From heaven to earth

The number of tourists who have committed to travel abroad in 2007, according to the Federal Tourism Agency, was 9.4 million. Volume charges insurers for 2007 travel insurance, according to a study of rating agency "Expert RA" has made 3,1 billion rubles. During the first half of 2008, the increase of insurance premiums amounted to 42,1% versus the same period last year. Improving the welfare of the citizens would boost growth in the tourism industry, which could not but have a positive impact on the market of travel insurance. The average number of tourists increased by 20% annually. The financial crisis has made some changes. Unfortunately, for many has become an important question is not about where to go to rest next autumn-winter, but that does not have to look for a new job and how to cover current liabilities. Many travel companies have falling sales ascertain tours, especially in massive ways. Moreover, it is quite likely and significant increase in the prices of tours, which also will have a negative impact on demand and duration of trips. Although in the first half of 2008 and experienced a sharp growth of the market compared to the same period last year, it is worth considering that due to the seasonality of most of the contributions to this type of insurance accounts for the second half, which ended up in the current year subject to malign influence of the financial crisis that will not achieve the expected early in 2008 growth of 23% for the year. And even if the results of 2008 and will show any growth in absolute terms, adjusted for inflation, we see a decline. On the other hand, the situation does not look as depressing as, for example, is expected to stagnate market auto insurance. In this case, one of the most pressing problems is the dumping: tour operators do not pay enough attention to the quality of services, mainly focusing on the price of the proposed policy. As a consequence, the policy included with tour operators to package tour covers a minimum set of risks. Unfortunately, because of the notorious low insurance culture in Russia, the majority of citizens traveling abroad do not pay enough attention to the quality provided by insurance services, content with the most minimal set of risks. To some extent this is a consequence of imputed purchase an insurance policy in connection with its need to obtain a visa for entry into most countries. Reasonable tourist - a tourist insured consciously to choose an insurer and insurance services, according to Eugene Boldovskoy, head of Insurance Department of citizens traveling abroad, UK "Standard-reserve" and "Moscow insurance company" may not be suitable for more than 20% of tourists traveling abroad. The majority of those who have already had negative experiences with poor service and the actions of the insurance company, or faced with the realization of the risks that are not included policy. Rich on the sad events of the summer will also make tourists think about purchasing adequate insurance cover before you travel. Very responsible approach to the issue of insurance, extreme athletes and be sure to take into account in the policy risk sports. The greatest demand specialized programs used in diving, skiing, snowboarding and mountaineering. "In the recent years have increasingly become interested in insurance for clients involved in sports such as paragliding and speleodayving" - said Maria Martirosova, Chief Specialist travel insurance insurance company "Consent". Equal footing with insurance risks associated with the possibility of danger to life or health of tourists traveling abroad, insurers offer insurance services on his own recognizance, baggage insurance, liability insurance before a 3-mi officials. These species clearly undeservedly enjoy even less popular. Although it is worth noting that several countries in the visa application requires, along with personal insurance availability of liability insurance policy before the 3-mi officials. Due to the stringent visa regime, which was introduced by all European countries, USA, Canada and several other countries in relation to the Russian tourists, popular insurance against his own recognizance, but this kind of insurance is also the most unprofitable among the above. This is due, primarily, that the policy of this type of insurance often bought those tourists who are already known to be skeptical, that can travel abroad. Further impetus to this type of insurance should provide and the events of last summer, associated with the bankruptcy of several tour operators and the problems with aviation fuel, which caused considerable delays in flight and even the cancellation of trips. Conscience is the best controller? It is worth noting that if the cases in which athletes, extreme trying to get medical care for the usual policy is becoming less and less, which is largely due to the specific injuries and the almost complete lack of ability to hide the fact of implementation of the risk of uncovered by the insurance policy, the attempts of fraud slightly increased in other ways. The most common cases of fraud: concealment incidents that fall under the exclusion from insurance coverage, as a rule, it is a fact of intoxication. Often tourists are simply not having received thoroughly acquainted with the insurance contract, are beginning to demand payment from the insurer on the cases not included in the contract or occurred under circumstances precluding the insurance nature of the latter. The cases related to the planned travel for medical treatment and surgery abroad and purchase of medicines and drugs that are not related to the accident. Also there are staging an accident, make fake medical documents of the insured or private doctors or health care provider, sometimes in collusion with an employee of a travel company, falsification of documents about the death of the insured, the theft of luggage (property) tourists. In all cases, carried out a detailed review of all accounts queries in the clinic and at the crime scene to verify the nature of the insured event, made a request tests for blood alcohol. Each account is verified service organization, which operates an insurance company and a specialist of payments, having a medical degree. Carrying out these measures to significantly minimize the unfair approach customers to process insurance claims, make this kind of insurance in one of the most technically time-consuming. Life Saving - business ... Forced to dumping at sufficiently high sums insured and a high level of technical complexity in conjunction with a reduction in demand due to financial crisis is definitely not play into the hands of insurers, however, the insurance company is still possible to minimize their losses. Irina Yartseva, Head of Personal Insurance UK "MAX", believes that this may to some extent be achieved by diversifying the portfolio, by type of risks taken, and by geography. Important for increasing the demand for insurance services and raising awareness. Often banal ignorance of the conditions of the insurance contract is pushing insurers to pay for his account the effects of realized risks and the presentation in the future of the insurance company is absolutely unjustified demands for payment. Naturally, the denial of payment from the insurer in such cases confirms the confidence of the insured in the absolute uselessness of buying an insurance policy.