The impacts of the pandemic have taught consumers that sometimes things don’t
always go as planned. The pandemic exposed the unpredictability of travel and the
peace of mind that travel protection can bring – leading to consumers focusing on their
health and health coverage taking centre stage.
But there’s also extreme weather events, widespread staffing shortages, and supply
chain issues that have made travel (and life) more unpredictable. Flight cancellations,
delays and other obstacles have become more common and visible.
While there’s nothing quite as exciting as booking a trip, travellers are smart to be
aware of potential risks and advisors can help to proactively prepare their clients for
anything with travel insurance.
Data from Allianz Global Assistance’s Vacation Confidence Study, conducted by Ipsos
(November 2022) found the effects of the pandemic are here to stay when it comes to
travel insurance.
89% of Canadians who intend to travel also intend to be covered by travel insurance for
their next trip and 74% of Canadians say that travel insurance is equally or more
important post-pandemic.
Six in 10 Canadian travellers remain worried about the possibility of COVID-19
impacting their travel plans, and travellers aged 55+ (67%) are most concerned.
The study also revealed that millennials are seemingly responsible travellers who
proactively plan to obtain travel insurance before they take a trip. Three quarters of the
generation believe travel insurance coverage is more important or equally as important
now versus before the pandemic.
“The travel insurance industry is emerging from the pandemic stronger than ever and
this presents an exciting opportunity for travel advisors,” Allianz Global Assistance CEO
Chris Van Kooten said. “With renewed awareness, travellers are seeking the advice of
their trusted travel advisor when it comes to purchasing a policy. Travel advisors are in
a unique position to provide the personalized advice that travellers are seeking.
Ultimately, loyalty comes when you are delivering value, and any products or services
offered contribute to the client experience and value you are delivering.”
Allianz Global Assistance has supported travelling Canadians with value-added travel
insurance and assistance services for more than 30 years. With a shift in consumer
attitudes post-pandemic, Allianz has evolved to alleviate some of that stress, meet new
customer expectations, and leverage the power of partnerships to do what every travel
company should aim to do: deliver the excellence service while helping customers
discover the world.
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