ABTA is to relaunch its own insurance scheme ABTASure for members, 15 years after it was ditched by the association.
The scheme, put together with travel insurer Citybond Holdings, will ensure passengers up to 85 years old and will be available exclusively to ABTA members from January 1, 2007.
ABTA financial director Mike Monk said most current schemes tended to cover up to the age of 80. “It’s very difficult to get insurance for people over 80,” he said.
The original ABTASure scheme used to sell 12 million policies a year through all ABTA members and its main policies covered cancellation, medical and baggage insurance.
Monk added: “I don’t know why ABTA got rid of it 15 years ago but this scheme is far more extensive. No-one had hijack or terrorism insurance 15 years ago.”
Travel agents can buy the insurance at “competitive net rates” and mark up prices as they see fit.
Monk said: “They can earn additional overrides based on volumes. It’s not one policy, there’s a whole suite of policies for leisure, long stays and backpackers, for example.”
He denied ABTA had reintroduced the product as a money-making scheme. “Part of the trade association’s role is to look at people’s needs. ABTA is changing and we are moving away from the role of regulator and concentrating on members’ needs,” he said.