Haiti Earthquake Response: International SOS Sends In Team; Thrivent, Others Set Donations

International SOS, which sells assistance benefits packages through employee benefit programs as well as directly to corporations, associations and individuals, has received about 200 Haiti-related calls since the earthquake hit and is working on about 100 active cases, the firm says.

"We have received a significant number of calls for assistance from our members, with most calls taking place a few hours after the earthquake," Suzanne Garber, the company's U.S. chief operating officer, says in a statement. "We're seeing a blend of non-profit and humanitarian organizations asking us for advice and assistance as they deploy their staffs to Haiti, as well as universities and multi-national corporations who have students or employees in the region who they would like to evacuate from the area."

Also today:

- UnitedHealth Group Inc., Minnetonka, Minn., says its OptumHealth unit will provide a free emotional-support help line, at (866) 342-6892, for people in the United States who have relatives or friends in Haiti. Support line staffers can help callers deal with stress, anxiety and the grieving process.

UnitedHealth also is donating $100,000 to the international response fund at the American Red Cross, and it will match employee contributions to Global Impact, a charity that raises funds for organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, dollar for dollar up to $50,000.

- Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Minneapolis, has agreed to contribute up to $1 million for Haiti relief efforts through matching gifts.

Thrivent will give $1 for every $2 donated by Thrivent Financial members, up to a maximum of $250 in matching gifts per member donation.

Thrivent is hoping the program will raise $3 million in donations.

The donations will go to 4 Lutheran organizations: Lutheran World Relief, ELCA Disaster Response, LCMS World Relief and Human Care and WELS Committee on Relief.

More information is available at http://www.thrivent.com/helpinghaiti

- Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, says the Northwestern Mutual Foundation will be donating $100,000 to the American Red Cross. Northwestern Mutual also is posting information about how to donate to the American Red Cross on the company's corporate website, at http://www.northwesternmutual.com.

- The CIGNA Foundation, an affiliate of CIGNA Corp., Philadelphia, is giving $50,000 to the American Red Cross, and it will match up to $50,000 in employee contributions to the American Red Cross dollar for dollar.

- Principal Financial Group Inc., Des Moines, Iowa, (NYSE:PFG) says it has made a significant financial donation to the international response fund at the American Red Cross.

- The American Council of Life Insurers, Washington, expects many member companies to give on their own, but it will be using the ACLI's International Pension Foundation, a charitable foundation, to make a contribution to the American Red Cross on behalf of the ACLI membership as a whole. Companies that want to contribute to the foundation should talk to Scott Dixon, the ACLI's finance director. He can be reached at (202) 624-2367.

RESPONSES ANNOUNCED EARLIER

- Aetna Inc. (NYSE:AET), is trying to arrange evacuations for employer clients with employees injured by the earthquake.

Aetna also is opening its employee assistance program to all employers affected by the earthquake, regardless of whether the employers have signed up for EAP services.

For families that have to file life insurance claims, Aetna will be extending claim submission deadlines and hopes to expedite the claim payment process, the company says.

Here are some key Aetna emergency telephone numbers:

• Aetna Global Benefits International Service Center and International Employee Assistance Program: (800) 231-7729 or (813) 775-0190 (collect).
• Aetna U.S. Employee Assistance Program: (888) 238-6232 or, for the hearing impaired, (866) 843-6323.
• Aetna U.S. Member Services: (800) 443-238.

- Humana Inc., Louisville, Ky., says the Humana Foundation will give $100,000 for immediate support of earthquake-relief efforts, with $50,000 going to the American Red Cross, $50,000 going to Save the Children, and $25,000 going to Doctors Without Borders.

The foundation also will match up to $50,000 in employee contributions to those 3 charities dollar for dollar.

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For more coverage of this tragedy, please see Insurance Industry Begins To Respond To Haiti Earthquake.