Crum & Forster expands travel insurance distribution into employee benefits

Crum & Forster (C&F) has partnered with insurance programme administrator ViaSafely to offer annual travel protection as a voluntary employee benefit, expanding its distribution into the workplace benefits market.

The new offering will initially be available through bswift’s benefits administration platform, allowing employees at participating organisations to purchase annual travel protection for themselves and their families through fixed-cost payroll deductions.

The arrangement provides an alternative to purchasing travel insurance for individual trips, with cover designed to extend across eligible domestic and international journeys throughout the policy period.

Employees will also have access to 24/7 concierge trip planning, emergency assistance, and medical assistance services while travelling.

The product will be distributed through participating employee benefits brokers and marketplace channels, potentially allowing employees to purchase cover outside traditional annual benefits enrolment periods.

For employers, the offering provides an additional voluntary benefit without requiring a contribution towards premiums.

Marc Flood, Senior Vice President, Business Development, at C&F, said: “By making this coverage available through employer benefits programs and marketplace offerings, we are aligning travel protection with the way people make benefits decisions today.”

Sunil Bhatia, CEO of ViaSafely, added: “Offering this benefit through the workplace gives employees a practical, predictable way to help protect their travel throughout the year.”

The plans are underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company, with claims administration and customer support provided by Travel Insured International, a C&F company.