Tellus’ niche is insurance coverage and to give “absolute financial security”, designed for people living and working abroad. The focus lies on Swedes no matter where they live, worldwide.
What is my sickness benefit in case I would fall ill or suffer from being incapacitated for a prolonged period of time? How will my family’s financial situation be should I pass away? How much will I get in retirement pension?
Those are the questions any person should ask and consider carefully to a larger extent than what is normally the case and no matter at what stage in life. At least this was insurance advisor Mr Börjeson’s advice to the Swedish expatriates who had shown up at Grand Hyatt Erawan to learn more.
In his experience people often don’t have enough knowledge and therefore not the awareness. Thus Mr Börjeson is continuously travelling to various countries in order to meet Swedes on location and explain his services to them. He holds seminars and private consultations.
For couples where often the wife has followed her husband, it is essential to think over their insurance situation.
“The wife gives up everything and only has the husband left,” Mr Börjeson said jokingly but with a serious undertone.
“We can replace your Swedish pension insurance with an individual insurance which is more suited to your situation abroad,” he said and explained that they focus on Swedes as their knowledge on tax law focus on Sweden. However they welcome other nationalities too.
Currently they are very busy with clients in the Middle East. In Thailand they used to have more clients before and worldwide they insure people working and living abroad in over 70 countries.
Mr Börjeson claimed that Tellus is one of few companies in the whole world which can offer an insurance package which follows the policy-holder worldwide and which covers disability benefit, survivors benefit and guaranteed retirement pension, and including a premium waiver where the insurer pays the premium in case that the insured person have an accident or sickness.
Other insurance companies in Sweden do not offer this package according to the insurance advisor.
“It is difficult to find insurance companies these days that can provide insurance protection. Overall they don’t ensure anybody outside their home country.”
Tellus’ insurances are backed by the Swiss company Wintherthur, with which Tellus has negotiated this unique solution.
Mr Börjeson described the effects of the revised pension system in Sweden and pointed out that the guaranteed pension decreases with each year spent abroad between the age of 25 and 65.
In the new system one must work at least ten years longer than in the old system. At the same time the fee paid in the new system is higher.
He pointed out that it is pointless for Swedes to have deductible insurance in Sweden unless they have a salary there.
Expatriates insured by a local company abroad can also be insured, provided they are employed based on conditions which apply for any expatriate.
