Chubb and Swiss Re partner over new flight cover

Chubb European Group, in partnership with Swiss Re and FlightStats, will underwrite a new insurance cover for airline travellers, according to a Sept. 8 statement.

The new offering will cover the additional costs and inconvenience travellers face due to flight cancellations and delays. The flight delay insurance will be available to UK 'App in the Air' users through their travel assistant app.

Alex Blake, senior vice-president and global head of travel insurance at Chubb, said: "This exciting new proposition, launched in partnership with Swiss Re, FlightStats and App in the Air, marks an important step in our strategy to develop new and innovative ways to reach more customers with very tailored and relevant insurance offers. It also addresses a previously unmet customer need, having been designed specifically to pay out when they may not otherwise be eligible for compensation from their airline carrier.

According to the statement, the claims will be validated in real time using data from FlightStats, a provider of real-time global flight data to consumers and the travel industry, and paid directly into the customer’s PayPal or bank account, or credited to their debit or credit card, within an hour, or at the latest within 72 hours of arriving at their destination.

Blake added: "Being able to assess claims automatically in real time, without any action on the side of the customer - such as obtaining proof of the incident - and then pay the claim directly to their PayPal or nominated bank account, debit or credit card, we think will be an appealing feature and provide the level of service we all now expect in our ever-increasing online, digital lives."

Bayram Annakov, CEO of App in the Air, commented: "Working in conjunction with Chubb and Swiss Re has enabled us to develop a proposition that addresses a real and increasing customer need. This is exactly the kind of positive experience we want to provide to App in the Air users."