Emergency24 launches LifeCard program

CHICAGO - After a year of development, wholesale monitoring firm Emergency24 has launched the LifeCard Services program, enabling dealers and their affiliates to market three new services to both customers and non-customers, alike. The three programs - Life-CardHome, LifeCardHealth and LifeCardSecure - are yearly services that offer remote storage of personal and financial information that is available upon request by subscribers and third parties. The purpose of the services is to provide personal information, such as medical re-cords, to authorities in the event of an accident, and financial information, such as credit card numbers and bank accounts, in the event of theft or fire loss. “This is a service available for all, but for dealers it helps them grow their business,” said Kevin McCarthy, national sales manager at Emergency24, which operates four call centers across the country. McCar-thy said the company has discussed the program with its partners and at industry trade shows. “We’ve had a lot of dealers asking when we’ll be ready to move forward with it,” he said. Since the new services have just been rolled out, the company could not provided subscriber adoption figures. However, any of the company’s 1,500 nationwide independent dealers can offer any one of the programs. In addition, even non-security related companies can sell the services if they want. The LifeCardHome service involves a decal affixed to a home with contact information for Emergency24 and an identification code used by an operator to access the home-owner’s account. The service provides a method for third parties, such as fire departments or neighbors, to reach home-owners and the people listed on their contact list in the event of property damage. Unlike the LifeCardHealth and LifeCardSecure services, Emergency24 subscribers can opt-in for free; non-subscribers will be charged $10 annually. LifeCardHealth includes a wallet-sized card that has contact information for Emergency24. Subscribers provide the company with information to be given when requested that is pertinent in the event of an accident. This information can include contact details for Alzheimer’s patients and prescribed medication. In the event of a catastrophe or loss during travel, the Life-CardSecure service backs up information such as bank account numbers, that can be retrieved remotely. Information is provided by the subscriber and is submitted via the Internet.