Introduction
Our offices
Our Scandinavian history
Zurich - the global insurer
Where we operate
Corporate Business
Structure
Feedback
Contact us
 

Zurich has come a long way in Scandinavia

1870s

  • Zurich is founded as a marine insurance and reinsurance company in the city of Zurich, Switzerland in 1872.
  • Accident and liability are added to the product portfolio.
  • Agencies established in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Scandinavia and a branch office opened in Denmark.
  • 19 agents in Denmark and one in Stockholm are submitted to the board of directors for appointment.
  • 36 agents are appointed to the branch office in Denmark. Among them is the first Zurich agent in Norway and agents in Sweden.
  • Norwegian and Swedish networks grow with a total of 76 agents in Scandinavia.
  • 9 marine insurance agents are appointed to diversify the Scandanavian business beyond accident.

1880s

  • Branch offices are established in Helsinki and Wiborg, Finland.
  • Zurich is now present in all Scandinavian states.
  • Zurich’s branch office in Berlin assumes the management of Zurich’s general agencies in Scandinavia.

1890s

  • Zurich sells its business in Finland but opens an office in Christiana (Oslo), Norway. All offices in Scandinavia report to the Zurich branch office in Berlin, Germany.
  • Liability insurance introduced in Scandinavia.

1920s

  • Norway is Zurich’s most successful market in Scandinavia in terms of premium income.
  • Branch office in Sweden is assigned responsibility for the Norwegian and Danish markets.
  • Eitzen & Co., a shipping company in Oslo, becomes the Zurich representative for Norway.

1930s

  • Zurich acquires the Swedish Insurance Company HOLMIA from the reinsurance company ROSSIA.

1950s

  • Zurich acquires the building on Linnégaten 5 in Stockholm, the headquarters for Scandinavia.

1960s

  • The Danish operation becomes Zurich’s largest in Scandinavia in terms of premium.

1970s

  • Zurich sells its retail business in Sweden together with the subsidiary HOLMIA.
  • The general agencies for Norway and Denmark are managed directly from Corporate Center in Zürich.

1980s

  • Zurich opens an office in Finland.
  • Zurich’s office in Stockholm starts to market international / umbrella treaties to multinationals in Scandinavia offering integrated international cover.

1990s

  • The General Agency for Norway is transformed into a branch office and grows at an average annual rate of 40% over the next
    five years.
  • Zurich acquires Protector Forsikring ASA in Norway and becomes Zurich Protector Forsikring.
  • Zurich acquires Swedish Insurer Trygg-Hansa.

2000s

  • Zurich repositions itself in Europe and sells a substantial part of its business in Denmark and Norway to Danish insurer TrygVesta.
  • Zurich opens an office in Norway and Denmark to service corporate customers.