Travel Insured International (TII), the trip protection business within Crum & Forster’s accident and health division, has partnered with Tern, an AI-powered operating system for travel advisors and agencies, to embed its travel insurance plans in the platform.
Advisors will be able to quote and sell TII cover directly within the itineraries they build for clients. Because trip and client details are already stored in Tern, a quote can be generated in a few clicks, and clients can opt in without the advisor re-entering information on a separate portal. Tern says it is used by more than 16,000 travel advisors and agencies, who manage $2 billion in trips a year.
A growing distribution channel
Barbra Taylor, president of TII, said the deal is part of a broader distribution strategy.
“As part of C&F, TII is advancing a broader travel insurance distribution strategy by integrating our protection into the platforms and workflows advisors already use every day,” Taylor said.
David Shull, Tern’s co-founder and chief executive, said offering travel insurance often takes advisors 10 to 20 minutes of re-entering trip details into a separate portal, and that the integration removes that step.
The deal targets a channel that is regaining ground. According to the American Society of Travel AdvisorsUS travel agencies sold nearly $130 billion in travel in 2025, and 25% of travel is now booked through an agency.
Travel insurance shift
The partnership reflects a broader shift in how travel insurance is sold. Rather than relying on advisors to send clients to a separate quoting tool, carriers are building cover into the software advisors already use, so the offer is made at the point of booking, when take-up is typically highest.
For travel advisors, who generally sell travel insurance under limited licensing rules for travel retailers, reducing the time spent quoting could increase how often cover is offered, and with it their commission income.
The trade-off for carriers is that the platform becomes a gatekeeper. As agency software providers integrate insurers, being the default insurer on a platform with thousands of advisors could become a significant source of growth. Competing travel insurers will need similar integrations to stay visible in the advisor channel.
Source: www.insurancebusinessmag.com
