How we engage
Zurich maintains dialogue with international multi‑stakeholder bodies including regulators, such as the Financial Stability Board, International Association of Insurance Supervisors and National Association of Insurance Commissioners; authorities, such as the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority; policymakers, such as EU and UK institutions, U.S. Congress, as well as U.S. administrative agencies.
In addition, we engage with many stakeholder groups and coalitions including the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (US CoC), the Global Business Alliance (GBA) and the Smarter Safer Coalition.
Zurich is also actively engaged with high-level discussion groups, such as the Chief Financial Officer Forum, Chief Risk Officer Forum, European Financial Services Roundtable, European Justice Forum and Pan-European Insurance Forum. In addition, Zurich participates in business federations, such as Economiesuisse in Switzerland, bilateral trade organizations and think tanks. We also collaborate with academic institutions on a range of policy-relevant thought leadership topics.
Zurich is a member of many trade associations, which help to inform on public policy issues and engage with politicians, policymakers and regulators.
Political contributions
As part of its support for democratic process, Zurich may make political contributions in full compliance with both the spirit and letter of local laws and regulations.
Switzerland
In Switzerland, Zurich provides financial support to:
- Political parties. Zurich supports political parties according to the party's policy agenda and representation in Parliament. A commitment to the principles of competitive and open markets is critical from a policy perspective, as is the support of issues that facilitate sound risk management practices and a commitment to favorable framework conditions for Switzerland as a business location.
- Political campaigns. Zurich supports political campaigns for public votes on initiatives or referenda that advance or defend the principles of competitive and open markets, sound risk management and a commitment to favorable framework conditions for Switzerland as a business location.
In 2023, the aggregate annual amount of this funding in Switzerland did not exceed CHF 500,000.
Such contributions are governed and controlled through the appropriate policy relating to gifts, entertainment and other advantages.
Zurich also supports politically active employees in Switzerland by granting them up to 20 percent of their working time for publicly elected political mandates. Currently, approximately 50 employees in Switzerland make use of this offer.
United States of America
In the U.S., Zurich's policy engagement takes a number of forms:
- Both Zurich North America and Farmers Group, Inc. support political action committees, which are unique U.S. entities that facilitate the legal aggregation of voluntary personal contributions from Zurich North America and Farmers Group, Inc. executives for the purpose of providing financial support to candidates for federal and state office. Farmers Group, Inc. also supports 35 state-specific political action committees that receive voluntary contributions from local Farmers Group, Inc. agents, district managers and employees. There are no corporate funds allocated to any of these 35 state-specific political action committees.
- In addition, both Zurich North America and Farmers Group, Inc. may contribute corporate funds to individual candidates, political parties, ballot initiatives or other policy-related initiatives where legally permissible. All such political contributions are undertaken in strict compliance with all disclosure and limitation rules and are overseen rigorously by the respective public affairs functions of Zurich North America and of Farmers Group Inc.
