Nationale-Nederlanden, part of the NN Group, offers protection, retirement, savings and investment solutions to about 850,000 customers across Spain. A sizable segment of these clients is considered the senior public within the NN agency network. This perspective is clarified in an interview with Alex Bogman, the company’s executive vice president and commercial director.
Recently the company unveiled a health and casualty insurance product aimed at the senior public. What is the outlook for the insurance market, especially health insurance, in the coming years?
The vulnerability of the elderly makes protection essential as private health insurance costs rise with age. The new offering introduces substantial value for this demographic by combining health protection with affordability and flexible support services. It is not only health insurance; it blends medical access and protection at a competitive price, including home care services, family and geriatric medicine, unlimited medical consultations, specialist visits, podiatry, and diagnostic testing such as mammography. It also covers potential health issues with additional services like annual prostate ultrasound, dental insurance and more. In the event of an accident, Contigo Senior provides diagnostic capital and the support of top professionals to help customers adapt to temporary changes quickly and with in-home care when needed.
In a country like Spain with an aging population, the aim is to empower older adults with tools that help them live better and maintain independence so that they and their families can continue to experience inner peace. This is the goal behind Contigo Senior.
When it comes to retirement savings, there is a sense that the savings culture is not strongly anchored in Spain. Why is saving money difficult for Spaniards despite available means, and what solutions does Nationale-Nederlanden offer in this regard?
The core answer is financial education. It is the key challenge for Spaniards and central to reducing economic risks as life expectancy rises. Recent findings from the study Longevity: Are we Spaniards ready for a long, happy and healthy life show that 46% of respondents do not know how much to save for the future and 13% lack sufficient financial knowledge to begin. Another 12% are unsure where to start. This data highlights the need to build financial literacy to help people assess risks and pursue prosperity. In that context, more and more companies are embracing financial training.
Corporations play a fundamental role because they are recognizing the value of offering supplementary pension products. In the coming years these products may become a standard part of compensation packages, following examples already seen in neighboring markets.
The closure of traditional banking and insurance offices due to digitization is rising, a trend that especially affects older generations. How does Nationale-Nederlanden respond to this shift and what changes to its business model address digitalization challenges?
Innovation guides the approach. New data processing and artificial intelligence are used to augment human relations, delivering a more personalized service from the insurance agent. This enables the team to anticipate needs and add real value, differentiating the company from others that have fully digitized and closed offices. Since 2019, the organization has pursued bold strides in innovation and digital transformation, unveiling new office models across the country. The offices are transformed into modern spaces featuring state-of-the-art digital displays, which serve as an additional channel for communication and enable agents to offer more efficient, tailored service. A strong, consolidated social and digital strategy supports this effort while keeping the agent at the center of the customer relationship, reinforcing the belief that a digital company still relies on the human touch.
Could you outline the company’s future plans briefly?
The focus remains on delivering outcomes aligned with the new corporate strategy. The priorities include continuing to optimize the commercial network by combining technology with the human guidance provided by the insurance agent and strengthening the protection segment. The overarching goal is to maintain a superior customer experience and to ensure sustained growth through a balanced blend of digital capability and personal service. [Source attribution: Nationale-Nederlanden interview remarks, as reported by NN Group.]