IMG Europe Launches Coversure

(LONDON) – IMG Europe Ltd, the European subsidiary of International Medical Group®, Inc. (IMG®), is pleased to announce the launch of Coversure International Healthcare, an international health care plan specially designed to provide low cost, in-country and regional healthcare cover for expatriates and residents in Spain, Cyprus, Portugal, Malta, Greece and Gibraltar. The product is available to insurance brokers, intermediaries and financial advisors throughout Europe and beyond.

 

Status Insurance Management Ltd (Status) has marketed the Coversure range of products in Europe for years and has selected IMG as the new product provider and managing general underwriter. Additionally, the product has been updated and enhanced, and it is now available to IMG Europe intermediaries. The product is insured by Sirius International Insurance Corporation (publ) (rated ‘A’ (Excellent) A.M. Best, and ‘A-’ (Superior) Standard & Poor’s).

“We are delighted that Coversure has chosen IMG Europe as its new product partner and managing general underwriter,” said Carl Carter, Managing Director of IMG Europe. “We worked closely with the Coversure team to make enhancements and add new features, resulting in a highly competitive product tailored for the Mediterranean expat market. In light of recent financial hardships throughout Europe, the timing could not be better for the launch of this much needed product. We have already seen considerable demand from brokers across Europe and particularly in Cyprus, Portugal and Spain.”

The program offers a wide choice of benefits and contains three sub-plans (Core, Prime and Prime Plus), each with a Standard and Premier Out-Patient option. It is available for expatriates of any nationality and local national individuals and families residing in Spain, Cyprus, Portugal, Malta, Greece or Gibraltar. Coverage for the Core and Prime sub-plans is based on treatment received within the insured’s country of residence (extending to Europe when treatment is not available locally). The Prime Plus sub-plan also allows treatment to be sought in-country or across Europe (with a reduced sum insured), plus 90 days worldwide (excluding USA and Canada) Accident and Emergency.

Additional valuable features include a 10 percent ‘Introductory Bonus Discount’ off the first year’s premium, and then an innovative ‘No Claims Discount’ structure of up to 20 percent off subsequent renewal premiums to reward customers who do not have any claims during their policy year.

“The product was initially available only in Cyprus and Portugal, but the demand for this type of product around Mediterranean Europe quickly led us to work with IMG Europe to extend it and the participating hospital network to include Spain, Greece, Malta and Gibraltar,” said Mr. Paul O’Sullivan, Director of Status Insurance Management Ltd. “We reviewed the market insurers and chose to work with IMG Europe and its parent company because they are recognized global leaders in this field and their philosophy of providing superior coverage and customer service was an excellent fit with our own similar corporate values. My experience of over 25 years working within the European and Mediterranean private medical insurance market works exceptionally well when combined with their reputation as worldwide leaders in the design and administration of global health care benefits.”

With highly competitive premiums available in both GBP and Euros, the program provides some of the widest choice of coverage options available in these areas as at June 2009. It is also backed by an extensive network of participating hospitals, doctors and clinics within the IMG Coversure third party independent Preferred Provider network.

Insureds also have access to MyIMG^SM, an online customer service portal that allows insureds to obtain documents, view the status of a claim, commence pre-certification and even search for and obtain details on over 16,000 hospitals, clinics and medical providers worldwide with IMG’s proprietary International Provider Access^SM (IPA) database.

About Coversure and Status Insurance Management Ltd

Coversure is the European Private Medical and Travel Insurance brand owned by Status Insurance Management Ltd (Status). The Coversure range of products also includes Expatriate Home Owners and Travel Insurance products. Status’ management team have wide experience in providing travel and private medical insurance products across mainland Europe for over 25 years. Despite numerous changes over the years in the way insurance is bought and sold, Status have always continued to review its products and services to ensure is remains at the leading edge in terms of product knowledge, product availability, technical ability and service levels. For more information, please contact Paul O’Sullivan at +44 (0) 1277 637581 or coversure@statusinsurance.com.