Zurich, one of the world’s leading insurance groups, has launched its range of new motor insurance products tailored to the unique requirements of drivers in the UAE.

The launch of Zurich’s motor insurance proposition marks the company’s entry into the retail insurance market and is the first of many product launches scheduled for this year and 2012, said a senior official.

The three covers – Essential, Extra and Elite – are available with a number of new-to-market features, including roadside assistance people cover, GCC roadside assistance and a 12-month “hire car no-claims holiday,” stated Maroun Mourad, CEO of Zurich's General Insurance operations in the Middle East.

Zurich’s roadside assistance people cover means if a customer is stranded over 200 km from home, the insurer will provide up to Dh500 ($136) towards either a hotel stay or return transport, he explained.

For customers who travel outside the UAE, whether for work or holidays, Zurich has also made roadside assistance available anywhere within the GCC.

The company’s 12-month “hire car no-claims holiday” rewards customers who have not made a claim during the previous year with up to Dh1,000 with which to hire a car in the UAE – for instance, if they have family or friends visiting – or in their home country.

Mourad said the company undertook extensive research among target customers before devising the new offerings.

“We identified a number of gaps in the market and developed three motor insurance packages with value-added features tailored to meet the needs of UAE drivers,” he noted.

“For instance, the UAE has a very high number of people who enjoy off-road driving, and that’s why we are now the first international insurer in the UAE to offer free roadside assistance in the desert for 4x4 drivers,” he added.

The other features available include new car replacement for up to 18 months, cover for personal belongings up to Dh6,000 and a hire car for up to 10 days in the event a customer’s vehicle is out of action following an accident.

Zurich also gives customers the flexibility to select a number of optional extras to design a policy that is tailored to their own unique requirements.

According to Mourad, Zurich plans to boost its retail presence in a number of regional markets, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman and the UAE.

“We will accomplish our goals by extending the global Zurich promise – of delivering when it matters most – to our local customers and by adapting our offering to meet their specific needs,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service