Travel insurance is complicated…until it isn't.
Twenty-five years on the carrier and administrator side taught me exactly where it gets complicated and exactly where travel companies leave money on the table. And under it. And behind it. I help them get it back.
The Problem
Most travel insurance programs are quietly hemorrhaging money. The one person who could spot it does not work for your organization, they work for your travel insurance administrator or the insurance carrier.
Which is a bit like asking the fox to audit the henhouse.
Sound familiar?
You want to run a RFP, but not sure where to start
Your take rate has been flat for years
You aren't sure when your commission split was last negotiated
Nobody on your revenue team owns this program day-to-day
It has been years since the travel insurance plan was received to ensure the coverage makes sense for your travelers
You suspect there's more money in it, but you don't know where to look
How it looks when someone who knows what they are doing is watching
Ancillary revenue you can understand and walk your senior management through with confidence
A partner relationship you can actually see into
Coverages that make sense for your clientele and your destinations
Someone on your revenue team who owns the program day-to-day
A clear number on what your program is worth today AND what it could be
Most of these gaps aren't hard to fix. They've just been waiting for someone to notice.
About Kelly
I know how insurance partners think — I used to be one.
I spent 25 years running travel insurance programs from inside the industry, working for and with carriers, administrators, customer service teams, assistance providers, non-insurance providers, brokers, every piece of the apparatus. Most recently, as Chief Commercial Officer, I oversaw one of the largest travel insurance books in the industry. The view from that seat taught me something valuable: most travel companies don't fully understand the complexity of travel insurance, and many are leaving money and better coverage on the table.
Seeing that pattern over and over is why I started The Sahner Group. Now I sit on their side of the table - helping travel companies build a great plan for their travelers, one that stops leaving money behind, and puts a solid growth strategy in place.
Beyond client work, I'm an active member of several industry organizations — not because I'm bored, but because it matters: the United States Travel Insurance Association (UStiA), Tourism Cares, 41-74, SYTA, SKÅL, and the United States Tour Operator Association (USTOA). For years, I made sure sustainability and equity had a seat at the table, including sponsoring USTOA's Future Lights recognition program at its annual conference.
Sustainable travel practices are vital to the survival of our industry. Today, I Co-Chair the Climate Risk committee for the United States Tour Operators Association. Climate changes are reshaping this business faster than most people are ready for, and I'd rather help figure that out than watch it happen from the sidelines.
The longer version →
Card-carrying member of:
What I do
I help travel companies not only understand their travel insurance programs, I help them grow their travel insurance revenue into a meaningful ancillary revenue source. Here's how that usually goes.
Program Audits
I look at your whole program with an honest eye. Coverage, take rate, what your insurance partner is keeping, who owns the program and revenue internally. When I'm done you'll know what's working, what isn't, and exactly what it's been costing you. Some of it will be uncomfortable. Sorry in advance.
RFP Management
Your advocate through every stage of the RFP, from shortlist to signed contract. I know the insurers' language, the right questions to ask, and the incentives to negotiate, so you land a partner that fits your needs now and can pivot when your business does.
Staff Training
Hands-on workshops for the people running your program every day. We cover compliance, sales scripts, product knowledge, and the complex details that trip people up. Your team deserves real training, and I'll make sure they get it.
Ongoing Advisory
A monthly retainer that puts me on your side of the table. Reviews, partner conversations, and someone to call when something's off.
Regulatory Oversight
Insurance is complex and regulated state by state. This means, 50 states, the potential for 50 different ways to offer and disseminate it...ok fine, 51 since DC also wants to chime in. I bring years of experience to help keep your organization properly licensed, so a shutdown notice and a fine never lands on your desk.
How this usually goes
Every engagement looks a little different, but they usually start the same way.
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Book a call
We get thirty minutes on the phone. You tell me what's driving you crazy about your program. I ask questions and tell you what I think.
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We pick our target
After the call, we figure out what will actually make a dent — maybe a full audit, maybe running your RFP, maybe a retainer, maybe a few hours to unpick one specific thing.
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We get to work
If we're a fit, we get started. I stay in it with you the whole way through. I'm not the kind of consultant who hands you a deck and disappears.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Where to find me
I spend a lot of time at industry events, and not just the insurance ones. The better I understand how travel companies actually work, the more useful I am. If you're at any of these, come find me.
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So — want a straight read on your program?
I'll tell you what's working, what isn't, and what you're leaving on the table. Bring coffee.