THIA - Travel Health Insurance Association

What THIA - Travel Health Insurance Association does

THIA (Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada), legally "The Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada" and operating bilingually as "Association canadienne de l'assurance voyage," is a non-profit trade association founded in 1998 and headquartered in Toronto. It serves as the national voice of the Canadian travel insurance industry, representing travel insurers, brokers, underwriters, re-insurers, emergency assistance companies, air ambulance companies, and allied services. THIA operates two primary member-facing functions: industry advocacy and professional education.

The association's core products are its membership program (Individual at $275 half-year and Corporate at $1,250 half-year for up to 5 employees) and the TRIP (Travel Insurance Program) certification, launched in 2019 as a 9-12 module online course with continuing education credits recognized in Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Certification pricing tiers include $150 for members, $225 for non-members, and $99 per person for corporate bulk purchases (minimum 5 employees). THIA also generates revenue from industry conference registrations.

THIA's technology infrastructure consists of the Exware association management platform powering its website (thiaonline.com) for member services and content delivery, alongside the Opilink-powered online learning platform (thia.opilink.com) for TRIP certification. The organization distributes bilingual English/French content, maintains a consumer-facing "Find an Insurer" directory, and publishes the Travel Insurance Bill of Rights and Responsibilities. Its go-to-market combines sales-led direct outreach to industry members with a direct-to-consumer information channel for Canadian travelers. Leadership includes Executive Director Will McAleer, Managing Editor Warren Brown, and Editor Milan Korcok.

Name

THIA - Travel Health Insurance Association

Legal name

The Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada

Website

https://thiaonline.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

THIA is a Canadian non-profit trade association founded in 1998, serving as the national voice of the travel insurance industry. It offers membership programs and the TRIP professional certification, representing insurers, brokers, underwriters, and allied service providers across Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: THIA generates revenue through annual membership fees. Individual membership is priced at $275 (half-year rate) for one person. Corporate membership is $1,250 (half-year rate) and allows up to 5 employees from the same organization to be registered as members.
2. Conference Fees: Revenue generated from industry conference registrations with tiered refund policies and transfer options.
3. TRIP Certification Program: The TRIP (Travel Insurance Program) certification generates fees: $150 for THIA members, $225 for non-members, and $99 per person for corporate bulk purchases (minimum 5 employees).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

THIA is a non-profit trade association representing the Canadian travel insurance industry. Its core offerings are its membership program (Individual and Corporate tiers) and the TRIP (Travel Insurance Program), a 9-module online certification course for travel insurance professionals. The association also provides consumer education resources, a Find an Insurer directory, industry news, and advocacy with regulators.

Product overview

THIA (Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada) is a national industry association founded in 1998, not a product company. It provides membership services and the TRIP (Travel Insurance Program) certification for professionals in the Canadian travel insurance sector. The organization acts as the leading voice for travel insurers, brokers, underwriters, re-insurers, emergency assistance companies, air ambulance companies and allied services. Its primary offerings are membership programs and the TRIP certification educational program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TRIP Program: THIA's Travel Insurance Program (TRIP) is a certification program for travel insurance professionals, consisting of 12 parts developed by industry experts for the Canadian travel insurance sector.

Products and services

• THIA Membership Industry membership program for travel insurance professionals and organizations, including insurers, brokers, underwriters, re-insurers, emergency assistance companies, air ambulance companies, and allied services. Provides Individual membership ($275 half-year) and Corporate membership (up to 5 employees, $1,250 half-year) tiers, with access to industry resources, representation, and networking.
• TRIP Certification Program (Travel Insurance Program) Online certification program for travel insurance professionals consisting of 9 comprehensive modules covering insurance overview, contracts, travel insurance products, pricing, risk selection, sales, claims assistance, compliance, ethics, and fraud. Offers continuing education credits in Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Pricing: $150 for THIA members, $225 for non-members, $99 per person for corporate bulk (minimum 5 employees).

Quantifiable outcome

• TRIP certification provides 7 CE credits in Manitoba (life/accident & health and general) and Alberta
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA): National trade association representing Canadian life and health insurers. Directly comparable as a Canadian insurance industry trade body providing advocacy, member services, and consumer education, though broader in scope than THIA's travel insurance focus.
• Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC): National trade association for property and casualty insurers in Canada. Comparable membership-based advocacy and consumer education model, with overlapping member base in the broader Canadian insurance ecosystem.
• Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA): Canadian trade association for retail travel agencies and travel agents. Closely comparable in structure (membership dues, advocacy, professional development) and Canadian travel industry focus, though serving travel distribution rather than insurance.

Broad incumbents

• American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA): The largest US travel advisor trade association offering advocacy, certification, and member services. Comparable as a mature North American travel industry trade body with a strong certification program, though US-focused rather than Canadian.
• United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA): North American trade association for tour operators with consumer-facing membership directory and advocacy. Comparable membership association model serving the broader travel industry ecosystem.
• International Air Transport Association (IATA): Global trade association for airlines providing accreditation, standards, and certification programs. Comparable as a large-scale travel industry association with consumer-facing code/directory functions, though operating at vastly greater scale than THIA.

Emerging players

• Society of Incentive & Travel Executives (SITE): International membership association for the incentive travel industry offering certification and events. Comparable niche trade-association model targeting travel industry professionals, with similar advocacy and education functions.

Others

• National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC): US state-based regulatory body for insurance. Comparable as a key counterpart organization that THIA-style trade associations engage with on policy and standards, providing useful context for THIA's regulatory advocacy role.

Regional players

• Canadian Tourism Commission (Destination Canada): Canadian national tourism marketing organization promoting Canada as a destination. Adjacent to THIA's travel ecosystem focus but government-funded and tourism-marketing oriented rather than a member-driven insurance trade body.
• Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA): UK travel association providing consumer protection, member standards, and advocacy. Comparable association structure to THIA but operating in a different geography with broader travel industry scope including travel insurance regulation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thiaonline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/travelprotected

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about THIA - Travel Health Insurance Association