Universal Assistance
Universal Assistance is a Zurich-owned travel-assistance provider offering tiered medical, baggage and trip-delay coverage to individual travelers across 18 Latin American countries via mobile app, country-specific websites, and a travel-agency partner portal.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersBuenos Aires, Argentina
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Universal Assistance does
Universal Assistance is a Buenos Aires-headquartered travel-assistance provider operating across 18 Latin American markets (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Uruguay). Founded in 1980 and operating as part of the Zurich Covermore group under the Zurich Insurance Group, the company provides medical, baggage, cancellation and trip-delay assistance to individual travelers, families, students, seniors, business travelers and athletes, with country-specific product, pricing and regulatory localization in each market.
The product portfolio is anchored on tiered per-trip plans (Value, Excellence, Maximum, Exclusive, Million, Best), annual multi-trip subscriptions covering up to 12 months of travel with 30-day-per-trip limits, and Long Stay plans extending to 365 days for digital nomads. Underlying technology consists of a mobile-first platform with iOS and Android apps, a 24/7 video teleassistance stack for medical consultations, an in-app self-service medical management module ("Autogestión médica"), QR-based coverage access ("Mi Cobertura QR"), and integrations with ChatGPT for travel recommendations and the Collinson Group for VIP Delay lounge access. A network of 15,000+ healthcare providers across more than 150 countries, supported by ISO 9001:2015, ISO 27001 and PCI DSS certifications, underwrites the in-trip service delivery.
Revenue is generated through per-policy premiums paid by individual consumers (B2C) and through distribution via a Siebel-based travel-agency portal (B2B2C), supplemented by phone-based televenta, WhatsApp sales, and a physical retail location in Santiago, Chile. The company covers 10M+ travelers, processes 150K+ cases and 500K+ calls annually, and supports country-specific payment rails including PIX, Boleto, SPEI, Webpay/Transbank, and major credit card networks. It is also expanding into adjacent travel utilities through an eSIM partnership covering 150+ countries.
Universal Assistance firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Universal Assistance
- Legal name
- Universal Assistance Sociedad Anónima Unipersonal (SAU)
- Website
- https://universal-assistance.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Universal Assistance is a Zurich-owned travel-assistance provider offering tiered medical, baggage and trip-delay coverage to individual travelers across 18 Latin American countries via mobile app, country-specific websites, and a travel-agency partner portal.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Universal Assistance industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Travel Assistance Insurance
- NAICS
- Health Care and Social Assistance (62), All Other Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services (561599)
- SIC
- Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Travel Medical Insurance (Individual) (FSAIAEAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Travel Medical & Health Insurance Platforms (THALALAC), Travel Assistance & Concierge Services (Non-Insurance) (FSAJAJAF), Trip Cancellation/Interruption & Refund Protection Platforms (THALALAB)
Keywords
Where Universal Assistance is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Buenos Aires
- HQ country
- Argentina
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Universal Assistance business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Travel Assistance Insurance - Day Modules: One-time purchase travel assistance plans priced per day of coverage, with various tiers (Value, Excellence, Maximum, Exclusive, Million, Best) offering different coverage limits and benefits
- Annual Multi-trip Plans: Subscription-based annual plans covering multiple trips (up to 30 days per trip) throughout the year, with family benefits including free coverage for minors when adults purchase
- Extended Stay Plans: Long-term travel assistance for extended trips up to 365 days, targeted at digital nomads and extended travelers
- Add-on Modules: Additional coverage options including pre-existing conditions, sports activities, pregnancy, flight cancellation, and baggage loss
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Value - Basic coverage tier |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Excellence - Mid-tier coverage |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Maximum - High-tier coverage |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Exclusive - Premium coverage |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Million/Best - Top-tier maximum coverage |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Multi-trip Plans |
| Subscription | Monthly | Brazil installment plans |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
Universal Assistance product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Universal Assistance sells travel assistance insurance and related services to individual travelers across 18 Latin American countries. Its core offering consists of tiered travel assistance plans (Value, Excellence, Maximum, Exclusive, Million, Best) priced per day of coverage, supplemented by annual multi-trip subscriptions and long-stay plans for trips up to 365 days. The company provides medical assistance, teleconsultations, baggage coverage, and reimbursement management through its mobile app and 24/7 call centers, leveraging a network of 15,000+ healthcare providers worldwide.
Product overview
Universal Assistance is a comprehensive travel assistance and insurance company offering a multi-tiered product portfolio. The core offering consists of medical assistance, teleassistance, baggage coverage, and reimbursement management accessible through a unified mobile app. The product lineup includes tiered plans (Value, Excellence, Maximum, Exclusive, Million, Best) available as Day Modules (up to 60 days) or Annual Multi-Trip plans (12 months, 30 days per trip), plus Long Stay plans (up to 365 days). Add-on modules include VIP Delay (flight delay lounge access), pregnancy, sports, pre-existing conditions, and cancellation coverage. The app integrates AI-powered features including ChatGPT for travel tips and self-service medical triage. The company also offers supplementary tools like iCovid info, translator, currency converter, and eSIM benefits. Universal Assistance operates across 18 Latin American countries as a company of Zurich.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Travel Assistance Day Module Plans
Quantifiable outcome
- 150K+ cases and 500K+ calls handled annually with 24/7 availability
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Universal Assistance
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Universal Assistance technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration15 records
AI capability3 records
Feature6 records
Universal Assistance partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Zurich Insurance GroupcoreUniversal Assistance is a company of Zurich, operating as part of the Zurich Covermore group. This provides brand credibility, financial stability, and access to global insurance infrastructure and expertise.
- Collinson GroupcoreProvides the VIP Delay service offering access to VIP lounges worldwide for travelers experiencing flight delays over 60 minutes. Service available through app registration.
- eSIM PartnerminorPartnership providing 20% discount on eSIM data plans for travelers, offering connectivity in over 150 countries as an add-on to travel assistance coverage.
- Travel Agencies NetworkcoreNetwork of travel agencies across Latin America accessing Universal Assistance products through Siebel portal for policy issuance to end customers.
- Healthcare Provider Networkcore15,000+ healthcare providers worldwide forming the service delivery network for medical assistance, hospitalizations, and emergency services.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Universal Assistance competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Assist Card: Direct LatAm-headquartered competitor offering individual travel medical assistance and insurance across Latin America with similar day-module and annual plan structures and a comparable travel-agency B2B2C distribution model.
Broad incumbents
- International SOS: Global leader in travel risk management, medical assistance, and security services for corporate and individual travelers; overlaps with Universal Assistance's assistance platform and provider network, but at a much larger, enterprise-focused scale.
- Allianz Travel Insurance: Global travel insurance and assistance provider offering individual and group plans; competes with Universal Assistance in LatAm for both retail travelers and corporate travel programs, leveraging Allianz's worldwide brand.
- AXA Assistance: Global assistance and travel insurance arm of AXA, providing 24/7 medical, roadside, and travel assistance with international provider networks; directly comparable product offering to Universal Assistance's day-module and annual plans.
- AIG Travel: AIG's travel insurance business offers individual, group, and corporate travel medical and trip protection products globally; competes with Universal Assistance in higher-tier and corporate travel segments, especially for cross-border LatAm corporate accounts.
- Generali Global Assistance: Generali's travel insurance and assistance division providing individual and group travel medical products; competes with Universal Assistance in LatAm and globally with comparable assistance services and 24/7 contact centers.
Emerging players
- World Nomads: Digital-first travel insurance brand targeting backpackers, adventure travelers, and long-stay nomads; competes with Universal Assistance's Long Stay and sports add-on products, and exemplifies the direct-to-consumer insurtech threat in the region.
- SafetyWing: Digital nomad and remote worker travel health insurance provider with a subscription model; directly comparable to Universal Assistance's Long Stay and annual multi-trip plans, particularly for LatAm-origin digital nomads.
- GeoBlue: International travel and expatriate health insurance provider with global provider networks and direct-billing arrangements; overlaps with Universal Assistance's higher-tier Million/Best plans and senior/expat traveler segments.
- April International: International health, travel, and assistance insurance provider; comparable to Universal Assistance in serving expatriates and frequent international travelers with multi-tier plans and provider network settlement.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Universal Assistance social profiles
Digital presenceUniversal Assistance compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Universal Assistance financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Universal Assistance leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Universal Assistance funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Universal Assistance M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Universal Assistance
What does Universal Assistance do?
Universal Assistance sells travel assistance insurance and related services to individual travelers across 18 Latin American countries. Its core offering consists of tiered travel assistance plans (Value, Excellence, Maximum, Exclusive, Million, Best) priced per day of coverage, supplemented by annual multi-trip subscriptions and long-stay plans for trips up to 365 days. The company provides medical assistance, teleconsultations, baggage coverage, and reimbursement management through its mobile app and 24/7 call centers, leveraging a network of 15,000+ healthcare providers worldwide.
Is Universal Assistance a public or private company?
Universal Assistance is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Universal Assistance founded?
Universal Assistance was founded in 1980. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Universal Assistance based?
Universal Assistance is headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the Latin America region.
How does Universal Assistance make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Travel Assistance Insurance - Day Modules are the primary driver. The others are annual Multi-trip Plans, extended Stay Plans and add-on Modules.
Who are Universal Assistance's main competitors?
Assist Card is listed as a direct peer. Broad incumbents are International SOS, Allianz Travel Insurance, AXA Assistance, AIG Travel and Generali Global Assistance. Emerging players are World Nomads, SafetyWing, GeoBlue and April International.
Does Universal Assistance have an API?
No public API is recorded for Universal Assistance.
What industry is Universal Assistance in?
Universal Assistance's product category is Travel Assistance Insurance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAIAEAI, Travel Medical Insurance (Individual), with a secondary code of THALALAC, Travel Medical & Health Insurance Platforms. Its NAICS code is 62 and its SIC code is 6411.