A niche insurance company created to help people
Anker Insurance Company finds its right to exist in “Het Noorden’. ”Het Noorden” was started in 1907 based on the wish specifically expressed by shipowners in the north of the Netherlands to jointly carry the consequences of the risks for seafarers on board sea-going vessels. Thereby acting on the basis of trust, commitment and reciprocity. Guiding principles Anker Insurance still adheres to.
The following gives a view on the development of ‘Het Noorden’ into the present Anker Insurance Company.
Onderlinge Schippers Ziekteverzekering ‘Het Noorden’
Het Noorden, established by several shipowners from the province of Groningen in 1907, was a mutual insurance company which in the beginning was especially aimed at coasters. Insurances were taken out with a view to dealing with the consequences of accidents and illness of crewmembers arisen on board ships. In addition, cover was provided for the medical expenses of seafarers in the Netherlands. During the war years many small coasters started to use their commercial vessels on inland water ways. But they remained insured with Het Noorden for the medical expenses. The consequence thereof was that gradually Het Noorden had a group of insured persons for whom this mutual insurance was not intended.
Onderlinge Gezinsverzekering Maatschappij voor Reders Het Noorden
Until 1949, seafarers were insured for medical expenses in the Netherlands through their employers. In 1949, a special health insurance fund for seafarers was established by the central government, het Algemeen Ziekenfonds voor Zeelieden (general health insurance fund for seafarers), and all of a sudden all seafarers with wages below the wage limit for compulsory health insurance were covered by insurance at AZVZ. It was decided by the board of Het Noorden that the mutual Gezinsverzekering family insurance), which had just been set up, would be also available for shipowners and crewmembers earning more than the so-called ‘compulsory health insurance income limit’. In practice, those crewmembers were mainly navigating officers and ship’s masters employed by shipping companies. Later on, the name was changed to Onderlinge Ziektekostenverzekeringsmaatschappij “Het Noorden” u.a. (mutual health insurance company ‘Het Noorden’ with limited liability).
Onderlinge ziektekostenverzekering ‘Het Anker u.a.’
Onderlinge ziektekostenverzekering Het Anker
In order to be able to provide crewmembers on coasters, who continued as crewmembers on inland waterway vessels, with a fitting medical expenses insurance, the mutual health insurance company Het Anker was founded in 1956, a mutual insurance company which was initially only aimed at providing insurance cover for crewmembers of inland waterway vessels and their families.
Onderlinge Rechtsbijstandverzekering Maatschappij ‘Het Anker’ u.a. Protector
Protector
It turned out that among the mutual hull insurers of inland waterway vessels there was a strong need for legal assistance. To meet this need, the mutual legal expenses insurance company Protector was founded. In the years thereafter an intensive cooperation ensued with the hull insurers of inland waterway vessels. Eventually, Protector provided legal assistance insurance cover for most of the inland waterway vessels.
Coöperatieve Verzekeringsgroep Het Anker
The mutual Ziektekostenverzekering Maatschappij ‘Het Anker’, the mutual Rechtsbijstandverzekeraar ‘Het Anker’ and the mutual Uitvaartverzekeringsmaatschappij ‘Het Anker’ (funeral insurance company) combine their forces in the Coöperatieve Verzekeringsgroep ‘Het Anker’ (mutual insurance group ‘Het Anker’).
Het Anker and Het Noorden join forces
Het Anker
In 1990, the Onderlinge Maatschappij tot verzekering van wettelijke werkgeversrisico’s voor Reders ‘Het Noorden’ (the mutual company to insure legal employer’s risks for Shipowners ‘Het Noorden’) became a member of the Coöperatieve Verzekeringsgroep Het Anker. In 1995, the official name was changed to Het Anker, Onderlinge Redersverzekeringen Bemanningsaansprakelijkheid (Het Anker, mutual shipowners’ insurances concerning crewmembers’ liability).
Health insurance portfolio Het Anker
Due to the increasing complexity arising from laws and regulations and the need to grow in scale, it was decided in 2001 to sell the health insurance portfolio of Het Anker. As from 2002, the Coöperatieve Verzekeringsgroup Het Anker consisted of Anker Rechtsbijstandverzekeraar nv, Het Anker Onderlinge Redersverzekeringen Bemanningsaansprakelijkheid UA and the intermediary Anker Direct.
At that time Stichting Het Anker Fonds (foundation Het Anker fund) was also formed. This foundation provides gifts and donations to welfare initiatives related to the inland shipping sector.
Anker Rechtsbijstandverzekeringen n.v.
In 2002, the Onderlinge Rechtsbijstandverzekering Maatschappij ‘Het Anker’ (the mutual legal assistance insurance company ‘Het Anker’) was converted to the company Anker Rechtsbijstandverzekeringen n.v.
Anker Verzekeringen n.v.
In 2006, Het Anker Onderlinge Redersverzekeringen Bemanningsaansprakelijkheid was merged with Anker Rechtsbijstandverzekeringen n.v. Subsequently, the activities were combined under Anker Verzekeringen n.v.
In the subsequent period, the legal assistance body Anker Rechtshulp b.v. was founded. In addition, the intermediary activities were expanded and an authorized underwriter was set up.
Anker Groep b.v.
Anker Verzekert
As final event of this merger Anker Groep b.v. (Anker Group, a private limited company) has become the Holding of all the insurance subsidiaries, whereby the name has been changed to Anker Verzekert b.v. in 2008. Since there was no longer a role in this reserved for the Coöperatie, the Coöperatie was terminated in 2008.
Zee-Risico 1996
In 2012, Anker Verzekeringen n.v. takes over the insurance activities of Onderlinge Waarborgmaatschappij Zee-Risico 1996 (mutual insurance association Zee-Risico 1996). This means a considerable growth of its maritime customer base in the Netherlands. In addition, an administrative and organizational collaboration is put in place between Anker Verzekeringen n.v. and the Stichting Scheepvaart.
Anker Verzekeringen n.v.
In 2016, Anker decides to focus on being a niche and target group insurer. Both the intermediary and the authorized underwriter are relinquished. Together and in collaboration with partners and target group representatives work is carried out on the further development of insurance solutions, in particular in the area of Rechtsbijstand (legal assistance) and Crew Insurance. Insurance solutions which continue to grow into overall solutions, in which additional and supportive services are included. For instance, on the basis of the latter idea the takeover of Seacrew has come about in 2017. But also the integration of the services provided by AIM in the insurance solutions of Anker Crew Insurance.
Tightening profiling
At the beginning of 2018, the development of travel insurances as a niche solution has been started.
In 2018, the name Anker Verzekeringen n.v. has been changed to Anker Insurance Company n.v. The reason for this is the further internationalization of the activities of the insurer. It was also decided to tighten the profile of Anker Insurance Company. This continued in 2020. Anker Rechtsbijstand and Anker Travel Insurance have disappeared as a brand and have been placed under the brand Anker Insurance. Seacrew has been renamed: Anker Seacrew Software.
Corporate brand: Anker Insurance Company
Main brands: Anker Insurance, Anker Crew Insurance and Anker Seacrew Software
Partial brands: Anker Rechtshulp and Anker Verzuimsupport
Read more about the brands on Our brands page.