1845, the first year
The story of Nationale-Nederlanden begins in Zutphen, the Netherlands, on 12 April 1845. On that day, Gerrit Jan Dercksen and Christiaan Henny found the Assurantie Maatschappij tegen Brandschade (fire insurance company). The Dutch King Willem II signs a Royal Decree a month later, on 26 May 1845, officially approving its formation. From the very beginning, the company is owned by shareholders, with an initial share capital of 400 shares, priced at 1,000 Dutch guilders each. By August 1845, all of the shares are sold.
Much has to be done before the insurer can open its doors. Insurance agents are appointed, first in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Commercial activities begin on 8 August, four months after the company’s formation. The first policy in our archives is recorded on 11 August 1845, in Utrecht. Insurance agent Van Woestenberg writes ‘policy number 2’ next to the name of Lady Strick van Linschoten.
The first claim is paid out later that same year. In Charlois, a village close to Rotterdam, there is a fire in the barn owned by a Mr Barendregt, where he stores retted and unretted flax. Fire damage is limited and on 9 December 1845, Mr Barendregt receives 12 Dutch guilders.
This is the how the fire insurance company started in 1845. Now, in 2020, we look back at 175 years of history. Nationale-Nederlanden is part of NN Group, an international financial services company with 15,000 colleagues in 18 countries in Europe and Japan.