| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 02/10/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 5 |
| Copyright: Other |
Insurer targets independents with tailor-made policy range
Report by DIANESMITH
ATLAS Travel Insurance is to launch a series of policies that are tailor-made for the 1,000 or so remaining UK independent agencies.
Atlas is currently working with distribution companies to find out exactly how many retailers exist that are not linked up to multiples, members of consortia or groups like Midconsort or the Travel Trust Association.
Atlas staff will either visit these outlets in person or send direct mailshots to offer them tailor-made policies as part of a programme called Individual Specialist Agents.
The programmes will be aimed at specialist markets, such as golf, soft-adventure holidays and skiing.
Marketing director Alan Wright said: “We feel that there is a market out there. The other travel insurance companies tend to leave independents alone and just sign up deals with the big boys.
“There are still agents who want to remain truly independent and who don’t want to be part of a grouping. They like to negotiate individually.
“Even if we only get 50-100 out of the 1,000 agents, the whole effort will have been worthwhile.”
Atlas is also targeting the consortia and groups of independents, on-line agencies and non-travel retailers with its range of insurance products.
Wright said the number of travel clients who actually book insurance through an agent is still very low – only about one in 10 customers who book a holiday.
He said consultants claim they either don’t have the time to look into insurance policies or they do not have adequately trained staff.
But he added that with the tighter regulations due to be implemented soon as part of the General Insurance Standards Council’s policy, the onus is on the travel insurance company to ensure agency staff understand fully the implications of selling insurance.
Cover story: the new selection of policies will focus on specialist markets such as diving and skiing