The 2005 hurricane season is a record considering the number (more than the double) and the strength of the hurricanes that formed.
Katrina killed more than 1,250 people and caused an estimation of 30 billion $ of damages last august. Nearly 300,000 homeless people have been displaced to 16 other states, thousands of people missing. About 40,000 Americans file claims for unemployment benefits every week as a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, pushing the total who have lost jobs because of the tropical storms to 478,000, according to reports of the Labor Department.

The damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina on America's oil industry sent oil prices skyrocketing to more than $70 per barrel of crude, a 30 percent rise above last year's high. And with a question mark over the extent of the world's reserves, there are speculations that prices could climb still higher in the long term.

The three states of Louisiana, Mississipi and Alabama when economicaly paralysed, lost 100 M$ of income every day. In Mississipi, the destruction of casinos also created an enormous loss of earnings. The tourism industry of Louisiana, who normaly is visited by 10 millions of people per year will also be deeply affected. The economical consequences of the hurricane could reach the 100 billion $.

The damages covered range from 20 to 35 billion $, not taking into account the floods and oil platforms damages. The impact for the Lloyd's will be over 1.9 billion $ but the figures first given by the insurance and re-insurance companies could slightly be changed over the long term.
The Lloyd's of London, deeply involved in the American market, declared that claims would reach 1.9 billion$. Royal & Sun Alliance evaluated a total of 50 Million $ of reimbursements. It will take several months to obtain the definite figures. Fortunately, the burden of claims cost should be shared between the insurance and reinsurance companies and the State if the National Flood Insurance Program takes care of the damages due to floods.
Such costs will probably explain future rises in insurance premium, in particular for natural disasters coverage or coverage per risk, as for casinos, hotels or industrial sites coverage.

Nothing speaks louder than the truth :

Every one can recall the sad event of the Katrina hurricane and its terrible consequences. Devastation and people in distress are still in our minds.
As part of an Hospitality Program, about 30 of the AVI insured placed in New-Orleans were evacuated mostly to Houston, leaving their personal belongings at the resort place, with the aim to fly back home on the spot.
Most of them called the emergency centre, asking for immediate assistance. As you may know, the flying ticket arrangement in case of natural disasters are not in the travel insurance policies.
Our insurance partner United Life & Health provided spontaneously the necessary support toward such a situation, although as stated above hurricanes and their consequences are not covered under the policy. They agreed to arrange the flight tickets and advanced the related charges. However our second insurance partner did not find necessary to help our insured but AVI International accepted to pay for the flight tickets as a commercial gesture.
The Emergency Center was ready to book and arrange the flying tickets up front but due to the hurricane, they had to adjust to the circumstances and were able to provide the service only when technically possible.
The assistance and cooperation greatly provided during that distressing time were greatly appreciated by the participants's sponsoring organization.

sources and contributors : Laurence Robin, Head Eastern & Northern Europe Dept ; L'Argus de l'Assurance (#6942); Al Ahram Weekly ; The National Geographic.

Canada, a land of vast distances and rich natural resources

Canada stretches from Northern North America, borders the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north. Canada's territory being so wide, climate varies much from state to state.

Visa requirements
Languages spoken
Health
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An unforgetable experience : stay in a ranch in the Rocky Mountains.

Special trains to discover the greatest landscapes:
The Rocky Mountaineer, not a glass-bottom boat but a glass walled train, crosses British Columbia from Vancouver to Calgary through the Rocky Mountains in 7 days.

Culture :
Vancouver hosts the Vancouver International Film Festival
An annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival is also staged in November when you get a chance to view the latest films from Asian film makers.

Sports : a country for outdoor sports such as kayaking, rafting, hiking, fresh water fishing, or surfing.
Hockey is the National Sport, and the Rideau Canal in the heart of Canada's capital the world longest skating rink

Whale, killer whale and seal watching excursions. Read the full article

The World Au Pair : our client in Canada since 1997

Since its creation in 1997 by Patrick Merenna, The World Au Pair has allowed thousands of young people to participate in the overseas work experience.
The World Au Pair has chosen AVI International for its Au Pair participants coverage
The World Au Pair has a great deal of expertise in the field of travel insurance and is the only business in Quebec to offer the possibility of taking out insurance that includes civil liability . Read the full article