Groupama is an insurance group that has built itself up over the last hundred years, constantly adapting to economic challenges and anticipating the needs of its members and customers in terms of security. As France's third leading multi-line insurer, the Group's strength lies in the guiding principles it has inherited from agricultural mutual insurance: local presence, responsibility and solidarity.
More than 400,000 members – i.e. almost 10% of the membership – take part every year in the Local Mutuals' Annual General Meetings, at which they vote on the financial statements and listen to presentations on new cover and services offered by Groupama as well as certain matters of topical importance. They are encouraged to put forward their own comments and suggestions and they elect from among themselves those who are to represent them on the Local Mutual Board of Directors. A total of 90,000 directors are elected to represent the 7,000 Local Mutuals.
Late 19th/early 20th century: development of agricultural mutual insurance and local mutuals. 1963: all non-life insurance risks covered; the Group rapidly becomes France's leading local authority insurer. 1972: launch of life insurance. 1995: membership opened up to all sections of the population. 1998: acquisition of Gan, France's fourth biggest insurance company. 2001: consolidation plan drawn up to reduce the number of Regional Mutuals from 18 to nine. 2002: acquisition of Plus Ultra Generales in Spain. 2003: banking services launched. 2004: restructuring of the Group's central entities to reflect the growth strategy. . In 2004 too, the first branch in China was opened.
2006: authorisation given by the Groupama National Federation to open up the share capital of Groupama S.A., if this is needed to finance future growth.
As of 1st January 2004, Groupama's central organisational structure, geared to the Group's growth strategy, is composed of three entities: the Fédération Nationale Groupama, Groupama SA and Groupama Holding which carries the Regional Mutuals' interests in Groupama SA.
With 32,190 employees, 50 companies, 1,950 new recruits a year, the development of our human resources is key to our success, all the more so given the place Groupama occupies in the economic and social fabric of the countries where it operates.
All areas of human resources development – recruitment, mobility, skill development, social expression, internal communications, management practices, etc. – have benefited from this Group-wide investment initiative.
At 15 April 2006, the Group's regional structure was composed of 11 Regional Mutuals in Metropolitan France – with over 3,000 local branches –, 2 Specialist Mutuals (for silviculturists and tobacco growers) and 2 Overseas Mutuals.
