Steamship Mutual, the leading P&I Club, and Allianz Worldwide Care, one of the World’s foremost providers of healthcare insurance, have entered into a Preferred Partner agreement with the aim of ensuring a ship’s crew have complete insurance coverage. Whilst Steamship Mutual cover an owner’s liability to his crew, Allianz Worldwide Care insure the crew themselves for medical and healthcare expenses. By aligning the covers and cooperating together, Steamship Mutual and Allianz Worldwide Care can deliver the fullest and most efficient insurance programme for their clients.
Steamship Mutual has been focussing its recent loss prevention initiatives on crew welfare, so this new cooperation is a natural progression for the club. Having a healthy crew on board should result in fewer claims and less operational disruption for the Club’s Members.
The Alliance Worldwide Care insurance is personal to each crewmember and provides cover for their medical costs,without deductible, irrespective of a shipowner’s liability. This means if a crewmember is unwell or has an accident whilst onshore, they can seek medical help without any cost to themselves and be fit when they join their vessel.
Providing seafarers with additional health benefits also encourages crew loyalty and if extended to cover their family, will provide peace of mind to seafarers during the long periods they are away from home. The Preferred Partner agreement now means that Members of Steamship Mutual will benefit from improved premium levels for Allianz Worldwide Care’s healthcare insurance.
Speaking at the announcement of the partnership, Gary Rynsard, Executive Chairman, Steamship Insurance Management Services Ltd, said “Healthy body; healthy mind” is a well-known expression and one that applies equally to seafarers. If crew arrive onboard fit and well, they are less likely to make the kind of mistakes which not only cause claims, but also impact on the efficiency of vessel operations. Every time a crewmember is sick or has an accident, there is a cost to our Members’ business. So Steamship Mutual is delighted to have entered into this agreement with Allianz Worldwide Care to offer all our Members, large or small, the opportunity to protect their crew at competitive prices.”
As with Steamship Mutual, Allianz Worldwide Care has a commitment to provide the best possible service in their market sector and to developing long-term partnerships with their clients. Their cover can be for crew, superintendents, their dependents or shoreside staff and will be available for all vessels in a Member’s fleet whether or not all the vessels are entered in the Club. Ida Luka Lognone, CEO Allianz Worldwide Care commenting on the announcement said “We are immensely proud to provide international health and life insurance to members of the prestigious Steamship Mutual P & I Club. Allianz Worldwide Care addresses the ever-evolving needs of our members through a greater range of support services, digital innovation and connectivity, making life simpler, easier and safer for clients”.
Steamship Mutual is committed to the promotion of a healthy lifestyle amongst seafarers. The Club offers Members a number of resources to help promote crew fitness levels for seagoing employment. Previously, Steamship Mutual released its “Fit for Life” DVD, which is aimed at raising awareness amongst crew of the issues which can compromise fitness. The instructive DVD encourages a healthy lifestyle and the means by which seafarers can monitor their health and obtain early warning of any issues that could threaten fitness, and address such issues with early medical assistance.
