Axa Ireland
 |
 | |
| Industry | Insurance |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Dublin, Ireland |
| Products | Car, home, small business, commercial vehicle, taxi insurance |
| Website | www.axa.ie |
Axa Insurance Ireland is an Irish insurance company headquartered in Dublin.
The Axa group of companies are engaged in car, home, small business, commercial vehicle, and taxi insurance products.
Axa is the third biggest general insurer in the Republic of Ireland.[1]
The Axa name
Despite being written in upper case, "AXA" is not an acronym, but was chosen because its name can be pronounced easily by people who speak any language. After acquiring the Drouot Group in 1982, the company hired an outside consultant to conduct a computer-aided search for a new name. The selection criteria consisted of a short and snappy name to convey vitality, a name that begins with the letter A so that it would appear near the top of all lists, and something that could be pronounced easily in every language, consistent with the group's desire for an international presence. In 1985, Chairman and CEO Claude Bébéar chose the name Axa.[2]
History
It established its presence in Ireland in 1999 when it bought British-based Guardian Royal Exchange,[3] which had previously acquired PMPA.[1] PMPA, Private Motorists Protection Association,[4] was at the time one of Ireland's biggest insurance companies. PMPA had gotten into financial difficulties in the 1980s and required the Irish government to assist by giving it financial support.
See also
- Axa
- Ardian (formerly Axa Private Equity)
- European Financial Services Roundtable
References
- ^ a b Irish Times - AXA plans €10m investment to expand financial services
- ^ "AXA Website - History of the AXA name". Archived from the original on 21 April 2009. Retrieved 30 April 2009.
- ^ New York Times - AXA of France to Buy Guardian of Britain
- ^ BBC News - Irish insurance troubles nothing new
