Sabrina Gordon, Business Reporter

In a bid to grow business in a tight market, Angel Aid Limited, a 24-hour medical and emergency-response service, is teaming up with the Insurance Company of the West Indies (ICWI) to take its suite of services to the insurance company's women drivers.

While the precise terms of the service-alliance deal signed last week have not been disclosed, the ICWI is expected to purchase services from Angel Aid, to be offered as additional benefits under its existing 'Road Angel' policy at no extra cost to policyholders.

Angel Aid began business as Guardian Angel Limited but changed its name two years ago to avoid 'product confusion' in the marketplace, where at least two other players sport that moniker - Guardian Life and Guardian Insurance Brokers.

The company was founded by Robert Hale, whose background in insurance in markets spans Canada, The Cayman Islands and Jamaica.

Services

Angel Aid, which began offering services to the public only last year, operates a 24-hour medical helpline offering roadside assistance, ambulance services, referrals to specialists and consultants, house calls and escort services, among other services.

Company officials said the medical helpline service was put together over the past two years.

The call centre is staffed by 30 persons, with emergency medical technicians, nurses and doctors working on shift.

"We started business in June 2008, so we are currently building our membership," said Janet Phillips, vice-president of operations at Angel Aid.

The company uses the term 'membership' to refer to clients.

Phillips was reluctant to disclose Angel Aid's current membership base or growth projections. But under the deal it now has with the ICWI, it has a potential client base of 14,000 Road Angel policyholders.

"All potential clients we seek is with the aim of pushing the business forward," Phillips said.

ICWI evasive

The ICWI - a property, auto and casualty insurance company with a market presence in five Caribbean countries - too, has been evasive about the financial value of the arrangement.

"We are not willing to disclose the financial cost to the company for purchasing a membership for each of our insured," said Samantha Samuda, assistant vice-president marketing and distribution at the ICWI, in response to The Sunday Business.

"Angel Aid Limited approached ICWI a few months back to partner with us to offer our Road Angel policyholders membership. Every Road Angel, new or upon renewal, will receive an Angel Aid membership card," she said.

An ICWI's Road Angel policyholder eligible for the maximum no-claim discount pays just under $39,000-plus general consumption tax, to insure a motor vehicle valued at $2 million.

Its 14,000 Road Angel policies, according to Samuda, represent 34 per cent of the ICWI's overall portfolio.

Angel Aid now offers its services under three plans - bronze, silver and gold - with a graduated level of service access.

The bronze package, its lowest priced, varies in cost from $450 to $1,379.16 monthly, depending on several variables.

The silver package ranges from $700 to $1,837.50 per month, while the gold plan spans $1,000 to $3062.50 per month depending on one's family status.

"Nurses are part of the staff; doctors are on retainer," said Phillips. "When you call we have the ability to deploy doctors to your aid, depending on your location."

Angel Aid is entering a field in which airlifts, nursing services, house calls, and ambulance services are available from private companies.

Services unmatched

But Phillips said the breadth of Angel Aid's services is unmatched.

"We have overseas providers who can assist you in cases of medical emergencies worldwide," she said.

"And, yes, we can arrange for air ambulances."

The ICWI has not indicated which package of Angel Aid services it will be purchasing for the add-on to its Road Angel policy.

The insurance company, which offers nine insurance products, including one exclusively for men, as indicated on its website, said there is no plan to extend to its other policies the benefits now offered through its alliance with Angel Aid.

sabrina.gordon@gleanerjm.com