PETALING JAYA: Italian insurer Generali’s evolution in Malaysia as a result of its recent acquisition of AXA’s operations here will give MPI Generali Insurans Bhd’s sister company Europ Assistance Malaysia the opportunity to provide health, auto and travel assistance services to a larger number of individual and corporate customers alike.
Europ Assistance South East Asia CEO Philippe Demangeat (pix) said the opening of its Malaysia office in Kuala Lumpur almost four months ago allowed it to increase synergies between MPI Generali and Europ Assistance as the assistance services it provides strengthen the value proposition of insurers.
“Insurers protect and defend people’s lives, health, possessions, and wellbeing. Today they are closer to their customers than ever before, accessible when and where people need them, providing not just coverage but advice, mobile services, and prevention opportunities too.
“This makes them a perfect fit for the assistance services provided by a care company like Europ Assistance, as Europ Assistance’s automotive, travel, senior care, concierge and personal assistance business lines help insurers provide more comprehensive offerings to their customers. These services allow insurers to deepen their relationship with their customers allowing them to be seen as a partner that helps protect what is important,“ he told SunBiz.
In addition to its work with MPI Generali, Demangeat said it is looking to work with other local insurers so that their customers can benefit from its global and local network of travel, auto assistance, and health service providers.
Europ Assistance’s Malaysian office in Kuala Lumpur is its second foothold in South East Asia after Bangkok, Thailand, over a year ago. This was part of an overall strategy to establish a central platform that will allow for 24/7 service delivery to countries across the region.
Europ Assistance aims to establish itself as the leading supplier of digital assistance services in Asia through a multichannel platform that leverages technology to deliver a wide range of offerings. Having this presence in Malaysia will allow it to bolster its activities in the region through increased headcount and by finding synergies with its established Bangkok team.
“Europ Assistance’s entry in Malaysia confirms the larger interest within the Generali group for this market,” said Demangeat.
Globally, Europ Assistance collaborates with Generali companies to deliver its services.
“In terms of focus, we are currently preparing for the launch of our pick-up and drop-off digital repair solution which gives car owners the ability to call on our team of ambassadors to pick up their car from home and bring it to the workshop for service. This time-saving solution is already live in India, Indonesia, and Singapore where customers are relying on it to streamline the maintenance process. Another key focus, when travel resumes domestically and abroad, will be our travel assistance services so we can effectively support both Malaysian travellers and international customers traveling in the region.”
Demangeat said Malaysia’s high digital penetration rate makes it a perfect regional laboratory to design its digital services and foster the innovative offerings it look to deliver to the South East Asian region.
“To stand out in this crowded market, we will leverage our digital tools and constantly look to drive innovation in our products by focusing on keeping our customers safe through simple-to-use products. Our strength is our presence globally, regionally, and now locally – in addition to our ability to rely on our extensive network of providers.
“We are flexible, which allows us to collaborate closely with our business partners to curate a digital-first product and service experience that will enhance their value propositions. We are confident that this approach will allow us to continue expanding the number of partnerships we have with local insurers, banks, telecommunication companies, and airlines, among others.”
Amid the lockdown in Malaysia, Demangeat said, over the past year, the teams at Europ Assistance globally and locally felt it was important to leverage its capabilities to develop digital services that can be delivered to users at the place that is safest and most convenient for them.
“Teleconsultation services, which were recently launched in the region, proved particularly effective in the lockdown environment as they give users the access to medical expertise and care in the comfort and safety of their homes.
“This a long-term investment and hopefully the current lockdown in Malaysia will end soon. When it does we will be ready to ease the return from people by leveraging innovations to support their daily life, commute, and care.”
