Our History

2012

• 3 million motorists receive breakdown assistance from the Group in 2012.

• The Group opens a Twitter account @EAGroup.

• The Europ Assistance Group's International Health Insurance (IHS) division becomes Global Corporate Solutions (GCS) and opens a subsidiary in Nigeria this same year.

• 34,500 air tickets are issued to repatriate the Group's customers.

2009

• Europ Assistance joins forces with the Bradesco Seguros Group to create an EA Brazil joint venture. It is one of the Group's biggest companies in terms of workforce.

2006

• In North America, the Group enters the Canadian market with a full takeover of the Canadian Medical Network, specialized in management of medical networks and services on the North American continent. Europ Assistance International Health Solutions (IHS) opens a subsidiary in Chad.

2004

• Launch of the Columbus Plan, a strategic global initiative primarily based on the development of two new activities: Health and Home & Family assistance. With the Columbus Plan, Europ Assistance sets itself new goals to reclaim its worldwide leadership on the sector.

• Tsunami. 26 December 2004. Following the tidal waves which devastated Southeast Asia, the Europ Assistance Group sets-up a crisis cell in order to coordinate operations for all 15 of the Group's subsidiaries concerned by the disaster. The total human cost for the Europ Assistance Group is a heavy one (115 injured, 18 dead, 53 missing). The Europ Assistance Group mobilizes 150 employees on a 24/7 basis to handle over 1,000 customers and charters a flying hospital, the first in its history.

• The Group pushes ahead with its development on the American continent, opens a subsidiary in Chile and acquires the Icare company - French leader for mechanical breakdown warranties.

2000

• Launch of the first pan-European holiday Barometer Conducted among a sample of 3,500 Europeans (French, Germans, British, Italians, Spanish, Belgians and Austrians), this survey, which would become a benchmark in the field and is now conducted by the French market research firm Ipsos, is intended as an annual estimation of the travel plans of nationals from the countries concerned, their motivations, the destinations and the type of trip preferred.

• Europ Assistance adopts a new global slogan: "With you all the way" which affirms the brand's determination to be a reference partner in exceptional and everyday circumstances.

1996

• The Group's international development picks up pace with the creation of Europ Assistance Brazil, Poland and Austria as well as Europ Assistance VAI in Italy. The latter takes charge of automotive assistance for the entire Italian motorway network. This service has since been extended to the national road network.

1993

• The Group pushes ahead with its development in Europe with the opening of Europ Assistance Portugal.

1981

• Europ Assistance develops on the American continent and opens a subsidiary in the USA.

• Europ Assistance extends the scope of its activities and launches an innovative offer including advice, information and assistance to meet the problems of everyday life.

1978

• On 11 July, in the middle of the summer holidays, a tanker truck carrying 25 tons of propene explodes near the "Los Alfaques" campsite in Spain, killing over 200 holiday makers and injuring a further 200. Europ Assistance is fully mobilized to assist its numerous customers caught up in this disaster.

• Europ Assistance Belgium charters the first "Avion des Neiges" (snow plane) to repatriate Belgian nationals injured while skiing in the French Alps. This operation grabs the media spotlight in Belgium and has been repeated every year since.

1971

• Fire on the liner Heleanna with 1200 passengers aboard. Europ Assistance springs into action at the service of its customers.

1965

• Europ Assistance signs an agreement with Marcel Dassault for the permanent provision of a Falcon 20 aircraft in a special medically equipped version.