Europ Assistance Australia (EAA) has begun underwriting travel insurance under its own Australian general insurance licence after receiving authorisation from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), making it an APRA‑regulated general insurer in the local travel insurance market. The licence allows EAA to operate as a general insurer in Australia and to underwrite travel insurance risks directly on its own balance sheet rather than relying only on third‑party carriers.
The licence took effect from the date of approval, with EAA now underwriting travel insurance products in Australia in its own name. The authorisation followed what the company described as the completion of a “rigorous due diligence process” by APRA, and EAA said the move will align its Australian operations with its global travel insurance and assistance structure. EAA entered the Australia and New Zealand markets in 2022 through the acquisition of Insure & Go and Tick, two direct-to-consumer brands with more than 10 years of operating history in the region. Since that time, EAA has added offices in Brisbane and Auckland to its Sydney regional headquarters and has Flight Centre Travel Group as a distribution partner for travel insurance and assistance services. The company reports that, through its global assistance network, it supported more than 1.3 million travellers from Australia and New Zealand in 2025 and now employs more than 200 staff across its local operations.
EAA has described the licence as a way to manage product design, pricing, and risk directly within the Australian regulatory framework. “Our mission has always been simple and care focused – to bring travellers from distress to relief, anytime. Securing our own licence in Australia strengthens our ability to deliver on that promise with even greater speed, care, and accountability,” said Justin Sebire (pictured), CEO of Europ Assistance in Australia and New Zealand.
Independent chair Francois de Meneval said the licence would allow EAA to structure coverage and benefits for changing travel patterns and risk profiles. “This licence provides EAA with the flexibility to design and deliver products that are closely aligned with how, where, and why Australians travel, ensuring that relevant, modern, and future-ready insurance solutions are available,” de Meneval said. EAA’s shift from operating mainly as a distributor to holding an APRA authorisation as a general insurer introduces another carrier in the travel insurance class, with potential implications for capacity, product structures, and distribution arrangements with intermediaries, travel agents, and online platforms.
Within Europ Assistance Group, the Australian licence is being presented as part of a wider regional and group strategy in Asia-Pacific, supported by parent company Generali Group. “Securing our own prudential licence is a natural step in strengthening Europ Assistance Group’s commitment to the Australian market. Australia is a strategic market for us, and we are investing to bring the full strength of our global capabilities to local travellers. This milestone reinforces our ambition to grow sustainably and to continue delivering trusted, end to end care to our Australian and New Zealander partners and travellers,” said Hassen Bennour, CEO of Europ Assistance for Asia-Pacific.
Founded in 1963, Europ Assistance was among the early providers of international assistance services for travellers. The group now operates in more than 200 countries and territories, with a direct presence in 39 countries and a workforce of more than 11,000 employees. Its assistance infrastructure includes 29 travel medical assistance centres and a network of more than 4,500 medical facilities and doctors, handling about 40 million calls each year. Europ Assistance is wholly owned by Generali Group, which supports the assistance business in areas such as reinsurance, investment management, commercial development, risk, IT security, ESG, and financial reporting. Governance is overseen by a Group Management Committee and a board of directors responsible for setting strategy and monitoring implementation across geographies and business lines.
For the Australian market, EAA’s APRA authorisation adds a global group-owned carrier to the travel insurance class at a time when international travel patterns and exposures continue to change. The licence enables EAA to manage capital, reinsurance, and product development under Australian prudential standards while making use of its global assistance network and its relationship with Generali. Market participants are likely to monitor how EAA applies its new status in areas such as schemes with travel partners, white-label arrangements, and the mix between direct, intermediary, and corporate distribution channels in Australia and New Zealand.
