use Twitter as an insurance agent

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RSA Travel Insurance is acquitting Canadian travel and health insurance provider etfs.

RSA says it hopes to grow its current position in the Canadian travel insurance marketplace and believes the acquisition of Quebec-based etfs will aid that process.

“etfs and RSA have a long-standing partnership with expertise and a successful track record with travel insurance – a strategic specialty segment for RSA,” said Rowan Saunders, President and CEO RSA in a statement. “This deal provides us with the opportunity to further deliver competitive products and travel expertise to the market. We will continue to build and expand our offering to provide our distributors with an even stronger proposition.”

This deal pertains to etfs and not Global Excel Management Inc. (GEM), the claims and assistance business. RSA will continue its long term partnership with GEM which will remain the claims and assistance provider for RSA’s travel business.

“Today’s announcement validates the strength of our offering and the solid expertise of our employees,” said etfs CEO Reg Allatt. “This deal enables GEM to focus on the claims side of the business, allowing etfs, together with RSA, to continue building its presence in the travel insurance market. It presents exciting growth opportunities for all parties involved.”

The transaction is expected to be complete by mid-July.

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