The Vienna Insurance Group, headquartered in Vienna, is one of the largest internationally active insurance groups in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The insurance companies of the Vienna Insurance Group offer high-quality insurance services in both the life and non-life segments. The primary goal is to provide innovative local insurance solutions in all areas of life and excellent customer service. The Vienna Insurance Group currently has around 50 insurance companies, with approximately 23,000 employees, operating in 23 countries.
Leading position in the CEE region
The Vienna Insurance Group was one of the first insurance groups to recognise and take advantage of the growth opportunities afforded by a united Europe. The Vienna Insurance Group now participates in 23 markets, extending from Estonia in the north to Turkey in the south and from Vaduz in the west to Vladivostok in the east, thereby achieving a broad geographic diversification. After the acquisition of Erste Group’s insurance activities in Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia and Romania, the Vienna Insurance Group strongly improved its position in this region.
The Vienna Insurance Group is optimally positioned to profit from the rising standard of living and concomitant increase in the insurance requirements of countries in the CEE region. In 2008, the share of total Group premiums coming from group companies in the CEE region already rose to around 50%, in the property/casualty business now amounting to more than 60%. No other insurance company operating internationally generates such a high proportion of its premiums in this region.
Based on the knowledge of its markets in the CEE region, the Vienna Insurance Group believes that these insurance markets – not yet as saturated as those in Western Europe – can in coming years continue to provide premium growth considerably above that earned in Western Europe.
Clear strategic orientation
The Vienna Insurance Group aims to achieve long-term continuous growth in premiums and earnings. It has set itself the following objectives in this regard: strengthening the leading position held by the Vienna Insurance Group in Austria, and steady expansion of its insurance activities in the growth region of Central and Eastern Europe. For many years, the Vienna Insurance Group has pursued a clear strategy of value-oriented growth. The focus here has been on becoming the leader. This applies to the Group as a whole, as it does to management and to every employee.
In so doing, along with its strong market position, the Group builds upon excellent access to customers via multi-channel distribution, a systematic exploitation of synergies and a broad diversification of risk. For example, the broad diversification over markets and products leads to a correspondingly solid business structure, also reflected in an excellent Standard & Poor´s rating (A+, outlook stable). Another key factor in Vienna Insurance Group’s success is its multi-brand strategy, which relies on the use in all markets of proven brand names having a rich tradition.
Employees stand for success
The performance of the Vienna Insurance Group depends critically on its employees, who develop high-quality products and services and create close relationships with customers and business partners.
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