Smart App Offers Canada’s First Travel Insurance on Demand
by Richard D’Ambrosio
Photo: Shutterstock.com
In a major departure from traditional travel insurance coverage, Travel Guard Group Canada, Inc., has launched an app that allows Canadian customers (except Quebec residents) to purchase coverage in blocks of time through their iPhone.
The Travel Guard On Demand app represents a new method of buying and utilizing travel insurance, allowing travelers (ages 16-55) to customize their protection period for each trip – down to the hour – utilizing GPS technology.
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Through the app, Travel Guard, an AIG company, offers specific blocks of insurance coverage up to 90 days, for use within 365 days from the date of purchase. When the app’s geolocation feature senses that the customer has arrived at an airport or a border crossing into the U.S., a notification is sent to their iPhone to prompt activation of the purchased insurance. Then, for each hour the coverage is activated, the app automatically subtracts that time from the block of coverage purchased.
“We’re always looking for new ways to keep pace with our travelers, and by offering this innovative, fast and easy way to purchase travel insurance, our travelers can get more convenient coverage for when and how they want to use it,” said Marc Lipman, AIG Canada’s chief operating officer.
The app enables consumers to gain protection in only 90 seconds after filling out four fields on their smartphone. Additionally, Lipman said, consumers can activate the purchased insurance by swiping the app button “on” at the start of their trip and “off” at the end of it, or use the app to pre-set the desired departure and return dates for an upcoming trip.
The app can be downloaded from Apple’s App Store (search for Travel Guard On Demand) or from the Travel Guard Canada website.
Travel Guard On Demand is powered by JAUNTIN’, a Canadian insurance technology company. AIG’s relationship with JAUNTIN’ was formed when the insurance technology start-up won the AIG Canada Innovation Challenge.
