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SAP AG, the world’s leading provider of business software, employs nearly 44,000 people in over 50 countries worldwide. As with most multi-national organisations these days, they require that their employees travel more and more, adopting a global work method to meet the needs of their global customers. 

Until very recently, SAP’s travel insurance and assistance policy was very fragmented, symbolised by 25 different travel insurance contracts in 25 different countries. Not only did this coverage poorly reflect the company’s business travel structure, but there was no internal communication between the Insurance and Travel Management departments. The entire process lacked transparency and cost-effectiveness. It also involved an unnecessary amount of administrative time and energy that could have been put to much better use.

SAP began to ask the hard questions: is our travel insurance coverage the best that we can offer to our employees, both nationally and internationally?  How can we benefit from greater economies of scale without compromising on quality? Is it possible to consolidate all our national travel insurance agreements into one effective, coherent global contract? But each subsidiary has different needs, so our solution needs to remain flexible as well…is this possible?

After completing an in-depth internal review of its Travel insurance and risk management strategy, SAP launched a Request for Proposal in December 2005. Mondial Assistance succeeded in winning the 5-year contract thanks to its Business Travel Assist modular package solution.  Mondial Assistance immediately appointed a Key Account Manager, who began to work directly with SAP’s decision maker in its Travel Insurance department to fully assess the company’s short and long-term global and local needs.

The results speak for themselves!  Together Mondial Assistance and SAP created an entirely customised solution - SAP Travel Assist, which offers global travel insurance coverage based on a global premium scheme, and yet is flexible enough to adapt to the company’s local subsidiaries and their individual needs for travel insurance and assistance.  

Administrative interventions have decreased by 80%, cost savings have increased by 25%, and there is greater transparency across the board.  So far 20 SAP subsidiaries worldwide benefit from this global contract.  The objective by the end of 2008 is to complete the integration of all other SAP subsidiaries into this effective travel insurance and assistance coverage solution.

Krones began its manufacturing operations in 1951 and today operates globally as a world leader in brewery technology. Its customers are primarily breweries and beverage producers, the food industry, and the chemical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Krones employs over 9,000 people and operates more than 40 support facilities around the world.

Many of its employees travel regularly into high risk regions, where threats of terrorist acts such as kidnappings present constant concern. Traditionally, it carried travel insurance for its business travellers that unfortunately was inadequate. The policy excluded coverage for terrorism in crisis regions like Somalia, where Krones employees, many of whom are third country nationals, frequently travel for long periods of time. The coverage was also very expensive and did not reflect the company’s travel structure. To top it off, the insurance provider had no expertise in providing emergency travel assistance, clearly of critical importance to Krones as a caring employer.
Krones needed a tailor made, cost effective travel insurance and assistance solution that included protection even in high risk regions. There were other priorities to meet as well: coverage for up to 365 consecutive days; coverage for employees travelling from abroad to Germany, and a multi-lingual emergency assistance service around the clock!

It launched a request for proposal and entered into negotiations with Mondial Assistance. The process was successfully concluded after four weeks.  Mondial Assistance immediately named a Key Account Manager to begin working with the Directors of Krones’ Medical , Insurance and Travel departments. They conducted an in-depth joint analysis of the company’s needs for travel insurance and assistance services, with a particular focus on emergency travel insurance and assistance services in very sensitive, crisis prone regions.

This reflexion led to the creation of a customised “Krones Travel Assist” solution, offering all-inclusive special assistance services and travel insurance for business trips in crisis regions, including coverage for terrorist threats or acts. It offers long-term coverage (up to 365 days) and coverage for third party nationals.  Mondial Assistance also launched a project with its crisis management business partner to design a crisis contingency plan should a kidnapping occur.  Successful and much appreciated by employees,  Krones Travel Assist has also reduced the company’s travel insurance premium by 15%.