PassportCard
PassportCard is a privately held, Israel-headquartered cross-border health and travel insurance provider serving 2 million insured in 150+ countries. It offers travel insurance, International Private Medical Insurance for expats and digital nomads, and a proprietary red-card payment system enabling real-time, cashless medical payments without traditional claims.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersBorehamwood, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What PassportCard does
PassportCard (legal entity: DavidShield-PassportCard Ltd.) is a cross-border health and travel insurance company founded in 1999 by Alon Ketzef and headquartered in Netanya, Israel. The company sells short-trip travel insurance for leisure and business travelers, International Private Medical Insurance (IPMI) for expats, digital nomads, and relocating families, and a payment-solutions product built around its proprietary "red card" — a hybrid insurance/debit card that allows policyholders to top up funds via a mobile app and tap to pay directly at medical providers worldwide without upfront out-of-pocket expenses or traditional claims paperwork. Its underlying technology stack combines a real-time coverage activation platform, an integrated payment card system, a 24/7 multilingual Doctor-on-Call service, and an ISO 27001/ISO 27799-certified security infrastructure (OWASP Top 10-aligned development, TLS 1.3, AES-256 at rest, 2FA). Coverage is delivered to over 2 million insured in 150+ countries through 31 operation centers and three regional subsidiaries (Israel, Germany, Australia).
PassportCard's business model is primarily subscription-recurring: annual travel and IPMI premiums collected from individuals, families, and corporate groups, supplemented by transaction-fee revenue from card-based medical payments, foreign currency exchange, and VAT refund services offered through PassportCard Financial Services Ltd. The company runs a multi-channel go-to-market combining direct online sales, a broker/agent distribution network, and a dedicated enterprise sales team serving more than 1,200 corporate accounts. The group is privately held under White Mountains Insurance Group (NYSE: WTM), with the founding Ketzef family retaining active leadership. In May 2025, PassportCard acquired Pattern, an API-driven embedded insurance platform, to extend distribution into B2B2C channels. Recent industry recognition includes the 2024 Canstar Outstanding Value Travel Insurance – Cruise award, the 2024 ITIJ Award, and the 2021 GIA Gold Award.
PassportCard operates in the cross-border mobility insurance segment, where its principal differentiator versus traditional insurers is the real-time, cashless settlement enabled by the red card architecture, and where its principal competitive risk is concentration in a niche (travelers and expats) whose growth depends on continued global mobility and the willingness of brokers and partners to embed the product.
PassportCard firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PassportCard
- Legal name
- DavidShield-PassportCard Ltd.
- Website
- https://passportcard.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- PassportCard is a privately held, Israel-headquartered cross-border health and travel insurance provider serving 2 million insured in 150+ countries. It offers travel insurance, International Private Medical Insurance for expats and digital nomads, and a proprietary red-card payment system enabling real-time, cashless medical payments without traditional claims.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PassportCard industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Travel and International Health Insurance
- NAICS
- All Other Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services (561599)
- SIC
- Accident & Health Insurance (6321), Hospital & Medical Service Plans (6324)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Travel Medical Insurance (Individual) (FSAIAEAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Medical Travel Insurance (Emergency Medical, Evacuation & Repatriation) (FSAJAJAB), Cross-Border Telemedicine, Second Opinion & Care Navigation Facilitators (THAKAIAM), Travel Money Cards & Multi-Currency Prepaid (FSAMANAI)
Keywords
Where PassportCard is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Borehamwood
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
PassportCard business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Travel Insurance Premiums: Insurance premiums collected from travelers purchasing coverage for short leisure or business trips abroad. Coverage is activated in real-time with the PassportCard debit card system.
- International Private Medical Insurance (IPMI) Premiums: Recurring premiums for expats living or working abroad long-term, providing comprehensive international health coverage with virtual consultations and multilingual support.
- PASSPORTCARD Financial Services: Financial services including issuance of the payment card for medical provider payments, foreign currency exchange, and indirect tax refunds (VAT) for tourism purchases.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Short trip travel insurance for leisure or business travelers |
| Subscription | Annual | Long-term international medical insurance for expats |
| Subscription | Annual | Corporate group insurance plans |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
PassportCard product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PassportCard provides travel insurance and international private medical insurance (IPMI) to individuals, families, and corporate groups, with a proprietary payment card (Red Card) that enables real-time coverage activation and direct payments to medical providers worldwide. The company offers 24/7 multilingual assistance, virtual doctor consultations, and operates in 150+ countries.
Product overview
PassportCard offers a multi-product insurance platform centered on real-time, cashless health coverage for travelers and expats. The core portfolio consists of Travel Insurance for short leisure or business trips, International Private Medical Insurance (IPMI) for expats, and a unique Payment Solutions product featuring the PassportCard red card as a global debit/insurance hybrid. Sub-brands include PassportCard Travel, PassportCard Relocation, and PassportCard Financial Services. Value-added services include Pack a Hero (24/7 medical backup) and Doctor on Call (24/7 online medical consultations). The company recently acquired Pattern to expand into API-driven embedded insurance.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PassportCard Travel: Travel insurance for short leisure or business trips with real-time coverage activation and immediate expense coverage through the red card system.
- PassportCard Relocation
- PassportCard Payment Solutions
Products and services
- Travel Insurance
Quantifiable outcome
- Real-time claim settlement in minutes vs traditional claims process
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use PassportCard
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
PassportCard technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
PassportCard partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- PatterncorePassportCard acquired Pattern, a developer of an API-driven embedded insurance platform. The acquisition aims to enhance PassportCard's embedded insurance offerings and innovation in customer experience, expanding its global technological capabilities in the travel and digital insurance sectors.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
PassportCard competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- World Nomads: World Nomads is a leading travel insurance provider for international leisure and adventure travelers, directly competing with PassportCard's short-trip travel insurance product on a global basis.
- GeoBlue: GeoBlue provides international travel health insurance and long-term expatriate medical coverage, closely matching PassportCard's IPMI offering for globally mobile individuals and corporate assignees.
- IMG Global (International Medical Group): IMG offers international travel medical insurance and global health plans for individuals, families, and groups, overlapping PassportCard's IPMI and corporate group product lines.
- SafetyWing: SafetyWing sells global health and travel insurance targeted at remote workers and digital nomads, the same primary customer segment as PassportCard's IPMI product. Both offer subscription-based cross-border health coverage with cashless claims positioning.
- Now Health International: Now Health International provides international private medical insurance for individuals and corporate groups across multiple geographies, directly comparable to PassportCard's IPMI portfolio.
Broad incumbents
- AXA Travel Insurance: AXA offers international travel insurance alongside its broader P&C and life portfolio, providing scale advantages over PassportCard in markets where AXA's distribution and reinsurance dominate.
- Bupa Global: Bupa Global provides international health insurance for individuals and corporate groups, comparable to PassportCard's IPMI offering but with broader geographic coverage and broader product portfolio.
- AIG Travel: AIG Travel offers international travel insurance products through corporate and consumer channels, competing with PassportCard's short-trip and corporate travel insurance products.
- Allianz Travel: Allianz Travel is a global travel insurance incumbent offered by Allianz Partners, competing with PassportCard's travel insurance product through far broader distribution and brand recognition.
- Cigna Global Health: Cigna Global Health provides international private medical insurance for expatriates and globally mobile employees, overlapping PassportCard's IPMI and corporate group offerings as part of a much larger benefits portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PassportCard social profiles
Digital presencePassportCard compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
PassportCard financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PassportCard leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
PassportCard subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
PassportCard funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PassportCard M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PassportCard
What does PassportCard do?
PassportCard provides travel insurance and international private medical insurance (IPMI) to individuals, families, and corporate groups, with a proprietary payment card (Red Card) that enables real-time coverage activation and direct payments to medical providers worldwide. The company offers 24/7 multilingual assistance, virtual doctor consultations, and operates in 150+ countries.
Is PassportCard a public or private company?
PassportCard is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was PassportCard founded?
PassportCard was founded in 1999. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is PassportCard based?
PassportCard is headquartered in Borehamwood, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does PassportCard make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Travel Insurance Premiums are the primary driver. The others are international Private Medical Insurance (IPMI) Premiums and PASSPORTCARD Financial Services.
Who are PassportCard's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are World Nomads, GeoBlue, IMG Global (International Medical Group), SafetyWing and Now Health International. Broad incumbents are AXA Travel Insurance, Bupa Global, AIG Travel, Allianz Travel and Cigna Global Health.
Does PassportCard have an API?
Yes. PassportCard acquired Pattern, a developer of an API-driven embedded insurance platform, to enhance its global technological capabilities in the travel and digital insurance sectors. Pattern's API enables embedded insurance offerings and innovation in customer experience.
What industry is PassportCard in?
PassportCard's product category is Travel and International Health Insurance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAIAEAI, Travel Medical Insurance (Individual), with a secondary code of FSAJAJAB, Medical Travel Insurance (Emergency Medical, Evacuation & Repatriation). Its NAICS code is 561599 and its SIC code is 6321.