ARTA is proud to offer Emergency Travel Insurance as part of the following plans: Total Health, Ultimate Health, ARTARx+Travel, as well as Primary, Core, Essential and Enhanced Health. This coverage allows members on those plans to travel worry-free, knowing they are covered in the event of a sudden and unexpected medical emergency.
ARTA's best-in-class Emergency Travel Insurance is underwritten by an insurance partner, and the Association has long prided itself on the quality of this service. However, in the years following the pandemic, it became clear to members and ARTA administration that the quality of service offered by our insurance partner was falling short of our expectations. This service was not able to consistently meet the needs of ARTA members.
At the direction of ARTA's Health Benefits Committee (HBC), ARTA distributed a request for proposals to eight different Canadian Emergency Travel Insurance providers. The responses were reviewed by the HBC, and short-listed candidates were invited to present to the committee, and to answer specific questions that ARTA prepared. The HBC then recommended a decision to the Board of Directors, which voted unanimously to switch travel providers effective November 1, 2023.
The new ARTA Emergency Travel Insurance underwriter is Beneva, and the new travel assistance provider is AXA Assistance.
What you need to know:
- All coverage under ARTA's Emergency Travel Insurance contract remains the same.
Review the travel certificate - The contact phone numbers (1-844-996-9003 and 1-519-342-0142) for ARTA’s Emergency Travel Insurance remains the same.
- There is a policy number change, which is why new benefit ID cards are being mailed to all members.
- Any claims incurred up to October 31 at 11:59pm MT will be submitted to (and adjudicated by) Allianz Global Assistance.
- Any claims incurred after November 1 at 12:00am MT — including supplementary travel insurance purchases — will be submitted to (and adjudicated by) Beneva.
- Note that claims are dependent the date of the emergency, not the date of departure. Emergencies that happen prior to November 1 will be processed through Allianz. Emergencies that happen on or after November 1 will be processed through Beneva, regardless of date of departure.
When finding a new Emergency Travel Insurance partner, it pays to take the time to make the right selection. We appreciate your patience as ARTA completed its due diligence to find the right fit, a partner that can deliver the same travel coverage with the level of service ARTA members expect and deserve.
If you terminated ARTA's Emergency Travel Insurance from your Benefit Plan during the pandemic and wish to add coverage to your Benefit Plan again, you will be subject to evidence of insurability. Contact the ARTA Member Services team for more information.