Essential Travel Limited is positioned to capitalise upon the achievements to date and the opportunities presented within the constantly changing insurance market place. The breadth and depth of experience of Essential Travel staff and management, dedication to customer and client satisfaction and a strong management control framework will create rapid and well-controlled expansion in existing and all new areas.
Essential Travel believe that offering competitive travel insurance is not enough, at Essential Travel we pride ourselves not only in the quality of our travel insurance products, but in the services that we offer, And when it comes to buying insurance of any description, the last thing you want is to spend a great deal of time and effort shopping round for information on suitable cover and policies through various underwriters.
That's why we are constantly reviewing our products and services to make sure that we are doing everything we can to ensure that we continue to offer our customers simple, yet comprehensive, range of insurance services, at prices that offer excellent value for money.

HEALTH CHECK
Essential Travel use Argyle Insurance Screening ( Medical ) Limited which was formed in 1999 and primarily established to medically screen clients of A.I.S Direct Limited, who are the 100% shareholders.
Persons with a pre-existing medical condition are requested to call the medical screening number. The process only takes a few minutes and in the majority of cases cover is confirmed at normal terms. However, depending upon the situation, on behalf of the insurer, a higher policy excess or decline to cover for a specific condition maybe imposed.
Although The Insurer (PTI) had never used the services of a professional Medical Screening unit before to reduce the level of fraudulent and pre-existing conditions, but when they became the underwriters for A.I.S Direct schemes, they helped to set the criteria and limits on which the service was to be developed. Now, through its growing reputation, Argyle Insurance Screening, has added a number of new clients such as The Travel Trust Association. During 2001 the company screened over 20,000 persons.

CLAIMS AGENCY
Claims Settlement Agencies Limited has been settling claims since 1990 and is the preferred Loss Adjusters for PTI and also handles certain claims for other insurers such as AXA. They are experienced in handling and maintaining large corporate accounts in particular Air Miles. They currently have 25 staff who is processing approximately 25,000 claims per year.

THE UNDERWRITER
Professional Travel Insurance Company Limited, a Gibraltar based Company, was incorporated in September 1989. PTI began business by writing accident and health risks for the International Airline Passengers Association whose worldwide membership consisted of over 100,000 individuals.
Over the following years, new business was added, including the underwriting of the risk of a London based direct travel insurance writer, Columbus.
In 1994, PTI acquired a controlling shareholding in Columbus before finally taking complete ownership the following year. This more than doubled the turnover of the new Group and provided PTI with a UK operating base.
In early 1997, The Collinson Group Limited, a London based company acquired the Group. Collinson has a turnover approaching L50 million, employs over 300 staff and has offices in; London, Dallas, Dubai, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Sydney.
The international network and financial base of the Collinson Group will be of great assistance in the development of PTI.
Compared with insurance companies generally, PTI are small. PTI put an emphasis on quality rather than quantity and have secured a comprehensive reinsurance programme, chiefly with Lloyds and the London corporate market, which gives stability and the capacity to expand.

EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
This is run by Medi-Call Limited who are directly appointed by PTI.
In the event of a medical emergency abroad persons holding an Essential Travel insurance policy should ring the given number. Here they will find a 24 hour operated helpline which is also multi-lingual and they, and they alone, have the authority to authorise the foreign hospital to administer the necessary treatment.
They will seek advise weather a patient should be moved/repatriated and make all the necessary arrangements not only for the client but close relative/friend to be present if needs be.