Selling Medical Insurance to Brazil Travelers – An Expert Offers Advice

How should an agent or broker approach selling travel medical insurance to those heading to Brazil? The answer is simple: know what potential dangers they face, provide them with the information to reduce their risk, and in the event they need to file a claim, make sure they understand the insurance company’s claims process.

As president and CEO of Indianapolis-based Tokio Marine HCC – MIS Group,* a leading provider of international insurance coverage, I wanted to provide some risk management advice to insurance agents of those heading to Brazil. Insurance agents may be faced with questions such as: Is the region safe for travelers? What benefits and coverages should they look for when purchasing travel medical insurance?

I’ll quickly address these pressing questions. In January 2016, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a level two travel alert for those traveling to Brazil and to 13 other Latin American countries due to Zika.

The CDC also urges pregnant women not to travel to the region. For other travelers, until the U.S. Department of State says otherwise, it is considered safe to travel to Brazil, though you’ll need to take normal travel precautions like wearing long-sleeve shirts to avoid mosquito bites.

However, visitors still need to take precautions to lower the risk of being mugged, pick-pocketed, or express-kidnapped. Walking in groups, not wearing expensive-looking jewelry, and acting as locals do are great first steps to reducing the risk of falling victim to any of these crimes.

Be Aware of Your Surroundings

Travelers should be aware of their surroundings as there is always a risk of crime or even “express-kidnappings.”

Express-kidnappings are classified as abductions in which the victim is held for a small-yet-immediate ransom. In some cases, victims are forced to withdraw money from his or her account at an ATM. This is certainly something to warn your future policyholders about as they purchase coverage, which leads me to my next point: educate your policyholders.

Educate Policyholders

It is important to educate policyholders on the coverages they need, based on the region they plan to visit. Simply outfitting them with arbitrary and lowest-possible coverage amounts is something that could work against them. In the event that they need to file a claim, they may discover their individual coverage needs have not been met. Talk with clients about benefits like political evacuation, crisis response and terrorism coverage. These kinds of benefits may be more applicable in Brazil than other areas. Your customers look to you for guidance on these issues.

Reducing Injury & Illness Risks

Give your customers simple, real-world advice – this way they will avoid becoming victims of opportunistic acts of violence. By taking these steps, they are less likely to present themselves as targets, thus reducing their overall risk.

Food or waterborne illnesses can be a direct result of either food poisoning or drinking contaminated water. For this reason, drinking only bottled water is recommended. Explain to your clients that washing their hands regularly, checking for fully-cooked meat, and always eating in restaurants rather than street vendors are ways to reduce the risk of illness. Although it may seem obvious, they may not consider it because of the excitement of travel.

Filing Claims

Lastly, advise customers to keep all official documentation and any receipts for expenses incurred as a result of illness or injury. Some insurers pay for medical expenses up front. Others require the claimant to pay for medical expenses initially, and then file for reimbursement. Make sure they know the claims process to allow your clients to plan accordingly.

As with any form of international travel, people need to assess safety conditions prior to traveling to know what to expect in the event of an emergency. This is because keeping safe in a foreign country can pose a challenge, but it is certainly possible. It is our job to prevent insurance from adding to the stress by making the process as simple as possible. Use these tips with your clients, and you’ll have a hand in keeping them safe and healthy.

* Tokio Marine HCC – MIS Group is a member of the Tokio Marine HCC group of companies.