UAE chosen by Zurich as launch market for new travel insurance proposition, ahead of wider regional rollout

4 covers - Schengen, Silver, Gold and Family - mark Zurich's entry into UAE travel insurance market

Products available with stand-out features such as cover for missed connections and missed events, and no limit on the number of children that can be included on Family policies

Dubai, UAE; July 1, 2012: Zurich, one of the world's leading insurance groups, today launched a range of travel insurance products tailored to meet the specific needs of UAE residents. The UAE has been chosen by Zurich as the launch market of its new travel insurance proposition, ahead of a wider regional rollout in Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon and Oman. 

The four covers - Schengen, Silver, Gold and Family - leverage Zurich's global capability and local knowledge, and are available with a number of stand-out features. For instance, with Zurich's Missed Event cover, if a customer has to cancel their trip because of an accident or emergency, the insurer will pay for any unused ticket for events such as a concert or sports match. With Missed Flight Connection cover, if a customer misses a connecting flight due to a delay, Zurich will pay for another one. With Zurich's Family policy, the insurer puts no limit on the number of children a customer can include on the policy.

Customers can choose to purchase either single-trip or multi-trip cover. With Zurich's single-trip policies, customers can purchase cover from as little as five days, compared to the industry standard of seven days, giving the flexibility to select a duration that best suits their requirements and ensuring they only pay for the cover they need. Similarly, the insurer's annual policy allows customers to choose from a range of different single trip limits, saving money if they intend to only take shorter trips throughout the year. The four products can also be easily customised by adding optional covers, including Winter Sports, Extreme Adventure Sports, and Golf Extension.

Maroun Mourad, CEO of Zurich's General Insurance operations in the Middle East, says the product range was designed specifically to meet the needs of UAE residents: "UAE residents love to travel but often don't have home contents insurance, leaving them exposed to theft or damage to their possessions while they're abroad. With our travel product, we have included 'Home Care,' where we will pay towards the cost of repair or replacement in the event a customer's home contents are stolen or damaged while they're out of the country." 

Other features available include cover against credit card fraud while travelling; 24x7 global travel assistance via Zurich Assist; protection against theft or damage to laptops, tablets or phones while travelling; and reimbursement up to a specified limit for delays to flights and baggage.

The launch of Schengen, Silver, Gold and Family mark Zurich's entry into the UAE's travel insurance market and are central to the company's long-term plans to create a complete suite of insurance products for personal customers in the country. The roll out of the new offering is being led by a strong Zurich team experienced in delivering globally to customers and is supported by a worldwide online technology platform.

"Zurich now provides four market-leading travel products which will give UAE residents and their families complete peace of mind wherever they are in the world," said Mourad. "Our travel proposition joins our portfolio of personal products, which includes our three recently launched motor covers - Essential, Extra and Elite. Each of our personal products have been designed with the specific requirements of UAE residents in minds, and we have a number of exciting announcements planned for the coming months. By the end of the year, Zurich will offer a full suite of products which set the industry standard for meeting the needs of personal customers in the UAE."

About Zurich:
Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) is a leading multi-line insurance provider with a global network of subsidiaries and offices in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East as well as other markets. It offers a wide range of general insurance and life insurance products and services for individuals, small businesses, mid-sized and large companies as well as multinational corporations. Zurich employs about 60,000 people serving customers in more than 170 countries. The Group, formerly known as Zurich Financial Services Group, is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was founded in 1872. The holding company, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (ZURN), is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and has a level I American Depositary Receipt program which is traded over-the-counter on OTCQX. Further information about Zurich is available at www.zurich.com.

Zurich Insurance Middle East S.A.L is registered under Insurance Companies Register Certificate No. 48 and authorized by the UAE Insurance Authority

Zurich Insurance Middle East S.A.L (Dubai Branch)
Level 7 Sama Tower
Sheikh Zayed Road
P.O. Box 124455
Dubai
United Arab Emirates 
 
For further information, please contact:
Zoë Gould
Head of Marketing & Communications, Middle East
Zurich
Tel: 971-4-3647316
Email: zoe.gould@zurich.com

Liam Turner / Tameem Al Kintar
ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller
Dubai, UAE
Tel: 971-4-4507600
Fax: 971-4-4358040
Email: l.turner@asdaa.com / t.alkintar@asdaa.com

© Press Release 2012