- Geneva Association
Infobox Organization
name=Geneva Association, The
image_border=Logo_Geneva_Association.jpg
type=Non-profit organisation
foundation = 1973
membership= A maximum of 80 CEOs from insurance companies around the world
leader_title=General Secretariat
leader_name=Geneva , SUI
function=
website= [http://www.genevaassociation.org/ www.genevaassociation.org]The International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics, also known by its short name The Geneva Association, is an organisation formed by a maximum of 80 CEOs (
Chief Executive Officer s) frominsurance companies all around the world.Its main goal is to
research the magnitude of worldwide insurance activities in all sectors of the economy. It tries to identify fundamental trends and strategic issues where insurance plays a substantial role or which influence the insurance sector. In parallel, it develops and encourages various initiatives concerning the evolution – in economic and cultural terms – ofrisk management and the notion ofuncertainty in the modern economy. The very design of "The Geneva Association" 's logo brings into sharp focus the priority of concentrating both on these "interface" areas of risk, where insurance meets the risk management problems of its clients in all sectors ("micro-economics").All the "Geneva Association" 's activities are pursued by means of research, publications and organisation of international conferences, seminars as well as discussions with
Nobel Prize winners such as [http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/economics/laureates/1972/ Kenneth J. Arrow] , [http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/economics/laureates/2001/ Josef Stiglitz] and others. In addition, The "Geneva Association" stimulates research work in insurance-related fields and risk management through the availability ofscholarships ,prizes , grants and subsidies for theses. [cite web|url=http://www.genevaassociation.org/Grants.htm|title=Grants |publisher=The Geneva Association|accessdate=2007-05-09] The "Geneva Association" also acts as a forum for its members, providing a worldwide platform for the insurance CEOs. It organises the framework for its members in order that they may exchange ideas and discuss key strategic issues, especially at the General Assembly where once per year over 50 of these CEOs gather. Moreover, "The Geneva Association" organises global networks for experts in various fields linked toinsurance such asrisk management ,pension provision ,health ,regulation , etc. It also manages several extra-company networks of specialists from our members' companies:Chief Risk Officer s (CROs), Chief Economists and Strategists, the AccountancyTask Force with CFOs (Chief Financial Officer s) and Chief Accountants as well as the Liability Regimes Planning Board withChief Legal Officer s (CLO) and General Counsels.The "Geneva Association" is a
non-profit organisation and its General Secretariat is located inGeneva ,Switzerland . [cite web|url=http://www.genevaassociation.org/Structure.htm|title=Organisational Structure of the GA|publisher=The Geneva Association|accessdate=2007-05-09]Historic Developments
The "Geneva Association" was founded under the initiative of a
committee which met for the first time inParis on September 22, 1971. This founding committee was constituted by the following people:* Mr. Emil Frey, General Manager, Mannheimer Versicherung (
Mannheim );
* Mr. Georges Martin, President, Royale Belge (Brussels );
* Mr. Ernst Meyer, General Manager,Allianz (Munich );
* Mr. Fabio Padoa, Administrateur Délégué,Assicurazioni Generali (Trieste ); and
* Mr. Bernard Pagezy, President, La Paternelle (Paris )The Constitutive Assembly of the "Geneva Association" took place in Paris on February 27, 1973, at the headquarters of La Paternelle (today part of the
AXA Group ). The following companies were represented by their President or CEO:Allianz ,Münchener Rück ,Aachener & Münchener , and Victoria for "Germany"; Commercial Union, Royal and Mercantile & General for "the United Kingdom"; Erste Allgemeine for "Austria"; Royale Belge for "Belgium"; UAP, AGF, Paternelle, Préservatrice and SAFR for "France"; Generali, RAS, Reale Mutua, INA and Fondiaria for "Italy"; Nationale Nederlanden for "the Netherlands", and theSwiss Re for "Switzerland".The "Geneva Association" was established in 1973 for the purpose of promoting economic research in the sector of risk and insurance.
Membership
Today, the "Geneva Association" has 80 members from 14 countries in Europe, 4 countries in North and South America, 3 countries in Asia, and 1 country in Oceania. Its members are the chief executive officers of insurance companies in the world and they are members in a personal capacity. The maximum number of members is limited to eighty. Applications of new members shall be examined by the Board of Directors at the proposal of the President and, if recommended, be submitted to the General Assembly for approval by majority vote.Statutes of the Geneva Association]
Key Research Programmes
To study in depth some key questions that appears relevant to insurance activities, the "Geneva Association" has set up the following programmes: [cite web|url=http://www.genevaassociation.org/research_programmes.htm|title=Research Programmes|publisher=The Geneva Association|accessdate=2007-05-09]
The Four Pillars This programme was launched in 1987. Key areas of research: "
social security ", "insurance", "savings" and "employment"
* The limits of the welfare state and the reorganisation of the welfare society, including the demographic issue, which is at the very top of political and economic agenda in every countriesHealth and Ageing This programme focuses on health issues for people aged between 50 and 80. Key areas of research: "
health " and "productive ageing"
* New issues concerning health insurance and with specific reference to two key trends: technological advanced and their influence on the cost of treatments; and increasing health costs and the need for funded systems and their correspondence to similar funds in the life pension sectorInsurance and Finance This programme focuses on finance issues where it is relevant to the insurance and risk management sector. Key areas of research: "finance" and "insurance"
* The understanding of the specificities of insurance as a central economic activity in the modern economy. This specificity is key to adequately identifying and adapting the right strategy in the present trend of convergence infinancial services This programme focuses on the exchange of information in the risk management sector. Key areas of research: "risk management", "assessment" and "prevention"
* It is dedicated to foster the use of the tools of risk assessment and risk management in new fields of application; to provide a platform between the insurance community, the engineering and academic communities and policy makers to discuss risk issues; to promote the concept of insurability of risks; and to identify new opportunities for insurers in the emergingsustainability concept in order to enlarge the field of insurable risksPROGRES This programme focuses on the exchange of information on studies and initiatives aimed at better understanding the challenges advising in the fields of insurance regulation, supervision as well as other legal aspects. Key areas of research: "regulation", "supervision" and "legal issues in insurance"
* It is dedicated to identify and analyse the current and future developments of the service economy; to gain a better understanding of the role of services, especially financial services; and to investigate the consequences of changes in services for insurance and the impact of developments in insurance on the service economyInsurance Economics This programme focuses on the promotion of contacts at the university level in the field of risk and insurance economics. Key areas of research: "risk", "insurance" and "economics"
* It is dedicated to making an original contribution to the progress of insurance through promoting studies of the interdependence between economics and insuranceMeetings, Seminars and Conferences
To achieve its main goals, the "Geneva Association" organises or co-organises a number of meetings, conferences and
lecture s. The most important meeting of "The Geneva Association" is its General Assembly that takes place every year. At this occasion, key economic issues are presented and discussed with world-renown personalities and key indications and recommendations are provided for the activity of the association. Since 1973, the "Geneva Association" has been organising an annual seminar for The European Group of Risk and Insurance Economists ( [http://www.egrie.org EGRIE] ), in order to stimulate research and teaching in areas linked to economics and insurance.The "Geneva Association" regularly organises international conferences which are linked to its research programmes. [cite web|url=http://www.genevaassociation.org/events.htm|title=Events|publisher=The Geneva Association|accessdate=2007-05-10]
Publications
"The Geneva Association" publishes and edits a number of journals, newsletters and a series of research working documents such as The Geneva Papers on Insurance - Issues and Practice. This publication was created in January 1976, following a suggestion by the first president of the "Geneva Association", Mr
Raymond Barre . In 1990, with the development of more theoretical studies on risk and insurance, "The Geneva Papers" were split up in two series: The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice and The Geneva Risk and Insurance Review (called "The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Theory" up to December 2004).The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice rely essentially on in-depth professional business analysis and aim at bridging the gap between academics and practitioners working in insurance. This quarterly journal was published by Blackwell Publishers in London until December 2004 and is now published by Palgrave Macmillan. [cite web|url=http://www.palgrave-journals.com/gpp/index.html|title=The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan, Journals|accessdate=2007-05-10] Conversely, The Geneva Risk and Insurance Review is exclusively devoted to academic-university scholars in economics. It is published bi-annually by Springer. [cite web|url=http://www.palgrave-journals.com/gpp/index.html|title=The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan, Journals|accessdate=2007-05-10]
The "Geneva Association" also releases a number of other publications. These include The Geneva Association Information Newsletters, published biannually, which relate state of art information on the different research programmes developed by the association. [cite web|url=http://www.genevaassociation.org/newsletters_menu.htm|title=Geneva Association Information Newsletters|publisher=The Geneva Association|accessdate=2007-05-10] It also publishes the Etudes & Dossiers (10-15 per year) which present in full preliminary and completed research work internally financed. [cite web|url=http://www.genevaassociation.org/Etudes&Dossier |title=Etudes & Dossiers|publisher=The Geneva Association|accessdate=2007-05-10] In addition, the "Geneva Association" has released various books such as Insurance and September 11 - One Year After: Impact, Lessons and Unresolved Issues (in 2002) and Ventures in Insurance Economics - 30 years The Geneva Association (in 2003) as well as studies that have benefited from the support of the association. [cite web|url=http://www.genevaassociation.org/books.htm|title=Recent Books and Scripts |publisher=The Geneva Association|accessdate=2007-05-10]
External links
* [http://www.genevaassociation.org The Geneva Association website] (known as the International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics)
* [http://www.allianz.com/en/index.html Allianz website]
* [http://www.axa.com/en/ Axa Group website]
* [http://www.munichre.com/en/homepage/default.aspx Munich Re Group website]
* [http://www.swissre.com/ Swiss Re website]
* [http://www.huebnergeneva.org/ The Geneva Association and The Huebner Foundation joint website]
* [http://www.genevaassociation.org/ASEC.htm The ASEC website] , the Applied Services Economic CentreReferences
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