The Travel Health Insurance Association (THIA) has launched the Travel Insurance Program (TRIP), an online training module.

Developed by the THIA’s educational department, the program was created “by the industry for the industry,” association spokesperson Adrienne Simic told Insurance Journal.

Nine modules

It should take each participant 10 hours to complete the nine interactive capsules that TRIP comprises. The program covers travel insurance products, pricing and underwriting, sales and distribution, assistance and claims, compliance and regulation, and ethics and fraud. 

The association says that the studies are intended for travel insurance professionals such as life insurance adivsors, travel agents and professionals in travel assistance, or students and individuals who are interested in joining the travel industry.

Outcome: Certification

People who complete the training and pass the final exam will receive travel insurance certification. This certification is not an official license to practice. Rather it is a tool for professionals who want to certify their knowledge and earn travellers’ trust.

“We want this certification to become a superior standard in the travel insurance industry. We want consumers to know that they can buy travel insurance from a certified vendor,” Simic explains.

Enrolment costs between $99 and $285, and participants can earn continuing education credits in select provinces. TRIP is currently available in English only.