HOLLARD INSURANCE SOUTH AFRICA An insurer that insures your insure, across Africa and beyond

By Georgina Crouth

With a history spanning over 40 years, the Hollard Insurance Group has expanded from South Africa to offer a comprehensive suite of innovative products worldwide.

Intro: As one of Africa’s largest privately held insurance groups, the Hollard Insurance Group serves millions of policyholders globally, offering a comprehensive suite of leading-edge short-term, life insurance, and investments solutions.

Hollard Life Solutions partners with businesses to offer their customers and staff innovative life insurance solutions. With over 100 partnerships in 38 years, the life division has proven to be responsive, innovative, and flexible.

Hollard underwrites a broad range of general insurance products, including motor, home, contents, business, bicycle and pet; both directly and indirectly.

Hollard Investments helps make saving and investing accessible for everyone with simple product solutions, offered in collaboration with selected outsourced service providers.

Industry

The long-term insurance sector offers a diverse range of products, including life insurance, retirement annuities, and disability cover. It is well-established, regulated, and influenced by technological advancements and changing demographics. Despite economic challenges, the sector remains crucial for providing financial security to millions of consumers.

Similarly, the short-term insurance sector is a dynamic and competitive industry, offering essential protection against various risks through a wide range of insurance products, including car, travel, equipage, legal, home and pet. It is a highly competitive, well-regulated and technologydriven sector, which plays a vital role in a country’s economy.

However, insurers worldwide are faced with economic uncertainty, cybersecurity risks, evolving customer expectations, increasing claim costs, rapid technological advancements, and the growing impact of climate change.

Business

Established in 1980 by Robert Enthoven and his son Patrick to underwrite self-insurance programmes for large corporate clients and banks, Hollard is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The group currently comprises insurance businesses throughout Africa, New Zealand and Australia, with operations and investments in the United Kingdom, India, China, and the United States.

Hollard Group Risk is a leading provider of group risk solutions in the UK, offering its business partners and their clients a comprehensive benefits package including death, funeral, disability, and critical illness cover. Established in 2005, Hollard adopted a specialist risk-only strategy in 2007. It was the UK’s fastest growing group risk insurer in 2009, and 2018 to 2022. In 2023, it collected about £85,9-million in premiums.

In Australasia, The Hollard Insurance Company was established in 1999, as part of the Hollard International Group of companies, operating in Australia and New Zealand. Hollard Insurance Partners Limited (formerly Commonwealth Insurance Limited) became part of the group from October 2022.

As an independent, privately owned company, Hollard ranks among Australia’s top five insurers. Hollard partners with broker businesses and leading direct insurance brands like Commonwealth Bank, Everyday Insurance, Real Insurance, and Steadfast to offer innovative insurance solutions for a diverse range of customers.

Its primary customer segments include retail customers in Australia and New Zealand (home, motor, and pet), as well as commercial and smallto-medium-sized businesses (commercial motor, commercial property and business interruption, public liability, and ancillary cover like theft and machinery).

In Africa, Hollard now has a presence in 10 countries, including South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, Ghana, Zambia, Lesotho, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Staff

Recognised as a top employer in South Africa, Hollard has a strong reputation and commitment to innovation, providing reliable and innovative insurance solutions to customers.

By partnering with Harambee, businesses can contribute to a more prosperous future for South Africa while addressing their own talent needs.

It employs over 3,250 “Hollardites” around the world: 2,783 in Africa, 447 in Austrasia, 14 in North America, five in Asia and five in Europe.

Hollard is a founding partner in Harambee — a private-sector initiative, offers a sustainable solution to South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis. By providing entry-level job opportunities and essential workplace skills, Harambee helps young people secure long-term employment. With a 26.4% unemployment rate and a high youth unemployment rate, South Africa faces a significant challenge. Harambee’s 90-day bridging programme prepares young candidates for the workplace, ensuring that they have the necessary skills and confidence to succeed.

Participating companies commit to employing graduates for at least a year, providing valuable work experience.

Many Harambee trainees find opportunities at Hollard.

Harambee has grown from a small initiative to a programme serving over 100 corporate employers and creating jobs for thousands of young people. The programme has received government support and offers a promising solution to South Africa’s unemployment crisis.

Partners

Hollard collaborates closely with brokers and intermediaries to offer customers a diverse range of insurance options and expert advice, enhancing the overall customer experience and providing tailored solutions.

New Developments

In 2017, Hollard invested in Naked Insurance, a South African digital-only insurance company that now operates under its umbrella. The investment aligns with Hollard’s growth ambitions in digitally driven insurance solutions.

Naked Insurance offers a simplified, online-only approach to car and home insurance. Naked offers cover through its app in seconds, allowing customers to claim and manage their car, home and single-item insurance directly.

Naked puts customers in control. Cover can be bought online in seconds, and managed directly through our app, anytime, anywhere. The technology eliminates the need for call centers, saving customers time and money.

Unlike traditional insurance, Naked’s profits aren’t tied to how much they pay out in claims. They charge a flat fee for running costs and profits, ensuring that the rest goes towards claims and charitable causes chosen by customers.

Driven by its hugely successful advertising drives, including this year’s cheeky “Lose Wait” campaign, Naked has grown into one of the most popular short-term insurers in South Africa.

In June, Naked raised R160-million (£6.88-million) in additional funding, led by Naspers, Hollard and Yellowwoods, to focus on expanding its team, invest in its technology and enter international markets.

Last year, Hollard also invested in Simply Financial Services, an insurtech startup. This strategic move aligns with Hollard’s digital expansion goals. Simply offers affordable, flexible life insurance, leveraging proprietary technology to disrupt the traditional market. Hollard’s investment will fuel Simply’s growth and enhance Hollard’s offerings.

It’s yet another partnership that reflects Hollard’s commitment to innovation and meeting customer needs. INFO@ATLAS360.CO.ZA