Over the past 30 years, Česká podnikatelská pojišťovna (ČPP) has paid out almost 96 billion CZK to its clients, whether it was for car insurance claims, burgled apartments or serious injuries. Today, over 1.3 million clients rely on ČPP. It is the third-largest provider of motor third-party liability insurance on the Czech market and ranks among the top five insurance companies overall. What was the way to achieve these milestones? The 30th anniversary is an opportunity to look back, recall those who have contributed to ČPP’s success and share the vision for the next decade. We spoke with the insurance company’s CEO, Pavel Wiesner.
When I think of your thirty-year journey, the first thing that comes to mind is that every successful company is backed by its people – insurance companies included. Would you agree?
Exactly! And I would like to emphasize right from the start that even though we will mostly talk about several key figures today, at ČPP we are one team – and that’s how we view success. I’m proud that even with around a thousand employees across the country, we’ve managed to build a cohesive team in which initiative is welcomed and people take personal responsibility.
We’ll definitely talk more about that, but let’s first go back in time. Who would you call the founding father of ČPP?
It’s well known that the insurance company was founded by partners led by Pavel Sehnal in June 1995. I wasn’t there at the very beginning, but I do remember our first CEO, Vlastimil Navrátil – and I would consider him the founding father. The first major milestone under his leadership was the demonopolization of motor third-party liability insurance in 2000. At that time, insurance companies gained access to a portion of the existing client base of motorists, and ČPP received four percent, which represented approximately 200,000 clients. Under Vlasta Navrátil, we became the number three provider in motor insurance, a position we still hold today.
What was his contribution? How would you describe your first CEO?
I think his approach to building the company was brilliant. You see, insurance is a very complex field that touches everything from economics and law to marketing and IT.
Vlasta Navrátil’s goal was to make our products simple, accessible to the general public and easy to distribute through the widest possible distribution network. So we were able to start cooperating with major distribution partners such as Czech Post and VZP. At first, this cooperation focused on property and liability insurance of individuals, later extending to industrial and business insurance – hence the “business insurance company” in our name.
Another key aspect was speed. What took our competitors dozens of minutes had to be done much faster at ČPP. Under Vlasta’s leadership, we became the first insurance company in the Czech Republic to introduce an online system for concluding insurance contracts at a time when most competitors still used printed or handwritten contracts. This system still runs in an upgraded form today.
So ČPP was already setting trends back then. Who else do you remember fondly?
A key figure was certainly Franz Kosyna, who joined us in 2005, the year we became part of the Vienna Insurance Group (VIG). During his tenure, our capital base was significantly strengthened, which was a necessary prerequisite for further growth and successful development of ČPP. Franz Kosyna is still active within the VIG group, and we stay in touch. He, like Vlasta Navrátil, deserves our gratitude.
Who else left a lasting mark in ČPP’s history?
In 2008, Jakub Strnad took over as CEO, coming from Kooperativa, which is also part of VIG. If I had to describe his era in a few words: he was a visionary who emphasized maximum efficiency and high added value for our clients. We fundamentally transformed our product portfolio, and he was also behind the decision to leverage the marketing potential of the Pat and Mat characters, who continue to represent us to this day.
And I must also mention my predecessor, Jaroslav Besperát, who led ČPP for over twelve years until his sudden death in 2022. He was instrumental in the company’s dynamic growth. He often recalled how he joined the company during the great floods of 2002 – literally thrown into deep water as a salesman. I had the privilege of working closely with him in various roles, up to his position as CEO. Jarda was a man with a big heart and a passionate sportsman. He tried to instil sports principles such as teamwork and fairness both within the company and in our relationships with clients and partners as well.
We’ve been talking about successes. But every company, like every person, makes mistakes. Can you recall something that didn’t work out as planned? Something that didn’t quite resonate with clients?
There have certainly been wrong decisions too – that can happen and is part of the learning process. I remember one strategic decision that came too early: cyber risk insurance. We introduced it about eight years ago, primarily targeting medium-sized businesses. We designed the product in cooperation with one of the world’s largest reinsurance companies, Swiss Re, adopting their know-how. But at that time, there was no need for it among clients. Moreover, when they saw the list of requirements from the reinsurer, they would joke that if they met all those conditions, they wouldn’t actually need insurance anymore. So we stopped selling the product. Today, cyber risks are insurable, but there are special insurance companies for that.
What are your fondest personal memories from ČPP’s long history?
I remember the first years very fondly – they were tough times, we didn’t have the capital strength we do now, and hardly anyone knew us. I wish everyone could experience what it was like visiting clients, presenting our services and convincing brokers who didn’t yet cooperate with us that we were the right partner. That was the greatest learning experience, as we were building something from scratch.
Those who joined later or are joining now, don’t experience that. They’re entering a well-established company with an excellent reputation. Building from scratch will never happen again.
Let’s go back to the present, namely, to your first point about your team, which you consciously develop as the key ingredient for success. What are the other important ones?
It’s definitely our perspective on clients and communication with them. Over the years, we’ve come to see the client as the centre of our universe. It’s important to know what they think of us and what they truly need. Today, the world is changing so quickly that our products that met clients’ needs yesterday may not meet their expectations today.
Clients live with their insurance company – and ČPP lives with its clients.
What do you think clients appreciate most about ČPP today?
Immediate feedback, speed and helpfulness. They expect us to assist them in real time during crises, at a time when they are most stressed, and ideally solve their problem for them. This is how it has worked for a long time with our Global Assistance services for motorists, which many of your readers have likely experienced. But our approach is broader, as we also offer assistance with other products, building a contractual network of specialists and workmen who can help repair property damage, not just handle emergencies. However, in this case too, we always adapt to what clients actually want. In Prague and larger cities, such services are highly appreciated, while in smaller towns and villages, clients often prefer to handle repairs themselves or use someone they know – and we simply reimburse the damage.
Finally, how do you envision the company ten years from now, at the next big anniversary?
We are building a new core system, meaning we will stand on a different technological foundation that will move us further into the 21st century. To do this, we will increasingly use AI tools to eliminate repetitive tasks and accelerate certain processes even more. But what’s essential is that we will remain an insurance company built on human contact, with a strong network of regional offices and about a thousand employees who communicate directly with clients and ask about their problems and the services they need from us.
On behalf of TRADE NEWS, I wish you that your vision comes true.
Pavel Wiesner was interviewed by Jana Jenšíková
Photo credits: Marek Jenšík and ČPP
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