Czech Republic insurance market
The Czech insurance market is one of the largest in Central and Eastern Europe and is supervised by the Czech National Bank (ČNB) as the single integrated financial market regulator. Gross written premiums reached CZK 247.15 billion in 2025 (up 7.26% year-on-year in local currency, according to CNB year-end data), continuing several years of steady growth driven mainly by non-life lines, especially motor and property insurance, against a backdrop of claims inflation and increasingly frequent natural catastrophe losses (the September 2024 floods caused record insured losses). Life insurance remains a smaller but recovering segment, weighed down historically by low unit-linked sales but showing renewed growth momentum in 2025. The market is highly concentrated, with the five largest insurance groups (Generali/Česká pojišťovna, VIG's Kooperativa and Česká podnikatelská pojišťovna, Allianz and others) controlling roughly 84% of premium volume. Insurance penetration stands at around 2.9% of GDP, slightly below the Western European average.
Last reviewed: Aug 26, 2026
Reviewed by: Boleron EU
Active insurers
23
Country market
Available products
Market overview
Market numbers
Total premiums
CZK 247.15 billion
Annual growth
+7.26%
Insurance penetration
2.9%
Active insurers
23
Population
10,882,341
Registered vehicles
9,072,729
Total premiums (EUR bn)
Annual growth (%)
Non-life share / Life share
Insurance penetration (%)
Gross written premium 2025 (CZK bn)
Market share 2025
Insurer directory
Active insurers
Insurers currently active in Czech Republic.
Generali Česká pojišťovna, a.s.
Assicurazioni Generali (Italy)
CZK 46bn
Kooperativa pojišťovna, a.s., Vienna Insurance Group
Vienna Insurance Group (Austria)
CZK 56.91bn
Allianz pojišťovna, a.s.
Ke Štvanici 656/3, 186 00 Prague 8, Czech Republic
Allianz pojišťovna, a.s. is one of the leading insurers in the Czech Republic, offering property and liability insurance, life insurance, travel insurance, financial products, pension savings and motor insurance (MTPL and CASCO), and is part of the global Allianz Group.
CZK 21.6bn
ČSOB Pojišťovna, a.s., člen holdingu ČSOB
KBC Group (Belgium)
CZK 19bn (CAP methodology)
Česká podnikatelská pojišťovna, a.s., Vienna Insurance Group
Pobřežní 665/23, Karlín, Prague 8, Czech Republic
Česká podnikatelská pojišťovna (ČPP) is a universal Czech insurer offering both life and non-life insurance products for individuals and businesses, active on the Czech market since 1995 and a member of Vienna Insurance Group since 2005.
CZK 17.288bn (CAS)
UNIQA pojišťovna, a.s.
Prague, Czech Republic
UNIQA pojišťovna, a.s. is a universal insurance company based in Prague, offering a full range of life and non-life insurance for individuals and businesses; it is a subsidiary of the Austrian UNIQA Insurance Group and ranks among the top ten insurers in the Czech Republic.
CZK 14.8bn (Czech part only)
Komerční pojišťovna, a.s.
náměstí Junkových 2772/1, Stodůlky, Prague 5, Czechia
Komerční pojišťovna, a.s. (KB Pojišťovna) is a universal insurer operating on the Czech market, offering a broad portfolio from risk and investment life insurance to property, travel, payment card and loan-protection insurance.
NN Životní pojišťovna N.V., pobočka pro Českou republiku
Prague, Czech Republic
NN is a leading life insurance and pension provider in the Czech Republic, operating since 1991 as the first foreign insurer after the fall of communism. It is a branch of the Dutch NN Životní pojišťovna N.V. (part of NN Group N.V.) and holds a 9.4% market share in Czech life insurance. It offers risk and investment life insurance, long-term care insurance, and supplementary pension savings.
MetLife Europe d.a.c., pobočka pro Českou republiku
MetLife, Inc. (USA)
Direct Pojišťovna, a.s.
Brno, Czech Republic
Direct pojišťovna, a.s. is a Czech non-life insurer headquartered in Brno, offering motor, property, travel, liability, pet and business insurance products both online and through brokers.
Pojišťovna VZP, a.s.
Lazarská 1718/3, 110 00 Prague 1, Czech Republic
Pojišťovna VZP, a.s. (PVZP) is a universal non-life insurer and a subsidiary of Všeobecná zdravotní pojišťovna České republiky (VZP ČR). It became an independent company in 2004 after previously operating as part of VZP ČR since 1994, and today it is described as the largest retail seller of travel insurance and market leader in health insurance for foreigners in the Czech Republic.
Slavia pojišťovna, a.s.
Prague, Czechia
Slavia pojišťovna a.s. is a Czech non-life insurer tracing its roots to 1868; it is a member of the SPGroup financial group and is described as the only purely Czech-owned insurance company, offering motor, property, travel, accident, liability, health-for-foreigners, pet, cyber and specialty insurance to individuals and businesses.
Hasičská vzájemná pojišťovna, a.s.
Prague, Czechia
Hasičská vzájemná pojišťovna, a.s. (HVP) is one of the oldest insurance institutions in Europe, founded in 1900 in Brno; its activity was revived in 1992 by the Union of Fire Brigades of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, which remains its majority shareholder, and the company offers insurance products to individuals and legal entities mainly in property insurance while supporting fire prevention and volunteer fire brigades in the Czech Republic.
HALALI, všeobecná pojišťovna, a.s.
Independent (Czech Republic)
Exportní garanční a pojišťovací společnost, a.s. (EGAP)
Czech State (export credit agency)
Maxima pojišťovna, a.s.
Independent (Czech Republic)
Pillow pojišťovna, a.s.
Tomíčkova 2144/1, 148 00 Prague 4, Czech Republic
Pillow pojišťovna is a fully digital Czech non-life insurer, founded in 2015 as První klubová pojišťovna and rebranded to Pillow in November 2019, offering vehicle, property and accident/illness insurance sold exclusively online.
Vitalitas pojišťovna, a.s.
Prague, Czechia
Vitalitas pojišťovna, a.s. has been active on the Czech insurance market since 2003, focusing on travel, health, and accident insurance, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of OZP (the third-largest employee health insurance company in the Czech Republic).
BNP Paribas Cardif Pojišťovna, a.s.
BNP Paribas Cardif (France)
Česká pojišťovna ZDRAVÍ, a.s.
Assicurazioni Generali (Italy)
Colonnade Insurance S.A., organizační složka
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg (Czech branch: Na Pankráci 1683/127, Prague 4)
Colonnade Insurance S.A. is a non-life insurer headquartered in Luxembourg, wholly owned by Canada's Fairfax Financial Holdings. It operates a Czech branch offering personal and commercial non-life insurance products.
Credendo – Short-Term Non-EU Risks SA, pobočka pro Českou republiku
Credendo Group (Belgium)
D.A.S. Rechtsschutz AG, pobočka pro ČR
ERGO Versicherung AG (Germany)
CZK 472m (2024, legal protection)
YOUPLUS Životní pojišťovna (YOUPLUS Insurance International AG, pobočka pro Českou republiku)
InsureEvolution / Hannover Re (Liechtenstein)
Servisní pojišťovna, a.s.
AIG Europe S.A. (formerly AIG Europe Limited, organizační složka pro Českou republiku)
Prague, Czechia (local presence); parent AIG Europe S.A. headquartered in Luxembourg
AIG entered the Czech market in 1992 as První americko-česká pojišťovna, a.s., later operating as AIG Czech Republic, AIG Europe/Chartis Europe and AIG Europe Limited. Historically it focused on industrial, commercial property, liability, financial lines (including D&O and cyber), travel and personal-lines insurance in the Czech Republic. In 2016 AIG agreed to sell the renewal rights, operating assets and employees of its Czech local business to Canada's Fairfax Financial Holdings, with administration transferred to Colonnade Insurance S.A. from 1 May 2017. Following Brexit, AIG's European business was restructured from the UK-based AIG Europe Limited into the Luxembourg-domiciled AIG Europe S.A., which continues to provide certain commercial/corporate insurance (e.g. multinational programmes, D&O, cyber) into Czechia, largely on a freedom-of-services cross-border basis rather than through a full local branch.
AWP P&C Česká republika – Branch of a Foreign Legal Entity (AWP P&C SA), trading as Allianz Assistance / Allianz Travel / Allianz Partners
Prague, Czech Republic
Allianz Assistance in Czechia operates as AWP P&C Česká republika, a branch of the French insurer AWP P&C SA, part of the Allianz Partners group (ultimately owned by Allianz SE, Germany). It has been present on the Czech market since 1997, originally as Mondial Assistance, renamed AWP P&C in 2016, and trades under the Allianz Assistance, Allianz Travel and Allianz Partners brands, offering travel insurance, assistance services, extended warranty/appliance protection, automotive GAP insurance and lifestyle protection products.
AXA ASSISTANCE CZ, s.r.o.
Hvězdova 1689/2a, 140 00 Prague 4, Czech Republic
AXA ASSISTANCE CZ, s.r.o. began operating in the Czech Republic in 1998 as a provider of assistance services for corporate clients, and now serves both companies and individuals with travel insurance, legal protection, vehicle and household assistance, and health assistance services; it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Belgium-based INTER PARTNER ASSISTANCE, S.A., part of the global AXA Group.
ERGO Cestovní Pojišťovna, a. s. (formerly ERV Evropská pojišťovna, a. s.)
Prague (Karlín), Czech Republic
ERGO Cestovní Pojišťovna is a specialized travel insurer that has operated as an independent insurer on the Czech market since 1993 (with roots dating to 1920). It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the German insurer ERGO Reiseversicherung AG, part of ERGO Group AG within the Munich Re financial group, and is the only company on the Czech market focused exclusively on travel insurance.
SV pojišťovna, a.s.
Prague, Czech Republic
SV pojišťovna, a.s. (formerly VICTORIA pojišťovna and later ERGO pojišťovna) is a universal insurance company operating in the Czech Republic since 1994, offering a wide portfolio of life and non-life insurance products with a particular specialization in travel insurance, health insurance for foreigners, pilot liability insurance and extended warranty insurance. Since November 2021 its sole shareholder is the German company S.V. Holding AG, based in Dresden, which also owns Sparkassen-Versicherung Sachsen.
Union poisťovňa, a.s., branch for the Czech Republic
Prague, Czechia (branch office; parent company headquartered in Bratislava, Slovakia)
Union poisťovňa, a.s. is a Slovak insurance company founded in 1992 that operates a branch in the Czech Republic focused on travel insurance.
Wüstenrot pojišťovna a.s.
Prague, Czech Republic (Na Hřebenech II 1718/8, 140 23 Prague 4)
Wüstenrot pojišťovna a.s. was a non-life insurer and Wüstenrot, životní pojišťovna, a.s. was a life insurer, both part of the Czech Wüstenrot financial group (which also included a building society and mortgage bank) owned by German group Wüstenrot & Württembergische AG. The insurer offered household/building insurance, motor insurance (MTPL and CASCO), travel insurance, accident insurance and SME/business insurance. As of 30 June 2016 both Wüstenrot insurance entities were dissolved through a merger into Allianz pojišťovna, a.s., which took over roughly 209,000 client contracts; Wüstenrot no longer operates as an independent insurer in Czechia. The related banking entities (Wüstenrot – stavební spořitelna and Wüstenrot hypoteční banka) were separately acquired by Moneta Money Bank in 2020 and rebranded/merged by 2021.
Market notes
Important news
Jun 25, 2026
ČNB supervisory report: CZK 8.5 million in fines imposed on major insurers in 2025
ČNB's 2025 financial-market supervision report confirmed final fines totalling CZK 8.5 million against major insurers for procedural shortcomings; two administrative proceedings concluded with fines against Allianz pojišťovna (CZK 3.5 million) and Slavia pojišťovna, while two new sanction proceedings were opened during the year.
Why it matters
Confirms intensified regulatory enforcement on fair communication and consumer protection standards across the insurance sector in 2025.
Mar 11, 2026
Slavia pojišťovna hit by cyberattack affecting claims-handling data
Slavia pojišťovna became a target of an international hacker group; about 22 GB of compromised data related to claims handling affected only a small fraction of clients, and the insurer reported the incident to regulators in compliance with DORA and GDPR requirements.
Why it matters
Highlights growing cyber-resilience risk in the Czech insurance sector and the practical application of the EU's DORA regulation to insurers.
Feb 11, 2026
RENOMIA's FINVOX acquires broker Quatro finance
FINVOX, a retail insurance and financial-services distributor within the RENOMIA GROUP, became the sole shareholder of Quatro finance, a nearly 20-year-old intermediary with about 40 tied agents strong in Prague, northern Bohemia and southern Moravia.
Why it matters
Reflects ongoing consolidation among independent retail insurance intermediaries as smaller regional brokers join larger distribution groups.
Dec 30, 2025
Czech competition authority approves Generali's acquisition of D.A.S. legal protection
The Czech Office for the Protection of Competition (ÚOHS) cleared, in simplified proceedings, Generali Česká pojišťovna's acquisition of sole control over the D.A.S. legal protection branch of ERGO Versicherung, finding no substantial competition concerns; the deal completed 1 April 2026.
Why it matters
Regulatory clearance confirms the deal's completion, further consolidating the legal-protection insurance segment under the market leader.
Nov 5, 2025
Generali Česká pojišťovna agrees to acquire D.A.S. legal protection insurance business
Generali Česká pojišťovna and Direct Group announced two major acquisitions; Generali agreed to acquire the D.A.S. legal-protection insurance business (a branch of Austria's ERGO Versicherung), expanding its product portfolio, while Direct Group's Direct Investments acquired an asset-management investment company.
Why it matters
Strengthens the market leader's position in the legal-protection insurance niche and signals continued consolidation among Czech insurers and brokers.
Jul 1, 2025
Amendment to the Insurance Distribution Act on fleet ('flotila') insurance takes effect
An amendment to Act No. 170/2018 Coll. (published as No. 396/2024 Coll. on 16 December 2024) took effect on 1 July 2025, clarifying when a policyholder offering group or fleet insurance to third parties is itself considered an insurance intermediary, following a 2022 EU Court of Justice ruling.
Why it matters
Expands the scope of regulated insurance distribution to cover fleet and group-insurance resellers, increasing compliance and consumer-protection requirements for e-commerce and B2B insurance offers.
Feb 18, 2025
ČNB fines Allianz pojišťovna CZK 3.5 million for misleading client communication
The Czech National Bank fined Allianz pojišťovna CZK 3.5 million after finding that the insurer used false and misleading information in communications with tens of thousands of clients, breaching the Act on Insurance and Reinsurance Distribution.
Why it matters
Signals intensified ČNB supervisory focus on fair communication and consumer protection ('Value for Money') across the insurance sector.
Dec 31, 2024
ČNB revokes licence of Servisní pojišťovna, insurer enters liquidation
The Czech National Bank finally revoked the operating licence of Servisní pojišťovna, effective 31 December 2024, at the insurer's own request; its entire portfolio had already been transferred to Hasičská vzájemná pojišťovna, which took over all rights and obligations toward clients.
Why it matters
Demonstrates an orderly market exit via portfolio transfer rather than insolvency, protecting policyholders while reducing the number of licensed domestic insurers.
Regulation
Regulation
ČNB / CNB
Czech National Bank
Sole integrated financial market supervisor in the Czech Republic. Licenses insurers, reinsurers and intermediaries, conducts prudential (Solvency II) and conduct-of-business supervision, maintains the public REGIS register of authorised entities, and can impose fines, suspend activities or revoke licences.
https://www.cnb.czČKP / CIB
Czech Insurance Bureau
Statutory body administering the motor third-party liability guarantee fund (compensating victims of accidents caused by uninsured or unidentified vehicles), operating the national green card and cross-border claims settlement system, and acting as the national bureau within the EU MTPL framework.
https://www.ckp.czČAP / CAP
Czech Insurance Association
Professional association representing insurers covering roughly 98% of the market's premium volume; publishes quarterly and annual market statistics, promotes industry cooperation, and represents members' interests domestically and at Insurance Europe.
https://www.cap.czMF ČR
Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic
Responsible for insurance-related legislative policy, including motor third-party liability rules and implementing decrees, and for notifying certain insurance-related information to the European Commission.
https://www.mfcr.czKey legislation
Key legislation
Act No. 277/2009 Coll., on Insurance (zákon o pojišťovnictví)
Insurance and Reinsurance Business Act
Main legal framework transposing EU insurance directives (including Solvency II); sets licensing conditions for insurers and reinsurers, governs cross-border activity of EU/EEA insurers and third-country insurers, and establishes the CNB's supervisory powers and enforcement tools.
Act No. 30/2024 Coll.
Motor Third-Party Liability Insurance Act
Implements EU Motor Insurance Directive 2021/2118; entered into force on 1 April 2024. Raised minimum MTPL coverage limits to CZK 50 million per incident for both bodily injury and property damage, shifted the insurance obligation from the vehicle owner to the vehicle operator, and replaced the paper green card with digital proof of insurance from October 2024.
Act No. 170/2018 Coll., on Distribution of Insurance and Reinsurance
Insurance Distribution Act
Transposes the EU Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD); regulates registration and conduct requirements for insurance intermediaries (agents and brokers), product oversight and governance rules, and pre-contractual information obligations toward policyholders.
Act No. 89/2012 Coll., Civil Code
Civil Code - insurance contract provisions
Contains the general private-law framework governing insurance contracts, including formation, rights and obligations of policyholders and insurers, and rules on indemnification.
EU cross-border access
EU cross-border insurers
Inter Partner Assistance SA
Freedom of Services
Home country: Belgium
Supervisor: National Bank of Belgium (NBB)
Part of AXA Group; sells travel assistance and travel insurance to Czech consumers via freedom of services, distributed mainly through brokers and card/travel-agency partners.
HDI Global SE
Freedom of Services
Home country: Germany
Supervisor: BaFin (Germany)
Part of Talanx Group; underwrites large industrial and commercial risks for Czech corporate clients on a cross-border basis.
STARR Europe Insurance Limited
Freedom of Services
Home country: Malta
Supervisor: Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA)
Specialty commercial lines insurer distributing into the Czech market via brokers without a local branch.
Fortegra Europe Insurance Company DAC
Freedom of Services
Home country: Ireland
Supervisor: Central Bank of Ireland
Provides warranty, GAP and payment/credit protection products distributed via retail and motor-dealer partners in the Czech Republic.
Europ Assistance S.A.
Freedom of Services
Home country: France
Supervisor: ACPR (France)
Part of Generali Group; provides travel and assistance insurance products to Czech consumers, often bundled with travel agencies and card issuers.
COFACE (Compagnie Française d'Assurance pour le Commerce Extérieur)
Freedom of Establishment/Services
Home country: France
Supervisor: ACPR (France)
Trade credit insurer serving Czech corporate clients; operates without a separately branded local subsidiary in the retail ranking.
Distribution channels
Distribution channels
30%
Insurance Brokers
25%
Tied Agents / Exclusive Sales Networks
20%
Bancassurance
15%
Direct Sales (Insurer Employees / Branches)
10%
Digital / Online Direct
Consumer rights
Consumer rights
1
Submit a written complaint directly to the insurer at its registered office; complaints are handled in writing unless another form is agreed.
2
If unsatisfied, notify the Czech National Bank (ČNB), which supervises financial institutions and can consider the complaint in its supervisory activity, though it does not resolve individual private-law disputes.
3
For life insurance disputes, file a free complaint with the Financial Arbitrator (finanční arbitr); for non-life insurance disputes, use the Czech Trade Inspection Authority (ČOI) or the Office of the Ombudsman of the Czech Insurance Association (KO ČAP).
4
As a last resort, or in parallel, file a civil lawsuit with the competent court.
Contacts
800 160 170 (ČNB free line)
tel:800160170https://www.finarbitr.cz (life insurance); https://www.ombudsmancap.cz (non-life insurance); https://www.coi.cz
https://www.finarbitr.cz (life insurance); https://www.ombudsmancap.cz (non-life insurance); https://www.coi.cz
https://www.finarbitr.cz (life insurance); https://www.ombudsmancap.cz (non-life insurance); https://www.coi.czEU cross-border access
EU cross-border access
As an EU/EEA member, Czech insurance law allows insurers licensed in any EEA state to operate in the Czech Republic either by establishing a branch or by providing services on a cross-border basis under the single European passport, supervised primarily by their home-state regulator with limited ČNB oversight.
EU Directive 2009/138/EC (Solvency II); Act No. 277/2009 Coll. on Insurance (zákon o pojišťovnictví); Act No. 170/2018 Coll. on Insurance and Reinsurance Distribution (implementing IDD)
freedom of establishment
An EEA insurer may set up a branch in the Czech Republic after notification by its home supervisor to the ČNB; establishment is assessed based on the duration, frequency, regularity and continuity of the activity.
freedom of services
An EEA insurer may offer insurance temporarily in the Czech Republic without a branch, based on a notification of free movement of services approved by its home supervisor after consultation with ČNB.
Market history
Market history
1991-1993
End of the State Insurance Monopoly
Act No. 185/1991 Coll. abolished the decades-long monopoly of the state-owned Česká státní pojišťovna, opening the market to competition; Kooperativa was founded in 1991 as the first competing insurer.
1994-2000
Rapid Market Expansion and Privatization
Following demonopolization, the number of licensed insurers grew rapidly, with about 42 additional insurers established by the end of 1999, and Česká pojišťovna was privatized into a joint-stock company.
2001-2014
Foreign Capital Entry and Rise of Bancassurance
International groups such as Generali, RSA, and AXA entered or expanded in the market; PPF gradually transferred its stake in Česká pojišťovna to Generali, while bancassurance grew rapidly as a distribution channel for life products.
2015-2021
Consolidation and IDD Regulatory Overhaul
Generali fully acquired Česká pojišťovna in 2015; the two companies merged their portfolios by the end of 2019 to form Generali Česká pojišťovna, while Act No. 170/2018 Coll. transposed the EU Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD), reforming intermediary categories.
2022-2026
Digitalization, Cyber Resilience and Continued Consolidation
The market saw continued growth driven mainly by premium increases, implementation of DORA cyber-resilience rules, real-time online liability-insurance data sharing, an amendment tightening rules on fleet ('flotila') insurance distribution, and further M&A activity including the Generali-D.A.S. legal protection deal.
Glossary
Glossary
cs
pojistné
The amount paid by the policyholder to the insurer in exchange for insurance coverage.
cs
pojistník
The person who enters into the insurance contract and is obliged to pay the premium.
cs
pojištěný
The person whose life, health, property or liability is covered by the insurance contract.
cs
pojistitel
The licensed company that provides insurance coverage and pays claims under the contract.
cs
pojistná smlouva
The legal agreement between insurer and policyholder setting out coverage, premium and conditions.
cs
pojistné plnění
The payment made by the insurer to the beneficiary upon occurrence of an insured event.
cs
pojistná událost
An event specified in the contract that triggers the insurer's obligation to pay a benefit.
cs
spoluúčast
The portion of a claim that the policyholder must bear themselves before the insurer pays the rest.
cs
výluka z pojištění
A risk or circumstance explicitly not covered by the insurance policy.
cs
povinné ručení
Mandatory insurance covering damage caused to third parties by the operation of a motor vehicle.
cs
havarijní pojištění
Voluntary insurance covering damage to the policyholder's own vehicle, e.g., from accidents, theft or vandalism.
cs
životní pojištění
Insurance covering death, survival to a certain age, or other events tied to a person's life.
cs
neživotní pojištění
Insurance covering property, liability, health, and other risks not classified as life insurance.
cs
samostatný zprostředkovatel
An intermediary category under Act No. 170/2018 Coll. combining former broker and agent roles, acting for the client or insurer.
cs
vázaný zástupce
An intermediary acting under the direction and control of one or more insurers or independent intermediaries.
cs
doplňkový pojišťovací zprostředkovatel
An intermediary that distributes insurance as a secondary activity to their main business, e.g., travel agencies selling travel insurance.
cs
finanční arbitr
A free, out-of-court body resolving consumer disputes with financial institutions, including life-insurance claims.
cs
flotilové pojištění
A group insurance arrangement where a policyholder offers third parties the option to become insured for a fee.
cs
Solventnost II
The EU prudential regulatory framework for insurers and reinsurers governing capital, governance and reporting requirements.
cs
technická rezerva
Funds an insurer must set aside to cover future obligations arising from insurance contracts.
Market notes
FAQ
How large is the Czech insurance market?
Insurers associated in the Czech Insurance Association (ČAP) reported total gross written premium of CZK 226.1 billion in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 7.8%, continuing a multi-year growth trend driven mainly by rising average premiums.
Who regulates insurers and insurance intermediaries in the Czech Republic?
The Czech National Bank (ČNB) supervises insurance and reinsurance activity, decides on licences and registrations, checks compliance with the law, and can impose remedial measures and sanctions, including licence revocation.
How many insurers currently operate in the Czech Republic?
At the end of 2025, ČNB supervised 21 domestic insurers and one reinsurer, plus a limited supervision of 19 branches of foreign EEA insurers and cross-border service providers; the number of domestic insurers fell by two during the year.
What is the difference between an insurance broker and a tied agent?
Under the Insurance Distribution Act, an independent intermediary (samostatný zprostředkovatel) acts on behalf of the client and may offer products from multiple insurers, while a tied agent (vázaný zástupce) represents one or more insurers under their supervision and cannot combine broker and agent roles simultaneously.
Where can I complain if my insurer rejects my claim?
First complain in writing to the insurer; if unresolved, life-insurance disputes go to the free Financial Arbitrator, while non-life disputes can go to the Czech Trade Inspection Authority or the Office of the Ombudsman of the Czech Insurance Association; a civil court action always remains available.
Can a foreign EU insurer sell policies in the Czech Republic without a local licence?
Yes, an EEA-licensed insurer can offer insurance in the Czech Republic either by establishing a branch (freedom of establishment) or temporarily without a branch (freedom of services), based on notification through its home-state supervisor to ČNB under the EU single-passport regime.
What was the biggest insurer merger in recent Czech history?
Generali fully acquired Česká pojišťovna's insurance portfolio by the end of 2019, forming Generali Česká pojišťovna, the largest insurer on the Czech market, after Generali had gradually taken over shares from PPF since 2007.
What is 'flotilové pojištění' and why was the law changed?
Fleet ('flotila') insurance is when a policyholder (e.g., a leasing company or travel agency) offers third parties the chance to become insured under its own group policy for a fee; following a 2022 EU Court of Justice ruling, a 2024 amendment (effective July 2025) clarified when such activity counts as regulated insurance distribution.
Are fines against insurers common in the Czech Republic?
ČNB actively enforces insurance-distribution rules; in 2025 it concluded three administrative proceedings, imposing fines totalling CZK 8.5 million on major insurers, including Allianz pojišťovna and Slavia pojišťovna, for procedural and communication shortcomings.
Market notes
Sources
Last reviewed: Aug 26, 2026
- 01Česká národní banka (ČNB)
Czech National Bank - insurance sector regulator, supervisory reports, licensing registers and legal opinions.
- 02Česká asociace pojišťoven (ČAP)
Czech Insurance Association - quarterly and annual market statistics and press releases.
- 03Kancelář finančního arbitra
Office of the Financial Arbitrator - free out-of-court dispute resolution for life insurance and other financial services.
- 04Kancelář ombudsmana České asociace pojišťoven
Office of the Ombudsman of the Czech Insurance Association - ADR body for non-life insurance disputes.
- 05Úřad pro ochranu hospodářské soutěže (ÚOHS)
Czech Office for the Protection of Competition - merger clearance decisions affecting insurers.
- 06oPojištění.cz
Czech insurance-industry news portal covering market statistics, M&A, and regulatory news.
- 07