Annual Report 2022
2.1
The story of a.s.r.

a.s.r. is the Dutch insurance company for all kinds of insurance. a.s.r. exists for more than 300 years and is a leading insurer in the Netherlands. It helps customers insure risks they are unwilling or unable to bear themselves, whether this involves damage to a car, house or contents, medical expenses, a funeral or paying income when someone is temporarily unable to work. In addition, a.s.r. offers mortgages, invests for third parties and helps customers build up pensions and manage their assets. Customers of a.s.r. are individuals, self-employed persons and corporate clients, both small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Purpose

a.s.r. helps customers to share risks and accumulate capital for later. The sustainable solutions that a.s.r. offers take into account the interests of people, the environment, society and future generations.

Strategy

a.s.r.’s strategy has four key principles:

  • a.s.r. aims to be the best financial service provider for customers. a.s.r. clearly understands customers’ requirements and responds to these with preferred products and services. In distribution, a.s.r. maintains its strong partnership with the independent advisors.

  • a.s.r. shows excellence in pricing, underwriting and claims management. This leads to attractive premiums for sustainable products and services, the ability to assess risks accurately and to fast, clear and simple communications with customers.

  • a.s.r. is cost-effective. Everyone at a.s.r. continually monitors whether work can be performed in smarter, more efficient ways at lower costs. This is embedded in the business operations. Cost savings are not an objective in themselves, but dealing responsibly with the available resources is important.

  • a.s.r. has a solid financial framework. a.s.r. is a multi-line insurer with a robust solvency and profitable activities that generate capital. The solid capital base enables a.s.r. to meet long-term commitments, offer shareholders prospects of attractive returns and to grow, both organically and via selective acquisitions.

a.s.r. is ambitious and sees plenty of opportunities in the coming years to strengthen its position and grow further in P&C, Pensions, Disability, Asset Management and in Distribution and Services. In addition to organic growth, a.s.r. continues to look for opportunities to grow through targeted acquisitions.

Sustainable value creation

As a committed insurer, a.s.r. wants to contribute to solving social issues. There are three areas in which a.s.r. believes it has the most impact and where it can potentially create the most value for its stakeholders: i) financial self-reliance and inclusiveness, ii) vitality and (sustainable) employability, and iii) climate change and the energy transition.

Financial self-reliance and inclusiveness

a.s.r. works to help customers gain insight into their financial situation and make conscious financial decisions. Their financial self-reliance and risk awareness improve as a result, and they become better able to take financial decisions and to realise their financial objectives. a.s.r. operates on the basis of inclusivity and solidarity. Everyone has equal rights to equal opportunities. a.s.r. therefore has suitable products and services for all target groups.

Vitality and sustainable employability

There is growing attention for sustainable employability and vitality, prompted partly by social trends and challenges such as the retirement age, healthcare costs and life expectancy. a.s.r. contributes towards the prevention of illness, reducing absenteeism and disability and the promotion of sustainable employability. a.s.r. wants its employees and customers to remain sustainably employable and encourages them to take control of their careers.

Climate change and the energy transition

a.s.r. contributes to reduction of CO2-eq emissions and keeping the burden on the environment as low as possible through sustainable investment of premiums, opting for impact investments that contribute to the energy transition, offering customers sustainable products and services and encouraging them to opt for sustainable repair in the event of damage. In its own business operations, a.s.r. makes use of clean energy sources to keep its impact on the climate as low as possible. a.s.r.'s investment policy also helps to reduce CO2-eq emissions. With its fossil fuel exit strategy, a.s.r. aims to realise a real world decarbonisation impact as opposed to ‘simply’ decarbonising the balance sheet.