Award winners 2009 - Athens

Air Ambulance provider of the year

Sponsor - Eurami

CEGA Air Ambulance - With over 30 years in the business, CEGA Air Ambulance Limited leads the way in patient flight care. Based out of new airside hangers at Bournemouth International Airport, we believe our fleet of medically dedicated King Air 200s are the safest and most suitable aircraft for efficient patient transfer and we only ever use the very latest aeromedical equipment available. The reach of our aircraft extends throughout Europe, Scandinavia and North Africa, as well as the Canary Islands and the Mediterranean. This covers the majority of favoured British holiday destinations. You can be assured that our highly-skilled and extensively-trained pilots, doctors, nurses and ground support personnel are totally focused on patient care, whilst our operational staff provide full end-to-end case management and cost control.
CEGA - we're there to help.

Assistance/Claims Handler of the year

Sponsor - Air Ambulance Worldwide

CEGA Group - CEGA began in 1973 when two brothers, Clive Edwin and Graham Alastair Ponsford, launched an air taxi company. Thirty-six years on and CEGA has developed into a leading international claims and assistance group offering a range of bespoke products and services to an ever growing list of blue chip clients.
A highly qualified multi-lingual workforce of nearly 400 staff provide an array of claims and assistance services ranging from travel, health and personal accident to airline and tour operator failure and corporate risk management. In the midst of its growth, the company has retained its innovative and friendly style, along with the core values it has held throughout its three decades of existence. CEGA's clients include many of the UK's largest brands including ABTA, Aviva, AXA PPP, Barclays, BBC, Brit, Chubb, HSBC, Liverpool Victoria, Nationwide and QBE to name just a few.
CEGA - we're there to help.

Cost Containment company and provider of  the year  (to include PPOs and general  services)

Sponsor - Aeromedevac, Inc.

Olympus Managed Health Care - Olympus began operations in 1994, and was a pioneer in developing network management solutions for international health care payors. From that base, Olympus has evolved into a leading independent provider of healthcare claims administration and cost management services, utilising both traditional services and unique solutions. As an accredited ISO 9001:2008 company, Olympus is committed to ensuring the highest quality service standards for it products and services. Our clients receive precise client management, around-the-clock access to our call center; on-staff medical professionals, provider networks and EDI enabled technological capacity. Together with its affiliates and alliances, Olympus delivers a comprehensive solution that offers an innovative approach to managing health care costs and adding value to its clients' products. The Olympus group of companies operates from its headquarters located in Miami, Florida and through regional offices located in the United States and abroad.

Insurer/Underwriter of the year

Sponsor - Jet ICU

Mondial Assistance - As an international leader in assistance, travel insurance and customer relationship services, our success is built on a strategy of strengthening customer loyalty for our clients, whilst boosting their revenue opportunities. Working hand in hand with clients, we respond to market changes, providing innovative, integrated solutions that meet customer demand. Our pioneering web-based travel insurance solutions have carved us a niche in the low-cost airline industry, and have become a springboard for conquering new markets for our travel portfolio, such as telecommunications. Fundamental to our success is our knowledge of Financial Services Authority (FSA) regulations and our ability to achieve Appointed Representatives status for our clients. Comprehensive management information enables us to capitalize on all aspects of the client's product and enhance their brand. Underpinning our e-commerce offering is a worldwide network of customer services experts, dedicated to delivering policy sales, claims management and international medical assistance and repatriation. Mondial deals with an intervention every two seconds around the world and boasts a network of 400,000 service providers and 180 correspondents.

Intermediary of the year (to include all retailers of  travel insurance)

Sponsor - Inchcape Shipping Services

Preferential - Preferential was established in 1996 and is based in Dorking, Surrey. From its inception, Preferential, unlike many others, has solely specialised in travel insurance; providing innovative, tailored solutions to each customer's requirements. The group is uniquely structured and consists of three separate divisions:
Preferential Insurance Services - the business to business division.
Staffed by experienced travel insurance managers, this division provides solutions to the Travel trade, Financial Services and Affinity group sectors counting leading cruise, airline and retail companies amongst its client portfolio.
Optimum - the underwriting division
Now one of the UK's leading travel underwriting agencies, Optimum manages each individual component of a travel insurance programme. They have acted, since inception, under delegated authority from Groupama Insurance Company Limited and are a participating member of the Travel Underwriters Group.
Preferential Direct - the consumer division
Marketing a comprehensive portfolio of Preferential branded travel insurance products direct to specific consumer groups fulfilled via either the web or their own UK based call centre. As a result Preferential has provided policies for millions of UK travellers in 2008 making them one of the leaders in the field.

ITIJ marketing campaign of the year (judged independently)

award sponsored by ITIJ

Global Excel Management - Established in 1996, Global Excel Management Inc. is highly specialised in services related to the Canadian, American, Mexican and Caribbean healthcare systems.Offering a 'complete solution' to all our customers, Global Excel is a market leader in the provision of assistance, cost containment, case management and claims adjudication services for over 110 clients located in more than 26 countries around the world. We offer our clients telephone assistance 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and by not outsourcing this important aspect of our offering - the service - we are able to maintain an exceptional level of customer service.