Karl Pfister one year after the merger:

Karl Pfister, Board Member responsible for Sales & Distribution chose a clear motto for his press conference at this year's International Trade Fair for Finances and Insurance in Dortmund : “Generali Versicherungen – Year One after the Merger“. He was clearly more than pleased with the effective sales in this quite unique distribution channel strategy on the German market and also with the positive balance of new business. He summed it up: “ It was certainly the right move and we are on a good course for success.”

The multi-channel sales organisation – the Generali salaried staff, the distribution company Volksfürsorge Vertriebsgesellschaft (VFS), sales via brokers and banks and the competence centre for company pension schemes in Frankfurt – is on the whole, but also in the specific sales channels, on course for growth. In particular, the efficiently structured broker sales network with the separation of life and non-life business, with the direct local contacts and the decentralised underwriting have played an important part in the successful figures for 2009.

Compared to the previous year, by the end of September 2009 there was a growth of 13.2% in new business premiums in the life sector, and 11 % (gross) new business was achieved in non-life. These figures underline the high level of product acceptance among the customers.

For 2010 Karl Pfister announced not only numerous product improvements in the non-life lines but, in particular, also promising products for private retirement provisions: “With our innovative and competitive portfolio we will continue to improve our good market position on a long-term basis.”

Munich , 28 October 2009


With a premium income of over € 5 bn, more than six million customers and investments of € 37 bn, Generali Versicherungen is one of the important financial service companies in the German market. The company's nation-wide presence is assured by more than 2,900 administrative employees, a sales organization with over 2,400 tied agencies and specialists, the distribution company Volksfürsorge AG Vertriebsgesellschaft für Vorsorge- und Finanzprodukte with a sales staff of about 4,000 persons and tied agencies, the broker channel with approx. 8,000 active relations of brokers and multiple agents and more than 80,000 side-job intermediaries working for Generali Versicherungen and/or Volksfürsorge AG.