Insurance and services

As both an insurer and a service provider, we help customers adapt to the changing climate and offer solutions to become more sustainable. All of our insurances and services will be carbon neutral by no later than 2050. Wherever possible, we base our goals on scientific findings such as the IPCC reports and international climate agreements such as the Paris Climate Agreement.

Climate mitigation: contributions to the energy transition

We invest in solutions that help mitigate climate change. We want to help our customers navigate the energy transition by insuring new technologies and offering sustainability-focused services.

Products and services to support sustainability

We are joining forces with our partners to offer the following through Centraal Beheer:

• Insulation, solar panels, heat pumps, green roofs and information on subsidies and financing via Duurzaam Woongemak (Sustainable Homes).
• Mortgages for energy-saving measures such as services and assistance for Owners’ Associations to help make apartments more sustainable.
• Support for companies in shaping their mobility policies and in making their fleets more sustainable.

Supporting sustainable innovations

Along with the energy transition come new technologies that we would like to make insurable, such as electric cars, solar and wind energy facilities, timber or bio-based construction, hydrogen plants and energy storage. Insuring these types of technology requires a customised approach, for which we have a specialised office.

Sustainable repair

We are partnering with repair companies to work together on sustainability. We support the Sustainable Repairs Manifesto and contribute to it by means of various initiatives:

• We promote repair over replacement, for example through spot repair
• We ask our repair companies to apply for environmental certification, such as an ISO 14001 or a ‘GroenGedaan’ (Sustainable Repair) label from Stichting Duurzaam (the Sustainability Foundation)
• We digitise our processes wherever possible. An example is using a digital intake to conduct a remote damage assessment, reducing the need for our repair companies to travel to customers for on-site inspections.

Dialogue and engagement

Achmea actively participates in sectoral initiatives  such as the Green Deal, Duurzame Zorg (Sustainable Health Care) 3.0, the Forum for Insurance Transition to Net Zero and Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials.

 

At Achmea, we are committed to a society in which people can live in a healthy, resilient and confident way. We contribute to this by bringing health care closer, strengthening social well-being and increasing financial resilience.

Health and social well-being

Within our insurance services, we help to arrange and pay for health care and actively contribute to a healthier life. We do this by means of various digital programmes such as the ZelfZorgWijzer app and Actify through Zilveren Kruis. We also invest in solutions through our health insurance policies, such as our waiting list mediation service, which gives people quicker access to appropriate mental health care (GGZ).

Social well-being

Health is about more than just health care; living circumstances, work and social connection also influence the way people feel. For example, we see that social tensions, social media pressure and housing shortages are influencing people's well-being. We are therefore committed to helping create a society in which everyone can participate. Our contributions include:

• Sustainable and lifetime housing. Through Achmea Real Estate, we invest in homes that suit the needs of every stage of life.
• Raising awareness of mental health issues through campaigns such as 'De Onzichtbare Blessure (The Invisible Injury)' by Zilveren Kruis and KNVB.
• Accessible information. Through our brands we provide reliable digital information about health and well-being.

Well-being relates to how people experience their lives and whether they can look to the future with confidence. This is affected by matters such as their health, relationships, work and financial security. If someone has money worries or lacks mental energy, it can affect their personal growth and development. Conversely, having fulfilling social interactions and meaningful work actually provides energy and fosters resilience. Under the theme of ‘Well-being’, we develop knowledge and innovations that contribute to the general well-being of people in the Netherlands. We do this in collaboration with partners such as Erasmus University and innovative entrepreneurs such as Femme Up.

Financial resilience

Financial resilience is important for everyone, especially during periods of uncertainty and change. Anyone can encounter unexpected financial challenges such as losing a job or incurring high medical expenses, which can cause stress and anxiety.

Developing financial resilience has to do with practical skills such as budgeting and saving, as well as having the confidence to face and overcome difficult situations. We contribute by:

Providing information and raising awareness. For this purpose, we make use of our extensive reach through campaigns, education and information. Examples include LEF (a programme for young people) and Bank voor de Klas (Bank in the Classroom), as well as a platform about pensions.

• Being there when things go wrong with respect to financial assets or services, for example due to reintegration or referral to GeldFit (an organisation that helps people with money-related concerns and questions)
• Contributing by means of ‘social debt collection’, for example, through payment arrangements, participating in the ‘De buurtrechter’ (‘Neighbourhood Judge’) initiative, and our commitment to the SFGN’s social debt collection agreement framework of the SFGN.

Partnership with the Stichting Financiële Gezondheid Nederland (SFGN)

We believe that part of our role as a financial service provider is to help enhance financial resilience. Our partnership with the Stichting Financiële Gezondheid Nederland (Netherlands Financial Health Foundation) (SFGN) serves to emphasise this ambition. By collaborating with partners, we can work toward systemic change and help to improve financial health in the Netherlands, for both our customers and our employees.