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The PZU Group (PZU Group, Group) is the largest financial institution in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe, enjoying the trust of approx. 22 million clients in five countries. The Polish market is the PZU Group’s core market measured by its magnitude and client numbers. Nevertheless, its subsidiaries play an important role on the markets in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Ukraine. The PZU Group’s consolidated assets total PLN 379 billion.
PZU heads up the Group, with its traditions dating back to 1803, when the first insurance company was established on Polish soil. The Company is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Since its floatation in 2010, PZU has been in the WIG20 index. It is one of the most highly valued companies and heavily traded stocks on the Polish stock exchange. Since 2019, PZU has been part of the WIG ESG (sustainability) index.
The Group’s Strategy innovatively defines the mission of all its companies and forms the common denominator for its present and future initiatives. In response to the rapidly evolving business environment PZU undertakes actions at a large scale while utilizing solutions afforded by the most sophisticated technologies.
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The PZU Group’s key market advantages are rooted in its well-known and esteemed brand, largest client database and distribution network in Poland and a very strong capital position.
The PZU Group companies are active in life insurance (PZU Życie), non-life insurance (PZU, TUW PZUW, LINK4, companies in the Baltic States and Ukraine), investment products (TFI PZU), pensions (PTE PZU), health protection (PZU Zdrowie) and banking (Bank Pekao and Alior Bank).
Magnitude of operation and impact
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Markets on which the PZU Group operates
AWARDS
Awards and distinctions in 2020
Digitization to serve the client better
The COVID-19 Band of Life is a small electronic device which monitors the basic vital parameters of patients and alerts medical personnel of any emergencies. It won the special award of the Rzeczpospolita daily called Innovation Eagles in the category of Innovative Solutions Mitigating the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The contest jury appreciated the quick adaptation of the already operational project to the new conditions.
The PZU project team responsible for the deployment of artificial intelligence in the handling of motor claims received a special distinction in a contest organized by the ICAN Institute and the MIT Sloan Management Review Poland. It was awarded the Master of Innovative Transformation title.
In the international contest held by the global consulting firm Celent, a provider of analytical services for the financial services market, PZU was also awarded the Celent Model Insurer 2020 title in the Data, Analytics and AI category. The project was recognized for the pioneering deployment of artificial intelligence in motor claims handling.
PZU Zdrowie received the Golden OTIS Trust Award 2020 for its execution of the first electronic health care project in Poland, called the Virtual Clinic. Owing to the roll-out of its telemedicine solution, patients may receive medical assistance remotely, anytime and anywhere.
HR
PZU’s campaign dubbed “Practical knowledge makes sense” was awarded in the Employer Branding Excellence Awards 2020 contest in the Online Campaign category.
The National Certification Board awarded LINK4 with the Best Quality Employer title, which is a distinction for companies applying the market’s best practices in the HR area. The contest jury recognized the abundant training offer and the opportunity for employees to acquire knowledge and skills useful in a variety of positions.
For the third time, LINK4 was awarded the Investor in Human Capital award as confirmation of a high degree of satisfaction among its staff and a high level of employee engagement.
Bank Pekao received a special award in the third edition of the Friendly Workplace 2020 program. The program awards enterprises that value and support the work-life balance model, craft a healthy and friendly work environment, focus on open and partnership-based relations with employees, and invest in the development of the professional competences and interests of their staff. The bank scored 24 points on a 1-25 scale, ranking it among the best employers in Poland.
Business
For the third consecutive time, PZU Życie became a laureate of the Ethical Company contest and obtained the title of Super Ethical Company, joining PZU, which has held the same title since 2018. Both companies now belong to the selected group of organizations awarded for their best compliance systems adopted by entities operating on the Polish market. The Ethical Company 2020 contest was held by the editors of the Puls Biznesu daily with the participation of the law firm PwC Legal as its content partner.
In 2020, LINK4’s motor insurance products were again ranked first in the Client Laurel contest, having been selected as top products by 33% participants, up 3 p.p. from the year before, and were awarded the 2020 Golden Client Laurel. The contest also recognized LINK4 home insurance policies, which were awarded the Silver Laurel 2020 based on a vote by clients. The Laurel is a nationwide annual competition that selects the most recognizable and most frequently recommended products and brands in their categories.
PZU Zdrowie ranked third in the Top Brand contest held by the Press Magazine in the healthcare category with highest publication sentiment index in the industry.
The COVID-19 insurance in the LINK4 Mama bundle was awarded the Debut of the Year title in the Consumer Quality Leader contest. The contest jury recognized the broad range of the company’s offering, enabling the insurance cover to encompass a large variety of events, even those least predictable.
PZU CO was ranked first in the “Best service in remote channels” category in the “Institution of the Year” contest.
Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych PZU was awarded the title of the Mutual Fund Management Company of the Year. The “Parkiet” Daily Paper for Stock Market Participants and Investors recognized TFI PZU for the development of the inPZU investment platform and excellent performance of its debt funds. Two of them, namely PZU Papierów Dłużnych POLONEZ and PZU Dłużny Rynków Wschodzących, were awarded the Golden Portfolios statuettes for their high rates of return, value of assets and stable performance.
TFI PZU was recognized by the independent analytical firm Analizy Online with two prestigious ALFA 2019 statuettes. PZU Obligacji Krótkoterminowych and PZU Dłużny Aktywny were the highest-rated funds in the Best Debt Fund category owing to the above-average rates of return they generated for their investors in 2019.
TFI PZU was also awarded the Teraz Polska emblem. The contest jury recognized the company’s attractive offering, among other aspects of its business.
Alior Bank obtained four awards, including three first places, in the Golden Handset and Telemarketer of the Year contests. In the Golden Handset contest, it ranked first in the Best Contact Center Support Team category. In the Telemarketer of the Year contest, it came first in the Help Desk and Outbound Sales categories in recognition of its outstanding customer service.
Alior Bank won the third place in the „Institution of the Year 2019” ranking in The Best Service Quality at the Outlet, The Best Remote Account Opening Process, The Best Internet Banking and The Best Mobile Application categories.
Bank Pekao was recognized in 2020 by the Global Finance Magazine, from which it received prestigious awards, including, for the first time ever, for being:
- the best investment bank in Central and Eastern Europe;
- the best bank for transactional banking and treasury products.
Other awards:
- first place in Poland in trade finance for 2021;
- best private banking in Poland in the Private Bank Awards 2021 ranking;
- best custodian bank in Poland;
- best investment bank in Poland.
Social impact
The Wprost weekly journal recognized PZU Zdrowie for its social engagement and awarded it a distinction for activities aimed at protecting the health of Polish citizens during the pandemic in 2020. The jury of the Business Champions contents recognized the company, among other aspects, for its educational campaign that provided reliable information about the COVID-19 and provided tangible support during this tough period.
Magnitude of operation and impact
WHAT ROLE DO INSURERS PLAY?
“Protecting the Polish economy, forging stabilization and a feeling of security among companies and private persons. Constant development would be impossible without that. Insurers attenuate uncertainty, protect assets and health, provide financial support in difficult circumstances. These actions mean that our standard of living is rising. Insurers are the third largest institutional investor in Poland. This industry invests billions of Polish zloty of assets in corporate bonds and equities, not just capital to grow businesses but also to finance public spending on health, education and infrastructure. Data best depict the sector’s influence: more than 225 thousand jobs in the industry and related sectors, with roughly a 2% contribution to GDP.”
Jan Grzegorz Prądzyński, President of the Management Board of the Polish Insurance Association
Source: Polish Insurance Association, Deloitte, “How insurance changes Poland and Poles. Report on the impact of the insurance industry
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Among all the Polish insurers the PZU Group offers its clients the largest sales and service network. It has 410 branches across the country, 10 thousand tied agents and agencies, over 3.2 thousand multiagencies, and nearly 1.1 thousand insurance brokers and electronic distribution channels. When it comes to bancassurance and strategic partnerships, PZU collaborates with 13 banks and 21 strategic partners. The PZU Group also has a claims handling system standing out from the competition.
The PZU Group’s clients in Poland have access to Bank Pekao’s distribution network (713 branches, including 513 branches adopted to the needs of disabled clients) and Alior Bank’s distribution network (674 branches, including 180 traditional branches, 7 Private Banking branches, 13 Corporate Banking Centers and 474 partner centers). Both banks have professional call centers and mobile and internet banking platforms.
Tightening cooperation with banks
The tightening of cooperation with the banks within the PZU Group (Alior Bank has been in the Group since 2015 and Bank Pekao since 2017) has opened up tremendous growth opportunities, especially in terms of integrating and focusing services on clients at every stage of their personal and professional development. As at yearend 2020, the PZU Group collected PLN 1.7 billion in additional written premium from collaboration with these banks.
In the Baltic States, PZU’s distribution network consists of over 700 agents, 18 multiagencies and 400 brokers. The Group also cooperates with 7 banks and 42 strategic partners. In Ukraine, insurance products are distributed through approximately 400 agents and in cooperation with over 20 multiagencies, nearly 40 brokers, 9 banks and 2 strategic partners.
In addition, in health the PZU Group cooperates with approx. 2,200 partner centers in nearly 600 towns and cities in Poland and is steadily rolling out its own network currently consisting of 130 medical centers.
Development of the scale of operations of PZU Zdrowie
For several years, PZU Zdrowie has been gradually expanding the scale of its business. In 2020, the following transactions were finalized within the PZU Zdrowie Group:
- merger of Specjalistyczna Przychodnia Przemysłowa “PROF-MED” with Centrum Medyczne Medica;
- merger of Alergo-Med with PZU Zdrowie;
- merger of Bonus-Diagnosta with Asklepios Diagnostyka;
- merger of FCM Zdrowie with PZU Zdrowie.
PZU Zdrowie also acquired a minority stake in Centrum Medyczne Gamma sp. z o.o., making it the sole owner of the target company.
In 2020, one of the most state-of-the-art facilities of the PZU Zdrowie network was opened: the PZU Zdrowie Warsaw Chmielna Medical Center. A number of innovative solutions in patient care have been adopted in the facility, including electronic StethoMe stethoscopes or a painless safe blood test using the AccuVein vein illuminator. An unquestionable advantage of the facility is also its excellent location in downtown Warsaw, near the Central Railway Station, at the intersection of the city’s key thoroughfares. Moreover, Tomma Diagnostyka Obrazowa centers were opened in Wrocław and Częstochowa.
Also, during the COVID-19 pandemic, all of the Group’s own facilities were kept open, while remote consultation services were being developed. A Telemedicine Center was launched along with telemedicine solutions in over 20 own existing centers.