Europ Assistance is a French company created in 1963. The company created the concept of world-wide medical assistance.
The inventor of real-time assistance over 50 years ago, Europ Assistance is now a global provider of assistance services to people in the fields of health, home and family life, automotive and travel. The group invented Care services to meet new needs arising from globalisation, growing urbanisation, longer life expectancies and the transformation of family models.
Europ Assistance watches over more than 300 million clients worldwide with 8,200 employees, 44 companies and branches in 33 countries and its network of 425,000 partners active in the field.
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Key figures
- Number of employees: 8,200
- Consolidated revenue: 1,374MEUR
- Operating Result: 84MEUR
- Revenue outside France: 75%
- Shareholders' equity: 270MEUR
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History
1960s: birth of assistance as a profession
In 1963, with backing from Generali, which was the first shareholder, Pierre Desnos founded Europ Assistance, the first service offering protection to people travelling abroad. In 1964, the Belgian subsidiary is created in Brussels, the first subsidiary outside France. In 1965, the company signs an agreement with the French aircraft manufacturer Marcel Dassault for the permanent availability of a special Falcon 20 equipped for medical purposes. In 1967, it offers a USA-Canada subscription. After Belgium, Europ Assistance opens a second subsidiary in Italy in 1968.
1970s: assistance services become widespread
In 1977, Europ Assistance celebrates its ten millionth customer and introduces the first contracts covering more distant countries such as Brazil and Kenya. The same year, opening of a subsidiary in Spain. In 1978, Europ Assistance Belgium charters the first "Snow Airplane" to repatriate Belgian nationals injured during skiing holidays in the French Alps.
1980s: Europ Assistance extends beyond Europe
In 1980, opening of a subsidiary in Germany. One year later, creation of a service offering advice, information and assistance to resolve the problems of everyday life and opening of a subsidiary in the United States. After Europe and America, Europ Assistance develops on a third continent, Africa, through the creation of a new subsidiary in South Africa in 1984. Europ Assistance enters the Asian market and opens a representative office in China in 1989.
1990s: Europ Assistance pushes ahead with its international development
In 1991 Europ Assistance expands into Greece by opening a branch. The company launches teleassistance and creates Europ Assistance Portugal in 1993. Three years later, Europ Assistance moves into Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Hungary, Poland, Singapore and Switzerland. In 1998, 115 million people are covered by the company in the world and 3.75 million cases are handled annually by 2,300 employees.
2000s: Europ Assistance invents Care Services
Europ Assistance launches the first pan-European holiday barometer on a sample of 3,500 Europeans (French, German, British, Italian, Spanish, Belgian and Austrian) in 2000. One year after, opening of a Russian and Czech subsidiary. In 2001, the Generali Group acquires 100% of the capital of the Europ Assistance Group and opening of a subsidiary in French Polynesia. In 2003, creation of Europ Assistance Irish Branch, an Irish company covering the company's international risk and the former chairman of La Poste (French post office), Martin Vial succeeds Yves Galland to become CEO of the group. One year after, the company moves into Chile and on 26 December, following the Tsunami in southeast Asia, the Europ Assistance Group mobilises 150 employees around the clock to manage more than 1,000 customers. In 2005, launch of a new visual identity for the Europ Assistance group, reflecting its new ambitions. One year after, together with the French market research firm CSA, the group publishes the first barometer of opinion on health systems in five European countries (Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy and Sweden) and opened a subsidiary in the Bahamas, Canada and Chad. In 2007, the group CEO, Martin Vial, publishes "The Care Revolution". In addition, the first "Plug & Sell" online insurance solution is launched. This global e-commerce platform is especially designed for travel agents, tour operators and airlines. The same year Europ Assistance gains a foothold in India and Romania. One year after, the group continued a geographic expansion with the acquisition of two companies in the US: GMMI in the field of health in Florida and CSA Travel Protection in the field of travel in San Diego. Founded in 1991, CSA Travel Protection provides customized travel insurance, related products, and comprehensive administrator services for its business partners and the travelling public. They employ over 150 staff members at their San Diego location and throughout the US and are known for their consumer-conscious business practices and award-winning customer service. CSA Travel Protection was the first company to introduce a vacation rental damage protection plan to the US vacation rental market. Europ Assistance also trials a proposed telemedicine interactive solution in remote regions throughout the Vendée Globe yacht race in 2008. In 2009, Europ Assistance partners the Bradesco Seguros Group to create a joint venture in Brazil. Europ Assistance Brazil is now the group's biggest company in terms of workforce the same year the group expands into Serbia.
2010s: Europ Assistance commits
In 2010, Europ Assistance creates a new global tagline "you live we care". It makes support for social entrepreneurship its global commitment in terms of corporate social responsibility and links up with Ashoka. The same year Europ Assistance becomes the reference shareholder of Océalis, the French company specialised in direct distribution of teleassistance and opened of a subsidiary in Cameroon and Turkey. One year after, the company opens a subsidiary in Congo and in 2012 a subsidiary in Nigeria. In 2013, Europ Assistance celebrates 50 years of expertise at the service of its 300 million customers worldwide and in 2014, Antoine Parisi is appointed CEO of the Europ Assistance Group. In 2016, Europ Assistance North America announces re-branding to Generali Global Assistance, initially among identity theft and travel assistance services and in 2017, CSA Travel Protection rebrands the company to Generali Global Assistance.
Activities
Europ Assistance provides travel assistance services - travel assistance, medical repatriation, cancellation insurance, lost luggage insurance, etc. - and vehicle assistance services - roadside assistance, mechanical warranty, claims, geolocation, on-board telematics, etc..
Since 2005, Europ Assistance has developed two new activities: health assistance - treatment of dependency, chronic disease management, medical monitoring before and after hospitalisation, prevention, health solutions for employees, business travellers and expatriates, travel for treatment, on-site medical care, etc. - and family and home assistance - mobile teleassistance, tutoring, legal protection, concierge services, protection against fraud and identity theft.
In the USA, Europ Assistance recently introduced a new brand Generali Travel Insurance. The new generalitravelinsurance.com website allows consumers to buy insurance direct from their website. CSA Travel Protection, remained the partner brand, selling travel insurance through travel agency retailers, vacation home renters, and vacation rental management companies.
The locations worldwide
Europ Assistance operates through 44 companies and branches in 33 countries: Angola, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Congo, Czech Republic, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United States.
Europ Assistance has 35 call centers: Angers, Athens, Badajoz (Spain), Barcelona, Beijing, Brussels, Budapest, Buenos Aires, Fort Lauderdale (USA), Geneva, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Le Mans (France), Lisbon, London, Madrid, Milan, Moscow, Mumbai, Munich, Papeete, Paris, Prague, Rende (Italy), Rostock (Germany), San Diego, Santiago (Chile), São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Toronto, Warsaw, Vienna, Washington DC, Zurich.
Governance
Members of the Executive Committee of the Europ Assistance Group
- Antoine Parisi, Chief Executive Officer
- Odile Collignon, Deputy Managing Director Resource Center
- Stéphane Vermersch, Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
- Massimo Maltempi, Chief Operational Officer (COO)
- Chris Carnicelli, Executive Vice President North America Region
- Thierry Depois, Executive Vice President France and Benelux Region and Managing Director of Europ Assistance France
- Bruno Scaroni, Managing Director of Europ Assistance Italy
- Manrico Iachia, Executive Vice President Innovation and Prospective Centre, Iberian Peninsula, South America, Africa Region and Managing Director of Europ Assistance Portugal
Members of the Board of Directors
- Claude Tendil, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chairman of Generali France
- Sergio Balbinot, Member of the Board, Member of the Generali Group Management Committee (GMC), Group Chief Insurance Officer of Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A
- Alessandro Dona, Permanent Representative of Generali Vie, Member of the Board, Group Insurance Operations Director of Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A
- Michel Andignac, Member of the Management Committee, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Generali France
- Valter Trevisani, Permanent Representative of Generali France, Member of the Board, Deputy Managing Director of Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A
- Paolo Vagnone, Member of the Board, Member of the Generali Group Management Committee (GMC) and Head of Global Business Lines of Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A
Generali is the main shareholder of Europ Assistance since it was founded and its sole shareholder since 2002 after the Fiat group left that year, having held a 40% shareholding since 1994. The Generali Group is a key partner with whom Europ Assistance achieves almost 15% of its turnover globally. Europ Assistance is active in implementing synergies to deliver solutions and services to their customers.
Europ Assistance group
Since 2010, the Europ Assistance Group has been a partner of Ashoka. As part of this global partnership with this NGO, Europ Assistance supports 10 social entrepreneurs in the world (Belgium, South Africa, Brazil, USA, Argentina, Spain, France, Poland, Germany, and Canada) in the fields of health and human services.
Local companies are also engaged in health, social or humanitarian initiatives. For example, the group's GCS (Global Corporate Solutions) division has reached a partnership deal with AMREF, an association renowned for its "flying doctors" air ambulance service aimed at health development in Africa. Employees of Europ Assistance South Africa are mobilized each year to help families affected by AIDS.
Europ Assistance has also created the first network of eco-responsible service providers on a pan-European level, the "Europ Assistance First Selected Green Network". Europ Assistance offers comprehensive packaged solutions specifically dedicated to owners and users of electric vehicles.
Logo history
In 2005, Europ Assistance changed its logo for the first time since 1963.
In 2010, Europ Assistance adopted a new positioning and a new global tagline "you live we care" (in France, "vous vivez, nous veillons").
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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