In early 2023, UNIQA joined Eurapco, a leading European insurance alliance, to better meet clients’ evolving needs through collaboration. This partnership has enabled us to share expertise, foster innovation, and deliver enhanced solutions to our clients across the continent.
Nearly two years in, we’re reflecting on key milestones and lessons learned from this transformative partnership. Read more about the experience of UNIQA leaders who have been a part of this journey.
Eurapco at a glance
Eurapco is a strategic allience of eight independent insurance companies in Europe with similar backgrounds. Its aim is to leverage knowledge and best practices from one another. The Eurapco partners, made up of Achmea (NL), Barmeniagoather (DE), Reale Group (IT), la Mobilière (CH), LocalTapiola Group (FI), Caser Seguros (ESP) and Länsförsäkringar (SW) combined insure over 48 million Europeans, employ over 62,000 people and have annual gross written premiums of over 48 billion euros.
After a successful one-year pilot phase, UNIQA became a permanent member of the alliance in 2024. “This partnership is in line with our customer-centric strategy based on collaboration across hierarchies, countries and functions. We look forward to continuing and deepening our cooperation in Europe. This will enable us to provide our clients with future-oriented and tailor-made services and to shape the insurance industry together for the long term," explains Wolfgang Kindl, Chief Customer & Market Officer International.
Exchange and knowledge transfer
By sharing expertise, Eurapco partners effectively use their knowledge and resources to grow and develop together. With more than 50 working groups and various activities each year, the network covers all sectors of the insurance industry. Since joining in 2023, many UNIQA colleagues have actively participated in workshops and working groups on key topics such as customer centricity, data & analytics, digitalization, and ESG. In addition, some UNIQA leaders have taken advantage of the training opportunities offered by the “Eurapco Academy”, participating in various in-depth and internationally focused learning formats.
But how do our employees and working group members perceive this collaboration within the Eurapco Alliance? To find out, we asked them to share their thoughts – and their responses are visualized in the word cloud below.
Open Innovation in action
A pivotal moment of the partnership emerged early on with an ambitious hackathon held in the first year of collaboration. In Barcelona, six UNIQA colleagues joined over 70 international participants from various fields for an immersive three-day innovation hackathon. This unique event set the stage for a friendly competition focused on addressing key global challenges across sustainability, health, and housing. The aim was clear: to foster creative thinking, experiment with new methods, and inspire a rich exchange of ideas among colleagues from different cultural and professional backgrounds.
At the end of the three-day workshop, the participants presented a variety of ideas that have the potential to change the world. “Our experience at the Eurapco Hackathon highlighted the enormous potential of targeted collaboration and innovation. It also highlighted the creativity and passion of our cross-functional UNIQA team for improving people's lives. I am very excited about our contributions and the insights and inspiration we brought back to Vienna,” summarizes Barbora Dörflinger, Head of Digital Business Facilitation.
For UNIQA’s team, the hackathon was not only an opportunity to engage with innovative methods but also a valuable chance to deepen connections with international peers. This collaborative environment sparked fresh perspectives and reinforced a shared mission to develop solutions that truly enhance the well-being of communities around the world.
Strengthening IT security
Florian Polt, Head of Group Security at UNIQA, is also one of the leaders taking part in the program. Together with his team, there was one topic in 2024 that got a lot of his attention: DORA. The Digital Operational Resilience Act, a new EU regulation introduced in early 2023, aims to enhance the IT security of financial entities like banks and insurance companies. Set to take effect in January 2025, DORA addresses the growing reliance of the financial sector on technology and third-party providers, which increases its vulnerability to cyber-attacks and operational disruptions.
At UNIQA, implementing DORA’s requirements has become a group-wide effort, encompassing five functional areas managed by Risk Management, IT, Procurement, and Communication. A central part of the project is the management of risks associated with third-party providers.
Together with other Eurapco partners, Florian and his team participated in a series of meetings and workshops aimed at sharing knowledge and best practices in the area of IT security. “A key finding for me was that all companies face similar challenges when it comes to implementing measures. It turned out that the problems are often comparable in practice,” he says. This mutual understanding laid a strong foundation for deeper collaboration.
“The collaboration in the Eurapco meetings was very helpful,” he adds. “We were able to take away many valuable suggestions and, for example, agreed the interpretation of the legal text and the associated guidelines as a team.” This collective approach, supported by shared insights, allowed the teams to navigate the regulatory landscape with confidence.
Reflecting on the experience, Florian says: “What surprised me in particular was the openness of the participants. As the companies involved are not direct competitors, the exchange was very transparent and strongly focused on finding solutions together.”
Wolfgang Kindl, Barbora Dörflinger and Florian Polt
A key finding for me was that all companies face similar challenges when it comes to implementing measures. It turned out that the problems are often comparable in practice.
Florian Polt, Head of Group Security at UNIQA
Presentation at the Eurapco Hackathon in Barcelona
Shaping the future together
Earlier this October, 160 board members and executives from all eight Eurapco partner companies gathered to chart the future of the insurance industry. For UNIQA, this event underscored the importance of strengthening partnerships and driving innovation through collaboration and shared expertise.
One of the highlights of the event was a panel on “Global Developments” among Eurapco board members, which came to a conclusion that preparing the insurance industry for future challenges requires a shift in perspective. Frauke Feess, Eurapco’s new CEO, unveiled the “Fit for Future” program, aimed at addressing current and emerging industry issues through innovative strategies. Keynote speakers Magnus Lindkvist and Peter Hinssen inspired attendees with their insights on the transformative role of AI and the evolving future of work.
The Summit also highlighted initiatives like the “Business Booster,” designed to foster synergies and implement innovative strategies across partner companies. Each organization appointed a representative to champion this effort, further advancing collaboration within the alliance.
For UNIQA, the Eurapco partnership represents a shared commitment to reshaping the insurance industry through innovation and teamwork. By combining our strengths and focusing on impactful solutions, we continue to actively drive change and fulfill our vision of “living better together.”
