A label developed by AXA in 2013 has revolutionized how insurance products are conceived and the relationship between the Group and its clients.

Since 2016, all new contracts offered by AXA in France must respect a standard called RSE (which stands for Responsabilité Sociétale de l’Entreprise, or Corporate Social Responsibility). This process is more than just a formality: throughout their conception, insurance products are examined according to 15 ethical standards, which range from taking into account disabilities to protecting private data and integrating prevention measures. On the environment measure, 10 points (out of a total of 100) can be attributed if the contract offers green incentive pricing, for example by preferring products and materials that are environmentally friendly when rebuilding after an accident or disaster. On the trust measure, an additional 10 points can be earned for posting a detailed explanation of a contract’s guarantees and exclusions in the online client space. Any new offer must clear a minimum of 60 points before it is launched.

The genesis of a methodological big bang

Catherine Chazal, CSR Director for AXA in France, participated in the creation of this framework. It can take months for engineers to craft an offer, she says. Several conversations with the RSE teams are needed in order to fine-tune a proposal. The reason behind this is a strong conviction at AXA – offering the best possible service is no longer enough; it must also have a positive impact on society and the environment.

In the following months, a laboratory of responsible offers was created by Céline Soubranne, then CSR director for AXA in France. Her goal: to define, in partnership with civil society, a base of societal and environmental norms applicable to the products offered. A focus group including representatives of different lines of work was created and various concerned parties were interviewed: consumer organizations, environmental NGOs, think tanks, etc.

The consultation method

Among the organizations surveyed was Novethic, an information and notation agency specialized in RSE and well-respected for its independence. Since its creation 15 years ago, this subsidiary of the Caisse des Dépots et Cosignations – a French public sector financial institution – is an expert in responsible investment.

Following consultations with various external concerned parties, an ethical framework was formalized and then validated by the senior management of AXA in France. This framework, called the Assurance Citoyenne (or Citizen Insurance), is composed of four commitments and 15 criteria that all new products must meet.

This participatory method did not only serve to shape the theory behind the Assurance Citoyenne; in practice, the AXA in France teams are also increasingly turning toward civil society before building new offers. To do this, they use monassurancecitoyenne.com, a crowdsourcing site created by the company in 2016.

One question in particular comes up frequently: Why not allow car insurance to be activated on a case-by-case basis, rather than through yearly payments? This message was received loud and clear by AXA in France, who created ma mobilité auto (my car mobility) which gives clients five choices: 24-hour, weekend, weekly, monthly or annual coverage. This policy has been offered since the summer of 2016, and, of course, carries the Assurance Citoyenne label.

In 2019, half of AXA’s French revenue is generated by products labeled Assurance Citoyenne. Better yet, since 2017, all redesigned offers have been subject to this standard, even though the procedure is not mandatory. For example, take Avizen Pro, an insurance solution for business leaders. A few months ago, its creators wrote a memo that clarified the contract’s main characteristics. This memo is now given to clients, and specifies all guarantees, but also cases where it is null, exclusions and cancellations. This transparency effort contributed to Avizen Pro receiving the Assurance Citoyenne label.

4.9 million contracts sold since 2015

In November 2016, the firm EY was asked to audit AXA in France’s Assurance Citoyenne. The report’s authors concluded: We appreciated the appropriate character of the framework and evaluation grid… in relation to their pertinence, reliability, comprehensiveness, neutrality, and intelligibility. In other words, a strong standard has been established.

And this standard is set to grow. The label is on its way to extending throughout the AXA Group. With a presence in 64 countries, this project is a long-term undertaking.