Insurance and Assistance linked to Payment Cards and Bank Accounts in Southern and Western Europe

Table of Contents

0.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• The regional market was worth around € 5.26 billion in gross premiums written in 2008 with France and the UK combined accounting for almost 70% of this market value
• Card protection insurance is the most commonly occurring type of enhancement
• Programs are sometimes organised by centralised card issuers rather than individual distributors
• Several providers have an identifiably international approach to the market
• The market for insurance and assistance enhancements should continue to make progress as a consequence of the virtuous combination of a variety of factors including the growing application of insurance and assistance to standard banking products and changes in the demographic structure and general behaviour of consumers as a whole
• France is probably the market in which cutting edge innovations are most apparent

1.0 INTRODUCTION

• Rationale
• Mainstream bancassurance markets are comparatively well documented but less attention has been given to insurance and assistance linked to banking products
• Insurance and assistance linked to banking products: Europe' s ' covert' bancassurance market?
• Methodology
• The research program identifies in excess of 7,250 insurance and assistance enhancements attached to over 2,200 banking products offered by the universe of 265 banking entities
• The basic units of analysis for the report are the payment cards and bank accounts themselves
• Definitions.
• Finaccord
• PartnerBASE"!

2.0 REGIONAL OVERVIEW

• Introduction
• Debit cards
• Across all eight countries, debit cards issued advance at an average rate of 2.2% per annum
• Debit cards per capita reach high and low points in 2008 in the Netherlands and Italy respectively
• Credit and other pay later cards
• The UK now accounts for a regional share of less than 30% of credit and pay later cards issued
• In terms of credit cards issued per capita, Spain could quite conceivably overtake the UK in 2009
• Belgian and Dutch consumers show the least inclination to carry credit and other pay later cards
• Average number of insurance and assistance policies per product
• Insurance and assistance enhancements are most widespread among French banks
• Relative weight of broad categories of insurance and assistance
• Insurance and assistance preferences vary somewhat between the eight countries analysed
• Penetration rates for insurance and assistance policies.
• Card and cash cover
• Card protection insurance: commonplace in all countries other than Belgium and the Netherlands
• ATM cash theft insurance: sometimes offered as an adjunct to wider protection policies
• Travel cover
• Travel accident insurance: packaged with over a half of banking products analysed in Spain
• Travel health insurance: stand-alone policies are limited to a handful of examples in Italy
• Travel assistance: penetration rates are close to one third in France and Spain
• Travel inconvenience insurance: most CartaSi cards in Italy carry travel inconvenience cover
• Comprehensive travel insurance: packaged automatically with many types of card in France
• Creditor, accident and health cover
• Creditor insurance (life / permanent disability): optional cover is standard in Ireland and the UK
• Creditor insurance (temporary incapacity / unemployment): penetration rates are similar
• Personal accident insurance: cover is offered for free in a minority of cases in Italy and Spain
• Accidental death insurance: the regional average penetration rate reaches 16.5%
• Health / hospital cash plans: offered by a number of banking institutions in Italy and Portugal
• Health assistance: penetration rates are significant only in Italy and Portugal
• Shopping cover
• Purchase protection insurance: adopted to a greater or lesser extent by all Dutch card issuers
• Price protection insurance: penetration rates lag far behind those for purchase protection cover
• Extended warranties: examples of packaging are most visible in France and the UK
• Other types of cover
• Road assistance: almost 20% of products analysed in Portugal include this form of cover
• Home assistance: while absent in four countries, penetration rates are relatively high in Portugal
• Personal liability insurance: packaging with banking products occurs only in Italy and Portugal
• Legal expenses insurance / assistance: rates of provision are modest in all territories
• Mobile telephone insurance: inclusion within card protection cover boosts penetration in France
• Identity protection insurance / assistance: subject to significant development only in the UK
• Car hire insurance: a minor feature of the market in France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain
• Corporate liability waiver insurance: included with over 25% of all business and corporate cards
• Other miscellaneous insurance: numerous other types of enhancement are in evidence ranging from computer laptop theft insurance and computing assistance to Internet delivery insurance and Internet purchase protection insurance and insurance for missed events, mobile gadgets and winter sports
• In France, customers with Carrefour' s PASS card can choose from a broad array of policies
• Approximate market size
• It is necessary to make a variety of assumptions when computing the market size
• Travel accident insurance and purchase protection insurance are the most common policy types
• The regional market was worth approximately € 5.26 billion in gross written premiums in 2008 and is likely to be growing at an average annual rate of between 5% and 10% overall
• Insurance and assistance premiums per capita are highest in the UK and lowest in Belgium
• Card-related creditor insurance and card protection insurance are the highest value segments
• Consumer metrics
• Finaccord' s pan-European consumer research also yields valuable insights into the market
• Key consumer metrics for card protection insurance
• Card protection insurance paid for separately enjoys the highest penetration in France
• Key consumer metrics for creditor (card payment protection) insurance
• Insurance protecting credit card payments is most widely held by French consumers although acquisition rates in a paid-for format are most advanced in the UK
• Key consumer metrics for travel insurance
• French consumers are most likely to rely on travel insurance linked to their credit card
• Key consumer metrics for other forms of insurance and assistance
• In the UK, the scope exists to increase free packaging with credit cards and current accounts

3.0 BELGIUM

• Introduction to the banking and payment card sectors
• The aftermath of the ' credit crunch' brings about fundamental change to the banking sector
• Numerous medium-sized and small banking ventures challenge the four largest institutions
• Credit and other pay later cards grow at double the rate of debit cards in Belgium
• Insurance and assistance linked to payment cards and bank accounts
• Broad types of cover
• Travel-related cover is most commonly packaged with payment cards and bank accounts
• Specific cover penetration albeit this often appears in the form of travel accident insurance or travel assistance
• Operating models
• Cardif, ING Insurance and KBC Insurance are active as captive underwriters in Belgium
• Partner market shares
• AIG Europe is the most prolific partner for both travel accident and purchase protection policies

4.0 FRANCE

• Introduction to the banking and payment card sectors
• The concentrated French consumer banking market is experiencing further consolidation as a result of the link between the Banques Populaires and the Caisses d' Epargne and the acquisition of the Belgian and French banking arms of Fortis by BNP Paribas
• Carte Bleue and MasterCard play a key role in insurance and assistance enhancements
• The popularity of co-branded and private label cards boosts credit and other pay later products
• Insurance and assistance linked to payment cards and bank accounts
• Broad types of cover
• Card and cash protection is the most widespread category of cover in France
• Specific cover penetration with card protection insurance often embracing forms of mobile telephone insurance
• Travel cover of one sort or another is carried by a majority of MasterCard and Visa cards
• France also plays host to a variety of innovative enhancements to banking products
• Operating models
• France is characterised by the utilization of a very diverse range of operating models
• Gras Savoye and SPB are influential as affinity brokers of insurance and assistance
• Partner market shares
• The Groupement Carte Bleue collaborates with several suppliers for travel-related cover
• Gras Savoye and SPB are prominent as organisers of card protection insurance
• A high number of providers compete in other major areas of insurance and assistance

5.0 IRELAND

• Introduction to the banking and payment card sectors
• A variety of banking institutions owned by foreign parents challenge the traditional incumbents
• Debit cards issued comprehensively outgrow credit and other pay later cards issued in Ireland
• Insurance and assistance linked to payment cards and bank accounts
• Broad types of cover
• Creditor and other accident and health covers are available most frequently in IrelandSpecific cover penetration although card protection insurance achieves the highest overall rate of penetration
• Operating models
• Most schemes are organised in conjunction with single, external underwriters although Affinion International is used by Ulster Bank for its ufirst account
• Partner market shares
• CPP accounts for most of the main relationships available for card protection insurance
• Several providers are active in card-related creditor insurance and comprehensive travel cover

6.0 ITALY

• Introduction to the banking and payment card sectors
• Four, or arguably five, retail banking groups lay claim to a genuinely nationwide network although these are being challenged by an array of ambitious regional competitors as well as several insurer-owned banks and banks falling under foreign ownership
• Italy also plays host to a considerable number of specialised lending institutions including central card issuing entities that promote their cards through distributor banks
• Credit and other pay later cards issued overtook debit cards issued in Italy in 2007
• Insurance and assistance linked to payment cards and bank accounts
• Broad types of cover
• Over one third of covers identified fall into the creditor and other accident or health category
• Specific cover penetration
• Combined insurance and assistance packages boost provision rates for individual types of cover
• Operating models
• Captive and joint venture underwriters play some part in the insurance and assistance sector although most enhancements to banking products are organised through a single underwriter
• Partner market shares
• CPP possesses an extensive client list although Affinion' s Sentinel is the partner of CartaSi
• Providers owned ultimately by French banks are most prominent in card-related creditor insurance
• Four main providers are visible in the market for purchase protection insurance
• Several important packages are managed by Assicurazioni Generali and Europ Assistance

7.0 NETHERLANDS

• Introduction to the banking and payment card sectors
• The integration of ABN AMRO and Fortis Bank brings about further market concentration albeit a number of smaller institutions offer an element of competition to the ' big three'
• Most Dutch consumers remain apparently reluctant to carry credit and other pay later cards
• Insurance and assistance linked to payment cards and bank accounts
• Broad types of cover
• The Dutch market is characterised by the relatively high presence of covers related to shopping
• Specific cover penetration
• Purchase protection insurance is the most commonly occurring enhancement to payment cards
• Operating models
• ABN AMRO elects to continue its joint venture arrangement with Aviva
• Partner market shares
• The Warranty Group benefits from its links with Comfort Card, LaSer Cards and Prime Line
• The protagonists in comprehensive travel insurance are familiar international competitors

8.0 PORTUGAL

• Introduction to the banking and payment card sectors
• For a relatively small market, Portugal' s retail lending sector remains comparatively fragmented although Cetelem and Groupe LaSer have agreed to combine their local subsidiaries
• Credit and other pay later cards are gradually eroding the share of debit cards in Portugal
• Insurance and assistance linked to payment cards and bank accounts
• Broad types of cover
• Banking products in Portugal are well-endowed with insurance and assistance enhancements
• Specific cover penetration
• Provision rates are significant across a range of different types of policy
• Operating models
• Captive underwriters are more influential in Portugal than in any other country reviewed
• Partner market shares although non-captive providers also account for a number of significant relationships

9.0 SPAIN

• Introduction to the banking and payment card sectors
• The main wave of consolidation in Spanish retail banking has now taken place
• Many of Spain' s savings banks are characterised by an independent, entrepreneurial spirit
• A number of overseas entrants play a significant role in the consumer finance sector
• Spanish consumers shift decisively towards credit and other pay later cards
• Insurance and assistance linked to payment cards and bank accounts
• Broad types of cover
• The Spanish market is oriented most strongly to insurance for card and cash protection
• Specific cover penetration although many payment cards also carry a free general accident insurance policy
• Operating models
• Several banking institutions make partial or exclusive use of captive underwriting entities
• Partner market shares
• In terms of its raw number of relationships, Caser benefits from its ties with many savings banks
• MBNA makes blanket use of ACE European Group for several types of cover
• At least eight assistance companies compete for travel assistance mandates
• Niche providers such as Autoclub Mutua, Legalitas and Reparalia are also visible

10.0 UNITED KINGDOM

• Introduction to the banking and payment card sectors
• The financial crisis is the main driver of rationalization of the UK consumer banking market
• Credit and other pay later cards peak in 2005 although debit cards issued continue to grow
• Insurance and assistance linked to payment cards and bank accounts
• Broad types of cover
• The ratio of covers to products analysed is higher in the UK than any other country considered
• Specific cover penetration
• Forms of insurance that must be paid for separately by customers are the most widespread
• Operating models
• Captive underwriters account for a significant proportion of all relationships identified
• Partner market shares
• CPP and Sentinel account for the vast majority of relationships for card protection insurance with CPP also emerging as the most prolific partner in the domain of identity theft cover
• At least eight non-captive underwriters are active in the market for card-related creditor insurance

GRAPHICS / TABLES

• Banks and other entities covered by the research segmented by country
• Payment cards and bank accounts covered by the research segmented by country, marque and type
• Debit cards issued in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2004-8
• Debit cards issued in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2004-8 (data)
• Debit cards issued per capita in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2004-8
• Debit cards issued per capita in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2004-8 (data)
• Credit and other pay later cards issued in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2004-8
• Credit and other pay later cards issued in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2004-8 (data)
• Credit and other pay later cards issued per capita in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2004-8
• Credit and other pay later cards issued per capita in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2004-8 (data)
• Credit and other pay later cards issued as a % of all payment cards issued in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2004-8
• Credit and other pay later cards issued as a % of all payment cards issued in Southern and Western, segmented by country, 2004-8 (data)
• Average number of insurance and assistance covers per product analysed in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Relative weight of insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in Southern and
• Western Europe, segmented by broad type of cover, 2009
• Relative weight of insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in Southern and
• Western Europe, segmented by broad type of cover, 2009 (data)
• Penetration rates for card protection insurance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for ATM cash theft insurance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for travel accident insurance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for travel health insurance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for travel assistance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for travel inconvenience insurance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for comprehensive travel insurance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for creditor insurance (life / permanent disability) in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for creditor insurance (temporary incapacity / unemployment) in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for personal accident insurance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for accidental death insurance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for health / hospital cash plans in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for health assistance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for purchase protection insurance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for price protection insurance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for extended warranties in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for road assistance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for home assistance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for personal liability insurance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for legal expenses insurance / legal assistance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for mobile telephone insurance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for identity protection insurance / assistance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for car hire insurance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for corporate liability waiver insurance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Penetration rates for other miscellaneous insurance in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2009
• Approximate number of payment cards and bank accounts carrying insurance and assistance policies in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by specific type of cover, 2009
• Approximate gross written premiums for insurance and assistance linked to payment cards and bank accounts in
• Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2008
• Approximate gross written premiums for insurance and assistance linked to payment cards and bank accounts per capita in Southern and Western Europe, segmented by country, 2008
• Approximate gross written premiums for insurance and assistance linked to payment cards and bank accounts in
• Southern and Western Europe, segmented by type of cover, 2008
• Approximate gross written premiums for insurance and assistance linked to payment cards and bank accounts in
• Southern and Western Europe, segmented by type of cover, 2008 (data)
• Percentage of cardholders in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK in possession of card protection insurance, 2008
• Percentage of cardholders in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK in possession of card protection insurance, 2008 (data)
• Percentage of cardholders in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK in possession of creditor (card payment protection) insurance, 2006
• Percentage of cardholders in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK in possession of creditor (card payment protection) insurance, 2006 (data)
• Types of travel insurance protecting respondents in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, 2004-6
• Types of travel insurance protecting respondents in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, 2004-6 (data)
• Percentage of consumers in the UK with other forms of insurance and assistance included for free on a credit card within a current account, 2007
• Number of debit and credit / pay later cards in Belgium, 2004-8
• Key metrics for debit and credit / pay later cards in Belgium, 2004-8
• Relative weight of insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in Belgium, segmented by broad type of cover, 2009
• Penetration of insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in Belgium, segmented by specific type of cover, 2009
• Operating models used for insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in
• Belgium, segmented by specific type of cover, 2009
• Partner market shares for insurance and assistance linked to bank accounts and payment cards in Belgium, segmented by type of cover, 2009
• Number of debit and credit / pay later cards in France, 2004-8
• Key metrics for debit and credit / pay later cards in France, 2004-8
• Relative weight of insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in France, segmented by broad type of cover, 2009
• Penetration of insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in France, segmented by specific type of cover, 2009
• Operating models used for insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in France, segmented by specific type of cover, 2009
• Partner market shares for insurance and assistance linked to bank accounts and payment cards in France, segmented by type of cover, 2009
• Number of debit and credit / pay later cards in Ireland, 2004-8
• Key metrics for debit and credit / pay later cards in Ireland, 2004-8
• Relative weight of insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in Ireland, segmented by broad type of cover, 2009
• Penetration of insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in Ireland, segmented by specific type of cover, 2009
• Operating models used for insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in Ireland, segmented by specific type of cover, 2009
• Partner market shares for insurance and assistance linked to bank accounts and payment cards in Ireland, segmented by type of cover, 2009
• Number of debit and credit / pay later cards in Italy, 2004-8
• Key metrics for debit and credit / pay later cards in Italy, 2004-8
• Relative weight of insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in Italy, segmented by broad type of cover, 2009
• Penetration of insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in Italy, segmented specific type of cover, 2009
• Operating models used for insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in Italy, segmented by specific type of cover, 2009
• Partner market shares for insurance and assistance linked to bank accounts and payment cards in Italy, segmented by type of cover, 2009
• Number of debit and credit / pay later cards in the Netherlands, 2004-8
• Key metrics for debit and credit / pay later cards in the Netherlands, 2004-8
• Relative weight of insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in the Netherlands, segmented by broad type of cover, 2009
• Penetration of insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in the Netherlands, segmented by specific type of cover, 2009
• Operating models used for insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in the Netherlands, segmented by specific type of cover, 2009
• Partner market shares for insurance and assistance linked to bank accounts and payment cards in the Netherlands, segmented by type of cover, 2009
• Number of debit and credit / pay later cards in Portugal, 2004-8
• Key metrics for debit and credit / pay later cards in Portugal, 2004-8
• Relative weight of insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in Portugal, segmented by broad type of cover, 2009
• Penetration of insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in Portugal, segmented by specific type of cover, 2009
• Operating models used for insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in Portugal, segmented by specific type of cover, 2009
• Partner market shares for insurance and assistance linked to bank accounts and payment cards in Portugal, segmented by type of cover, 2009
• Number of debit and credit / pay later cards in Spain, 2004-8
• Key metrics for debit and credit / pay later cards in Spain, 2004-8
• Relative weight of insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in Spain, segmented by broad type of cover, 2009
• Penetration of insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in Spain, segmented by specific type of cover, 2009
• Operating models used for insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in Spain, segmented by specific type of cover, 2009
• Partner market shares for insurance and assistance linked to bank accounts and payment cards in Spain, segmented by type of cover, 2009
• Number of debit and credit / pay later cards in the UK, 2004-8
• Key metrics for debit and credit / pay later cards in the UK, 2004-8
• Relative weight of insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in the UK, segmented by broad type of cover, 2009
• Penetration of insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in the UK, segmented by specific type of cover, 2009
• Operating models used for insurance and assistance policies linked to payment cards and bank accounts in the UK, segmented by specific type of cover, 2009
• Partner market shares for insurance and assistance linked to bank accounts and payment cards in the UK, segmented by type of cover, 2009