By John Oyuke
Chartis Insurance Company Ltd has partnered with Amref to offer a comprehensive travel cover to the charity organisation’s Flying Doctors Air Ambulance Service subscribers.
Under the new deal, subscribers within East Africa would benefit from full cover under the Chartis Travel Insurance, which is offered for sale in the market as ‘Travel Guard’.
Amref Flying Doctors Chief Executive Officer and Medical Director Bettina Vadera and Chartis Kenya Managing Director Japh Olende exchange documents after signing an Underwriting Agreement. |
Chartis CEO Japh Olende said those under this cover would benefit from air evacuation services should they fall sick whenever they are in the country within an hour.
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He said the cover would also reimburse subscribers for trip cancellation and loss of luggage.
Olende told a media briefing in Nairobi Thursday that the countries covered under the plan include Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Zanzibar, Ethiopia and southern Sudan.
The signing of the new underwriting agreement is part of an on-going programme by Amref Flying Doctors to expand and streamline its 55-year old air ambulance service.
The programme is aimed at reaching more individuals and groups with affordable and high quality service.
Olende expressed confidence the partnership would add significant value to subscribers.
"Chartis feel honoured to be associated with the Flying Doctors, who have been involved in air rescue operations in the region for the past 55 years," he said, adding that within this period, the organisation had made unparalleled achievements.
He said the collaboration would enable more people in the region to access affordable travel insurance.
Innovative approaches
At 2.1 per cent, insurance penetration is low in Kenya, he said, adding that only innovative and integrated approaches would ensure more people take out insurance.
"This partnership opens a new channel of insurance distribution that has never been explored before in Kenya. The industry should abandon the old ways of marketing and distributing their products and explore ways of reaching more clients," he said.
Dr Bettina Vadera, Chief Executive and Medical Director of Amref Flying Doctors said the organisation was delighted to be working with Chartis Insurance on the new project.
"This agreement underlines Amref Flying Doctors commitment to provide quality and affordable air evacuation services throughout the Eastern Africa region," she asserted.
