Ethias' ambition is to gradually evolve its product range towards greater sustainability, in order to cover Belgian society even better in difficult times, to have a positive impact on the environment by encouraging more responsible behaviour, and also to make certain basic insurance products more inclusive and accessible to all.
Ethias' sustainability strategy has been designed and built as an integrated strategy for the company's various activities. Ethias' ambition is for all its departments to make it their own, and for sustainability to become a reflex: in the creation of products and services, in their marketing, and in every contact with customers and partners.
Naturally, ESG integration must first and foremost be reflected in our core business: offering insurance products and services.
As a result, since 2023, sustainability has been integrated "by design" into the product creation process for both Life and Non-Life products. Each new product proposal or revision must justify whether or not it is sustainable, based on a reference framework developed in-house by the Products and Sustainability teams. This framework, largely based on the European Green Taxonomy, will be updated in line with regulatory developments and the state of the art in the field.
Ethias offers a “under 10,000 km” insurance, a specific tariff for green vehicles, a unique "Ethias Young Drivers" offer as well as basic insurance at an accessible cost for more solidarity. Active mobility covered free of charge in the family insurance.
While the car market is in trouble, the bike market has never been better. The momentum generated by the health crisis continues to build.
Result: our Bike & More policy is growing at an average of 51 % since its launch in 2019. Today, the growth continues and has reached 24 % in 2022 thanks to actions carried out by Ethias throughout the summer. The Mobility Pack (25 % discount on the Bike & More product when combined with car insurance) boosted the conversion rate of quotes into Bike & More contracts to over 60 %. By the end of December 2022, nearly 18,000 clients trusted Ethias with this insurance product, in line with its Sustainability policy.
In 2023, Ethias has renewed its partnership with Liberty Rider in order to cover its 40,000 motorcycle customers free of charge.
Liberty Rider offers a fall-prevention service for motorcyclists, including an automatic call for help if a fall or accident is detected, or an alert for dangerous bends. As soon as a customer falls with his motorcycle, a warning signal is sent. In the event of an accident, IMA Benelux – Ethias’ contractor – tries to get in touch with the motorcyclist. If there is no response, emergency services are sent directly to the location.
Since the partnership began, Ethias has helped 31 motorcyclists, saved 2 lives and avoided 37 accidents in dangerous bends.
A quality and affordable hospital insurance, ensuring comfort in difficult times in a single room (Joker system) in case of hospitalisation due to a serious illness.
Servi + guarantee for Hospi Quality+ and Hospi Next+ products
After hospitalisation due to a serious illness, it is important to be able to count on support during rehabilitation. Ethias reimburses up to € 500 per year for non-medical home help services in the following areas: housekeeping, baby-sitting, gardening, DIY, care and well-being, pet-sitting, private lessons in connection with your current schooling, or cosmetic products (turban, scarf, etc.). Ethias also reimburses these costs up to a maximum of € 500 if the insured chooses a service provider other than those offered.
The number of flat-shares is growing significantly and is due to the fact that access to property is becoming increasingly difficult for young people and single-parent families.
Launched in October 2021, Flora by Ethias' co-tenant insurance is a zero deductible insurance policy that provides all co-tenants with third party liability cover for damage to the rented property or neighbouring properties as well as content cover for the entire rented property. Ethias brought a unique option to the market that allows co-tenants to purchase an insurance cover for damages they would cause to each other as well as assistance in conflict management. A very useful guarantee when we know that more and more co-tenants did not know each other before moving in together.
Ethias is a partner of more than 30 social housing companies in Flanders (including Woonhaven Antwerpen, the largest social housing company in Flanders) and offers its insurance products (Home, Family and optional Theft cover) at a rate adapted to this category of tenants.
67,000 social houses have an adapted package for their basic insurance: important instruments to fight poverty.
Ethias extended its collaboration with Blue Bike until 2024. Blue Bike is a shared bike system in which De Lijn and the Flemish and Walloon Regions are the main shareholders.
Ethias and Blue Bike are working closely together to achieve sustainable mobility. In addition to visibility at bike points and on bikes, we are looking for other win-win activities as part of our Sustainability strategy.
Ethias has updated its general conditions to the motor vehicle insurance policy to address the specific risks associated with the use of electric vehicles and to promote their use.
As the benchmark insurer for public bodies, Ethias covers many electric vehicles, including electric buses.
Furthermore, in collaboration with Ethias Lease, Ethias aims to help its customers in the energy transition in terms of mobility by facilitating access to electric vehicles.
The aim of the "Bike & More" group insurance is to encourage employers to promote active mobility by insuring their employees’ vehicle at advantageous rates.
Recently, Ethias extended this product to the guarantee “civil liability for the use of a soft mobility device” in order to further promote soft mobility for professional use and to offer employees guarantees similar to those enjoyed by employees who own a company car.
This insurance has been developed for local public bodies (municipalities, cities, CPAS, police and rescue zones) to cover their cyber risks and to help them to further secure their IT tools as well as their business data in the service of the people.
The goal is to make these clients aware of the importance of protecting their sensitive data and to support them in securing their IT infrastructure.
As a societal player, Ethias has created brand new product on the Belgian market to meet its clients’ needs and concerns about the COVID pandemic. More than ever, employers and employees are aware of the need to have optimal coverage when they are exposed to an occupational health risk.
This new product provides extra-legal compensation to employees and staff in the private sector and in local and provincial governments who suffer from an occupational disease recognised by Fedris.