Insurance agent (Austria)

An insurance agent (VA) in Austria is someone who is constantly entrusted by an insurer / insurance company (VU) to broker products for them or to broker or conclude insurance contracts for them (Section 43 (1) Austrian Insurance Contract Act). The rights are specified in the agency contract, although depending on the agreement, these usually exclude the collection of contributions and premiums.

Demarcation

In order to avoid confusion with related professions ( insurance broker , insurance consultant , financial service provider ) and / or errors, the requirements of § 137 ff. The insurance agent always acts on behalf of the insurance company (VU) or insurance agencies with which he has a "contractual relationship". He can also act as an insurance broker or advisor in insurance matters. However, he may not work for insurance brokers or consultants in insurance matters, but may work for other insurance agencies. Each of these types of activities or exercises of the various forms as an insurance broker in Austria must be entered in the insurance broker register created in 2005 as described above. For the entry, at least a bond with an insurance company is essential. An insurance agent is also entitled to carry out his business as a multiple agent within the framework of the trade regulations, which means that he has several contractual relationships with different, competing insurance companies. In addition, a valid liability insurance must be available when registering the business.

History of the insurance agent using the example of "Austria"

The insurance agent has always been named from various sources as the active and active person in the history of the Austrian insurance industry. The exact designation "insurance agent" is already in the early 18th century a term that was used in all forms of the predecessors of today's well-known Austrian insurance companies to carry out tasks and activities. It should be noted that the tasks of an insurance agent in the 18th century also included all activities such as administration, i.e. office work, as well as activities in the field.

It is also astonishing that the same activities as those of an insurance agent e.g. For example : at the “Salzburger Mutual Brand Assecuranz-Anstalt” founded in 1811 by the k (u.) K. Tax offices were taken over. From 1881 by the community leaders .

Derived from the personalities of these tax and municipal officials who were already in high regard at that time and who were given the privilege of being able to carry out tasks and activities in the then young Austrian insurance industry, it can be seen what great demands an insurance agent must meet had to correspond.

As a privilege, on the one hand, as additional income, on the other hand, since these commissioned civil servants were usually referred to as “well-thinking civil servants who promote the well-being of the entrusted subjects” and had the right to collect the contributions, i.e. today's insurance premiums, of 1 percent as earnings to be retained. This is a commission . It is noteworthy that this makes tax officials the forerunners of the insurance field service.

Insurance agencies were also used at the same time as the Austrian senior officials (only those were allowed to carry out these activities)! In 1839 an advertisement ( Wiener Zeitung ) was published in which the takeover of an insurance agency was announced. These agencies were subdivided and titled: General Agency and, as a subdivision, the Main Agency. The main agencies were subordinate to the general agencies and find their parallel in today's regional and state directorates.

These insurance agencies (agencies) were also the ones who built up the insurance market in Austria. All activities known today in the insurance industry in Austria were therefore carried out for the first time by the insurance agents. Corresponding examples of insurance agencies around 1880 can also be found in Germany . The tasks included issuing policies , collecting premiums, recording claims, making claims payments, etc.

The multiple insurance agent was also mentioned several times in historical documents in 1874. This also, in connection with liability, since the respective insurance company was also liable for the activity of the insurance agent for the benefit of the insured (customers) and the insurance agent acts on behalf of the insurance company today as it did then.

Historical

Excerpt and quotation from a historical insurance almanac: The insurance agent who shapes insurance in Austria. He is, as it were, the patron saint of widows and orphans, in a sense the chief apostle in the Trinity for the protection of property; Let him be by his side, the firefighter and the security officer "heroes in the fight against the destructive forces"!

swell

1. ↑ 200 years of insurance agents in Austria - 200 years on behalf of the protection and security of the Austrian population and economy by Adrian S. Schatz