US Travel Insurance Association (UStiA) Fact Sheet
Year Founded: April, 2004
- What is UStiA?
-
UStiA is a non-profit, national association of companies involved in the development, sales,
marketing or implementation of travel insurance and related products or U.S. travel insurance
carriers, third-party administrators and allied businesses involved in the development,
administration and marketing of travel insurance and assistance products.
UStiA Office:
1333 H Street, N.W.
Suite 820
Washington, D.C. 20005
(800) 224-6164
UStiA Web site: www.ustia.org or www.ustravelinsurance.org
trip.ustia.org
- UStiA's Mission
-
- Ensure that travelers have affordable access to travel protection and travel assistance;
- Educate consumers about travel insurance and related issues;
- Promote fairness, integrity and a commitment to excellence in the travel insurance industry;
- Foster ethical and professional standards of industry conduct;
- Cultivate effective government relations on behalf of the travel insurance industry;
- Inform and assist members with matters pertaining to the industry.
- UStiA’s Goals
-
- Create uniform and fair regulations for the industry;
- Develop consistent licensing standards for agents who market travel insurance and assistance services;
- Combat insurance fraud and unjust class action lawsuits that adversely impact the cost of travel insurance for consumers;
- Serve as an advocate for the travel insurance industry.
- UStiA Membership Standards
-
Members must adhere to the following requirements:
Ethical Conduct
- Provide travel insurance products and services that represent value and high quality;
- Pay all valid claims fairly, promptly, accurately and courteously;
- Respect the privacy of individuals by using personal information only for the purposes authorized;
- Engage in fair, professional and ethical competition;
- Make no misrepresentations, false or malicious statements about the products, services, staff, financial condition or business practices of other Members;
- Uphold the reputation of the Association, its Members and the travel insurance industry.
Truth in Advertising
- Present their products, benefits, conditions, exclusions and prices clearly and accurately.
- Not issue statements or advertisements which make false, misleading or exaggerated claims.
- Ensure that its advertisements, sales materials and presentations, and public announcements are honest, factually accurate and not misleading.
UStiA Officers
UStiA President: Mike Kelly, CEO, On Call International
UStiA Vice President: Frank Shellabear, President, Sales Division, CSA Travel Protection
UStiA Secretary: Henry Carpenter, Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, BCS
Insurance Company
UStiA Treasurer: Bruce Kirby, President & COO, The Americas, FrontierMEDEX
UStiA Past President: Jim Grace, President & CEO, InsureMyTrip.com
UStiA Members Total Sales Volume
According to the Travel Insurance Market Survey 2008-2010, conducted by the US Travel
Insurance Association (UStiA), Americans spent nearly $1.8 billion on travel insurance in 2010.
Total Travelers Served Annually:
Approximately 27 million travelers were covered by a travel insurance plan purchased from a
UStiA member company in 2010.1
Total UStiA Membership:
80 members
Membership Categories:
Full Members: 29
Associate members: 41
Subscriber Members: 40
Membership Category Information:
Full Members: Insurance carriers and third party administrators (TPA), managing general agents (MGA), and managing general underwriters (MGU) who underwrite, distribute, and administer travel insurance programs.
Brokers, administrators and other entities primarily in the insurance business, who derive at least 50% of their annual revenue from travel insurance.
Associate Members: Travel assistance companies, air ambulance companies, travel suppliers.
Subscriber Members: Retail travel agencies, retail travel agents, travel media, software companies, travel vendors.
1 The Travel Insurance Market Survey 2008 - 2010, conducted by the UStiA.