Our History
Allianz Global Assistance
Based in Kitchener, Ontario, Allianz Global Assistance (originally World Access Canada) was established in 1988 to administer travel related service programs for the Canadian insurance market. In the early 1990's, a significant reduction in out-of-country medical reimbursement from Government Health Insurance Plans resulted in new opportunities in the travel insurance industry. In response, World Access Canada supported the new travel needs of Canadians by expanding into a full-service emergency assistance and claims centre in 1992.
Keeping pace with the rapidly evolving travel market, World Access Canada quickly grew into a thriving company with more than 250 associates. It was not long before we became the country's largest independent service company in the travel, call centre, health care and financial industries.
In April 2000, Mondial Assistance Group, comprised at the time of Mondial Assistance and Elvia, acquired the World Access Group, thereby becoming the world's largest travel assistance company. The acquisition of the World Access Group, which included North American offices in Richmond, VA, and Kitchener, ON, provided Mondial Assistance Group with a strong foothold in North America. The merger also significantly expanded World Access Canada's global assistance capabilities.
With this new and exciting international presence, World Access Canada obtained a wide ranging support base of 30 Mondial and Elvia Assistance centres around the globe, and access to a network of over 400,000 service providers worldwide. These business developments, along with triage, collision damage waiver and bank card services, further established World Access as one of the nation's top qualified, 24-hour-a-day, 365-days-a-year providers of emergency assistance and claims processing services.
In June 2008, World Access Canada joined 28 other Mondial Assistance business units in an international rebranding effort, changing its operating name to Mondial Assistance Canada in support of the global Mondial Assistance brand.
2012 proved to be another landmark year for us in that it brought about another historical change. We began our brand transition from Mondial Assistance Canada to Allianz Global Assistance, as part of a worldwide rebranding effort which began at the global level in 2010. As you know, Mondial Assistance has been a successful member of the Allianz Group for over ten years and this brand migration is a natural step in our long, fruitful history.
Allianz Global Assistance (Global)
Allianz Global Assistance is our new brand name, but behind it is a long history anchored in decades of helping people. It all began in 1950 in Switzerland, when people began travelling more. Back then, a team of forward thinking business pioneers created ELVIA Travel Insurance. This year marked the beginning of our story in helping people. Twenty-four years later in 1974, SACNAS-Mondial Assistance was founded in France; and our helping reached a new level. The creation of SACNAS-Mondial Assistance paralleled the development of the assistance business, which, in addition to travel insurance, included roadside, medical and repatriation assistance. In 1979, AGF became a shareholder of Mondial Assistance.
During the 80’s and 90’s, still as two separate entities (Elvia and Mondial Assistance), we accompanied our corporate clients through their own changes. As they grew geographically, so did we, developing first in Europe and then gradually throughout the rest of the world. In 1995, Elvia joined Germany-based Allianz Group.
In 2000 Elvia Travel Insurance and SACNAS-Mondial Assistance successfully merged and created our group as we know it today. With nearly 80 years of combined experience and know-how, we became the leading world player in assistance, travel insurance and customer services.
We acquired World Access in the United States and Canada in April 2000 and Worldcare in Australia a year later.
In 2006, we launched a new brand identity and values worldwide. This was a long-term strategic step for us. It showed our dedication to you and your well-being, and reflected our rich, multi-cultural diversity.
In 2007 we hit a landmark year. On January 1st, our four French companies – Mondial Assistance, France Secours, Elvia and SSC – merged to form Mondial Assistance, a unique entity and brand. In doing so, we confirmed and solidified our position in France. True to our goal to grow internationally, we opened offices in Mexico and India. We also acquired Medvantis, a medical call-centre in Switzerland. We registered our Russian office in 2007 and began operations there on March 1st, 2008.
Throughout 2008 and 2009, we operated under a single brand name and spoke in a united voice across all 5 continents and in 28 different countries where we are present.
In 2010, Mondial Assistance Group began its worldwide brand transition to Allianz Global Assistance. Today we join the Allianz family not only in name but also as a true, integral part of its strategic core. But the heart of what we stand for, of who we are, remains the same. We are here to help people, to help you, anytime, anywhere. You - our customers, stakeholders and staff members - were, are and always will be what our bus
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