US Travel Insurance Association Reports Nearly 40% Member Growth
Association Elects New Officers at Annual Meeting
The US Travel Insurance Association elected its 2007-08 slate of officers at the organization's recent annual conference held at Rancho Bernardo, California. Elected for a one-year term beginning April 1 are: President, Brad Finkle (President, Trip Mate); Vice President and President-elect Ed Walker (Senior Vice President, Aegon Direct Marketing Services); Secretary/Treasurer, Paul Latchford, (Vice President, Aegon Direct Marketing Services); and Immediate Past President Jon Ansell (President and CEO, World Access).
One-hundred-and-twenty delegates from North America attended the conference, which focused on "Paradigms for a Brave New World." According to Jon Ansell, the association’s membership has grown by nearly 40% over last year, to a total of 56 member companies and more than 90 individuals.
2007 Goals
Among the association's goals for 2007-08 is the expansion of membership to include brokers, insurers, third party sellers and other providers, especially those specializing in student health. Additional goals are to partner with other organizations in advocating for consistency in state licensing requirements relating to sellers of travel insurance, to continue to educate travelers through the UStiA web site and to communicate important issues through the media.
UStiA's Missions
The association's primary missions are to:
Foster ethical/professional standards.
Cultivate government relationships and work with regulators on issues affecting the industry.
Inform members on important industry issues.
Educate consumers
Membership Categories
UStiA's three categories of membership represent all facets of the travel insurance industry. The three membership categories are Regular, Associate and Subscriber. Regular Members are: Insurance Carriers, Third Party Administrators (TPA), Managing General Agents (MGA), Managing General Underwriters, and Brokers and Administrators. Associate Members are Travel Assistance Companies, Air Ambulance Companies, Travel Suppliers, Software Suppliers, and travel and other companies which provide services to the travel insurance industry. Subscribers are travel agents or suppliers, as well as others not qualifying for membership in Regular or Associate categories.
More Information
UStiA is a non-profit association of insurance carriers and allied businesses involved in the development, administration and marketing of travel insurance and assistance. For more information on the association, membership qualifications, and a list of UStiA members visit www.ustia.com or www.ustia.org.