The History of the VHV Group
A success story of more than 100 years.
VHV and ITAS Mutua intensify their cooperation
VHV acquires a majority share of the ITAS Mutua subsidiary Assicuratrice Val Piave S.p.A (today: VHV Italia Assicurazioni S.p.A.); the closing was in July 2023.
Founding of VHV International SE
The VHV Group supports the expansion of our international business and aims to gradually evolve into an international construction insurance specialist. To that end, VHV International SE was founded.
New executive function IT in VHV Holding AG
To address the challenges of digitisation, an executive function in charge of IT is created in VHV Holding AG.
Internationalisation
In 2022, VHV Allgemeine acquires 50% of the Italian independent agency Olimpia Managing General Agent s.r.l.
(today: Olimpia Cauzioni e Rischi Tecnologici S.r.l.)
Expansion of activities in Turkiye
In 2022, VHV Allgemeine acquires the Turkish company Dubai Sigorta A.Ş. (today: VHV Allgemeine Sigorta A.Ş.).
Expansion of business in France
Founding oft he VHV Assurances France branch: Commercial products from the entire composite segment are to be offered in France. The initial focus is on construction insurance and the export of building know-how.
100-year anniversary of VHV
VHV celebrates her 100-year anniversary.
Internationalisation
In 2015, the subsidiary VHV Reasürans a.S. is founded in Turkiye. As the first activere insurer, Reasürans A.S. holds licenses for liability, property and technical insurance.
Founding of VHV solutions GmbH
The VHV Groupis restructured into strategic and operative competence divisions. VHV solutions GmbH is founded and becomes the central service company of the group, bringing together the workflows of contract processing and claims adjusting of composite business, as well as the entire IT division at the time.
Merger
VHV Vereinigte Haftpflichtversicherung V.V.a.G. and Hannoversche Lebensversicherung a.G. merge to form the VHV Group. The new VHV Group is a diverse, modern insurance group offering both the composite as well as the pension segments.
100 years of company history
Around the time of the 100-year anniversary, existing business reaches the 3-billion mark. For over 100 years, Hannoversche Lebensversicherung has been committed to offering its customers transparent and affordable products for insuring their families, their own work capacity or their financial security after retirement. This commitment is supported by the cooperative structure of a mutual insurance company.
Founding of VAV in Vienna
Spurred by its success in Germany, VHV sets its sights on other countries. German construction companies need insurance coverage in Austria. The VAV was esablished in Vienna in 1974.
Motor vehicle surpasses construction
For the first time, the motor vehicle division founded in 1950 surpasses business liability in terms of contributions. Since then, it has remained the largest division of VHV.
National Socialism
During the period under National Socialism, the business policies of Hannoversche Lebensversicherung are shaped by antisemitism. After Jews were alreadyclassified as undesirable policy holders in 1938, legislation was passed on 31 December 1941 declaring all Jewish life insurance policies null and void. The buy-backvalue was conceded to the Deutsche Reich.
National Socialism
After the National Socialists’ rise to power, VHV benefits from the special subsidies for the construction industry from stimulus programmes andinvestments in structural war preparations. Undoubtedly, the membership of company leaders in the political party NSDAP had a favourable effect on thecompany.
A pioneering move in 1937 is the establishment of a separate motor vehicleliability insurance, the foundation of what is now the largest division of VHV. By 1941, mergers with cooperative insurers form the Vereinigte Haftpflichtversicherung (United Liability) insurance association. The insured members are involved in this and thus act as the insurance carrier.
Founding of VHV
The architect Friedrich Schermer, joined by three members of the Hannoverschen Baugewerks-und Berufsgenossenschaft, a construction and trade association, establishes the liability insurance institution in Hannover, now known as VHV Allgemeine Versicherung AG.
Founding of Hannoversche Lebensversicherung
On 29. October 1875, Otto Hoffman founded the Preußische Beamten-Verein auf Gegenseitigkeit, the mutual Prussian civil servants’ association, which later became Hannoversche Lebensversicherung AG.
