The Helsana Group’s history

Helsana is one of the leading health and accident insurers in Switzerland. Once a traditional health insurance company, the Group has developed into a full-service provider of personal insurance. It all began in 1899 with the foundation of the Helvetia health insurance company.

Today, the Helsana Group insures over two million people. Once a traditional health insurance company, the Group has developed into a full-service provider of personal insurance for private individuals and companies – with a premium volume of CHF 7.1 billion.

Milestones in the Helsana Group's History

  • 1899 Helvetia founded as a health insurance company in Zurich
  • 1914 Helvetia is recognised under the Swiss Health and Accident Insurance Act (Kranken- und Unfallversicherungsgesetz)
  • 1928 The membership of Helvetia exceeds the 100,000 mark
  • 1952 The health insurance company Artisana is established as a society in Bern
  • 1971 The membership of Helvetia exceeds the one million mark
  • 1991 Helvetia takes over the health insurer Progrès
  • 1996 Helvetia and Artisana found the Helsana Insurance Company Ltd as of 1 January 1997
  • 2003 Establishment of Sansan and Avanex
  • 2006 Helsana takes over the health insurance company Aerosana
  • 2008 Establishment of Maxi.ch
  • 2010 Founding of the HSK Purchasing Cooperative (Helsana, Sanitas and KPT) for the purchase of outpatient health and inpatient hospital benefits
  • 2011 Merger of Progrès and Aerosana
  • 2016 Maxi.ch merges with Avanex
  • 2017 Merger of Avanex with Helsana and Sansan with Progrès
  • 2022 Merger of Progrès and Helsana

More on the topic

 Policy positions of the Helsana Group

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