Achmea Unifies Distribution Operations Across Brands to Strengthen Customer Experience Strategy

Achmea Unifies Distribution Operations Across Brands to Strengthen Customer Experience Strategy

(IN BRIEF) Achmea plans to merge the distribution organisations of its major brands into a single central division as part of its Strategy 2030 transformation programme. The restructuring will combine activities including marketing, commerce, customer service and digital customer journeys while allowing brands such as Centraal Beheer, Interpolis and Zilveren Kruis to maintain their individual identities and market positioning. Achmea said the initiative aims to improve customer experience, increase efficiency and make greater use of technologies such as data analytics and generative AI. The changes are expected to reduce approximately 350 full-time positions and are planned to take effect in early 2027 pending consultation with the Central Works Council.

(PRESS RELEASE) ZEIST, 7-May-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Achmea has announced plans to merge the distribution organisations of its various insurance and healthcare brands into a single central division as part of its long-term Strategy 2030 programme aimed at improving customer experience, strengthening commercial performance and increasing operational efficiency.

The new organisational structure is expected to take effect during the first quarter of 2027 and will combine distribution-related activities currently operating separately under brands including Centraal Beheer, Interpolis and Zilveren Kruis. Although distribution activities will be centrally managed, Achmea said each brand will retain its own identity, customer positioning and distribution strategy.

The transformation will cover a broad range of functions including commerce, distribution, marketing, branding, customer contact operations and online customer journeys. According to the company, the restructuring builds on existing cooperation between brands in operational areas such as claims handling and product administration.

Achmea said the move is intended to help the company respond more effectively to evolving customer expectations, particularly growing demand for digital services, personalised interactions and faster support channels. The insurer also plans to make greater use of emerging technologies, including data-driven systems and generative artificial intelligence, to improve customer engagement and service delivery.

Lidwien Suur said customers increasingly expect digital, flexible and personalised services that can be accessed at any time and adapted to their personal or business needs. She noted that rapid technological developments are forcing organisations to make strategic choices regarding how customer service and commercial operations are organised.

According to Suur, combining expertise and intensifying cooperation across brands will allow Achmea to serve customers faster and more effectively while preserving the unique characteristics that distinguish each individual brand. She added that the changes are also intended to improve efficiency and operational effectiveness through standardisation and automation.

The company acknowledged that the restructuring will lead to workforce reductions as overlapping activities are consolidated and processes become more automated. Around 2,300 employees currently work within the business units affected by the transformation, and Achmea expects the number of full-time positions to decline by approximately 15 percent, equivalent to around 350 FTE roles.

Achmea stated that it intends to support affected employees throughout the transition process and provide guidance where redeployment or alternative employment opportunities are necessary. The company currently employs more than 14,000 FTE across the Netherlands.

The planned restructuring forms part of Achmea’s broader “Next Level” strategy through 2030, which focuses on strengthening the company’s commercial position through enhanced customer experience, digital innovation and more integrated operations across its portfolio of insurance and healthcare brands.

The transformation plan remains subject to consultation and advice from Achmea’s Central Works Council and will continue to be refined over the coming months.

About Achmea

Achmea is a broad financial services company based in the Netherlands. The company also operates internationally, including in Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia, Australia, Germany, Spain and Romania. In the Netherlands, Achmea operates under strong brands such as Centraal Beheer, Interpolis and Zilveren Kruis. We help people carry on with their lives, especially at times that matter the most. For 215 years, we’ve been here both for and due to our customers, as well as for society at large. Together with our customers and partners, we solve major social issues relating to health, living and working, mobility and income. By doing so, we create sustainable value for our customers, our employees, our company and society. Previous generations have been able to rely on us, and future generations can do so too.

In 2025, Achmea’s customers paid approximately €27.5 billion in premiums, with approximately €2.2 billion of this in our international activities. Achmea is the market leader in the Netherlands for Non-life and Health, and is a top three player in pension and life insurances. Under the Retirement Services banner, Achmea offers consumers, employers and institutional customers a complete package of products and services. We do this through Achmea Investment Management, Achmea Real Estate, Achmea Bank, Achmea Mortgages, Achmea Pension Services, and Centraal Beheer PPI.

Achmea has around 18,000 full-time employees globally, more than 14,000 of whom work in the Netherlands.

Media Contact:

Media: 

Ariën Bikker
telephone: +31(0)6 12 76 30 59
arien.bikker@achmea.nl

Investor Relations:

Michiel Kok
telephone: +31 (0)6 82 97 24 30
Michiel.kok@achmea.nl

SOURCE: Achmea