Whether Canadians are welcoming visitors to Canada or planning their own trips, securing adequate travel insurance coverage is a must. Fortunately, awareness of the need for travel insurance is growing among Canadians, as a result of changes to provincial healthcare coverage for travellers. Given this improved awareness, brokers have an opportunity to protect more of their clients by brushing up on their knowledge about this important insurance category.
“The more insurance professionals know, the better they can meet their clients’ travel insurance needs,” says Dan Keon, Vice President of Market Management for Allianz Global Assistance Canada. “For the average person, the range of options available for travel insurance can be overwhelming. As a result, clients can benefit greatly from their advisors’ expertise when selecting travel insurance providers, and the products that best suit their personal and families’ needs.”
“The program provides a clear learning path to help brokers acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to confidently offer travel insurance in their day-to-day interactions with clients, and maximize their sales potential,” he told Insurance Business. “Advisors who have completed the EASY training program will be well positioned to explain to their clients the full range of benefits (both medical and financial) that specific travel insurance products may offer, while clarifying scenarios that may not be covered so their client can make a fully informed choice.”
The EASY program includes four course levels that provide valuable benefit and product positioning content. CE credits are built-in and learners can access materials on-demand. The courses are also mobile-ready and have interactive multimedia learning aids, not to mention current content that is regularly refreshed to reflects today’s dynamic business environment. Brokers can enhance their knowledge, build practical skills, and gain insights on trends, leaving the program with a positive learning experience that prepares them to sell travel insurance with confidence.
“The EASY program provides in-depth training on a wide range of travel insurance products, such as Emergency Hospital & Medical, Visitors to Canada, and International Students to Canada,” explains Keon. “Each module outlines the features and benefits of the product through interactive content and provides common scenarios where a specific coverage may be beneficial to clients. The EASY program also offers training on sales skills, such as uncovering a client’s needs, cross-selling and upselling to help brokers achieve even greater results.”
If a client asks, “I have a pre-existing condition – how does it affect my coverage?” or “Are there any exclusions I need to be aware of?” brokers who have completed the program will be better equipped to provide informed answers to these and many other common questions.
Brokers’ responses to EASY so far further underscore the value of the program.
“In the past year, we have seen tremendous growth and interest in the program. As a company, we are committed to helping brokers grow their business through ongoing training and education, so we are very pleased that the response to the program has been so positive,” says Keon. “We also regularly collect and review feedback from course participants. As the travel insurance industry evolves, so do the needs of brokers. Their feedback helps us refresh and enhance content and ensure the training we provide is continually relevant to their needs.”
