Q. What’s your background in the UK travel insurance sector? How have you progressed to your current role?
I’ve worked on the broking side of the industry for the majority of my insurance career, starting out in travel as a manager of a traditional high street broker who identified a gap in the market and eventually grew to be a leading travel insurance specialist. As their travel book grew, so did my experience and involvement, and I eventually progressed into a Business Development Exec role to grow introducer and sub-broker partners. The post-Covid-19 travel boom coincided with a strengthening wholesale division, which led to a promotion to a Broker Manager role in 2023. Today I look after a large network of UK insurance brokers who rely on our distribution platform to offer travel insurance to their clients.
 

Q. Congratulations on a year of Aneevo! How have you found the first year of operations?
Busy is the first word that comes to mind! Aneevo was formed from an established B2C brand and the time was right to separate and launch Aneevo as its own company. We’ve gone from strength to strength in that first year, migrating existing users to a brand-new system whilst onboarding an impressive number of new partners. We’ve also launched new products to the platform to build a strong and varied panel of travel schemes that will cater for the majority of leisure risks, access to which has been very much in demand as our broker partners look for a reliable and consistent solution for their clients.
 

Q. The UK’s travel insurance market is seeing some ups and downs, with capacity shrinking as major players change their focus, either in personal lines or regionally. What notable trends are you seeing in day-to-day business that reflect current challenges or opportunities in the market?
Inflated claims costs and the associated complexities of rates and insurer appetite are having a continued impact on various UK general insurance products, but the personal travel insurance market has a unique consumer demand that will see buying habits adjust to reflect those market conditions. People are more cautious about their travel-related costs, but the appetite to travel remains strong – 70% of our policies sold in January 2025 were single trip, which suggests a higher demand for a more cost-effective option. Our online quote data and feedback from partners also suggests a more cautious buying approach with evidence of ‘window shopping’ and enquiries where travel dates are yet to be confirmed, showing us that particular demographics are aware of the need to budget for travel insurance.

ABTA’s 2025 Travel Trends predictions reported an expectation of broadened horizons and more long-haul travel, which may lead to a shift in quality over quantity in terms of the amount of trips taken over a year. For us, in the early weeks of 2025, the European Union (EU) has dominated our top destinations, but this may reflect our scope for over-70s and specialist pre-existing medical options, which brings us a varied age of travellers.

The demand we’ve seen from new broker partners seeking suitable market access where current options have offered them challenges with rating, appetite and agency support are also an obvious indication of current market conditions.

People are more cautious about their travel-related costs, but the appetite to travel remains strong

Q. Do you think that brokers could play a bigger role in the distribution of travel insurance products than they currently do – perhaps specialising in markets like senior travellers, or those with pre-existing conditions, where their needs are more complex?
Brokers already play a significant role in the distribution of travel insurance products and are well equipped to deal with the ever-changing landscape of the market. They act with the best interests of their customer in mind and will expertly place them with the most suitable market. They are crucial for those with more niche or specialist needs, which is evidenced by the success of signposting services, which heavily feature such brokers.  

The role and value of a broker is something the industry must continue to promote to ensure customers can access appropriate products without being restricted to sole provider solutions that are unable to adequately cater for certain age and pre-existing medical needs.
 

Q. Travel insurance is a complicated product, with myriad benefits and exclusions. How do you think insurers and brokers can connect better with customers to help them understand how to choose the right products for their needs?
Customer journey and language clarity is key, and policy documents must follow the same principles of a user-friendly quote and buy journey.

Utilising claims data will also help form more efficient systems to ensure consumer understanding. Are there frequently declined claims that may suggest a hole in the purchase journey, or common misconceptions that the industry as a whole can contribute to resolving with more awareness?

Brokers also need support in accessing their own data and considering how any gaps in their own market access could be improved.

Q. Do you think there is sufficient investment in tech solutions and software like artificial intelligence (AI) in the travel insurance sector? What do you think are the major areas where AI could make a difference in sales of, or claims on, travel insurance? 
There will always be opportunities to invest in more tech solutions as various AI models develop, and the potential benefits are game-changing in terms of customer outcomes, particularly where claims are concerned and providing the industry collectively gets to a place where such technology can be safely implemented.
 
We have already had an insight into how transformative parametric claims solutions can be. If insurers can implement machine learning models to better understand obstacles in the claims journey that contribute to over 70% of Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) complaints being claims related, then it would build significant consumer trust in the product and allow handlers to focus on areas that need more technical attention.

Large language models (LLMs) are also emerging, which brings potential to enhance customer journeys. If we can implement AI as a quoting aid and reserve our expert handlers to be available for more niche and specialist solutions where traditional methods will always prevail, then it will widen accessibility for those in need of such services.

Beyond improving methods we’re already familiar with, it could also transform pricing models and allow us to move away from the current Europe/worldwide excluding/worldwide including rates with more accurate rating based on live data by destination.

Q. Price will always be a major factor in people’s decisions about which policy to buy, but there is also criticism from the mainstream media of people not being adequately insured if, for instance, they go to the US for their holiday and need medical attention. Do you think that the UK market can refocus the conversation about insurance to be about quality of cover, rather than price? What role can brokers play in this effort?
It’s vital that we continue the collective effort to raise consumer awareness about the importance of quality cover. Not only does it make commercial sense and drive more enquiries, it will also improve the claims experience and lead to better customer outcomes. There is still an alarming number of travellers who will opt to travel without any cover in place, relying on reciprocal health agreements that fall far short of what an insurance policy will cover. We also need to build an understanding of the importance of how policies are underwritten and how far-reaching exclusions may be. How many people will buy a policy without making a full health declaration in the hope that it will at least pay out for unrelated claims whilst avoiding the true premium for that risk, for example.

It’s vital that we continue the collective effort to raise consumer awareness about the importance of quality cover

Q. We are seeing a lot of talk about hyperpersonalisation of travel insurance policies at the moment, both for corporate and leisure travellers. What evidence are you seeing of this trend?
From our position, we see this in the demand from our brokers who come to us in need of an ‘all-round’ solution. The needs of a broker client will vary day to day and often come with bespoke requirements. Although hyperpersonalisation may not always be possible with traditional packaged insurance products, a broker is currently the closest fit to offering that personalised feel by finding a suitable home to match the complex demands and needs of their client. As the influence of AI continues to grow within the industry, so will the capabilities of more hyperpersonalised travel insurance products.

Q. What are your hopes for the next year of Aneevo?
In short, to keep this up. We have a hunger to keep building on what we’ve achieved so far, continuing to solidify our relationships with leading scheme providers who all contribute with their own appetites to a collective one-stop shop for brokers, and likewise keep building on those broker relationships and act as their trusted go-to for travel insurance solutions.