The companies’ interest in buying health insurance policies came from the need to stand out from competitors when it comes to benefits offered to employees, as well from the introduction of the tax deductibility for both employer and employee.
A company pays EUR10 to EUR20 per month for health insurance per employee, but the premiums may vary depending on the insurance program structure and number of employees.
New companies like Continental and BCR entered the list of employers offering health insurance as benefits for their employees.
German-held automotive component manufacturer Continental (4,500 employees in Romania) last year signed a private health insurance contract with Allianz-Tiriac, the largest local insurer. Continental did not return ZF’s calls for information on the insurance contract.
BCR (more than 6,000 employees) bought medical insurance from BCR Viata.
Natural gas and electricity supplier Engie (the former GDF Suez) renewed its medical insurance contract for its more than 3,500 employees in 2015. The policy issued by Groupama was specially tailored for Engie.
Telecom (Vodafone), energy (KazMunayGas, Lukoil) and retail (Auchan, Carrefour) companies were among the first to offer their employees health insurance. The trend to switch from clinic memberships to health insurance started with Automobile Dacia and OMV Petrom, the largest business in Romania, which took the step in 2014.
Although private health insurance gained ground last year, it still has a way to go before catching up with private healthcare provider memberships, a business twice as big in value and eight times bigger in volume.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)