IAG celebrates 30th anniversary

Founded in Europe in 1992 by five assistance companies working together to support their global customers, the International Assistance Group partnership has grown into an alliance of more than 160 partners, providers and correspondents helping over 154 million travellers each year.

International Assistance Group General Manager Louise Heywood said their Athens Forum, which will bring together over 100 industry leaders from across the assistance sector, is the perfect occasion to celebrate three decades of partnership and the return of international travel.

“The last 30 years have given us plenty of reasons to celebrate,” said Louise. “As our industry recovers from the pandemic and the world starts travelling again, there’s never been a better time to acknowledge the success of our journey so far, while looking forward to the future.

“Our [International Assistance Group] family has grown from a small group of visionary industry leaders into the world’s largest alliance of independent assistance companies.

“Together, we’ve faced many challenges, created new opportunities and helped millions of international travellers through our shared commitment to global case collaboration.”

10 million assistance cases managed annually

Each year, on average, International Assistance Group partners collectively handle over 10 million cases, including three million roadside cases, cover 154 million end users and safely bringing home over 34,000 sick or injured travellers to their loved ones.

Headquartered in Paris, France, the International Assistance Group Head Office team oversees the coordination of the network and provides rich opportunities for partners and providers to stay connected, share knowledge and collaborate on projects that contribute to the growth of the assistance industry.

The 30th Anniversary Global Forum in Athens will be the group’s second Forum for 2022, after a successful event held in Lisbon earlier this year.

The International Assistance Group holds two Global Forums each year, as well as its annual training school, the IAG Academy, which provides rising stars and future leaders in the assistance industry with unique learning experiences to develop their careers with their international peers.

“Our unique learning experiences and dedicated knowledge-sharing events help our partners advance, adapt and stay competitive in today’s fast changing world,” said Louise.

This year, the International Assistance Group will also host its very first ‘EduTour’, an immersive educational tour for medical assistance professionals. The EduTour will be held in Albania from 20-23 October, in between the Athens Forum and the International Travel and Health Insurance Conference (ITIC).