Euphoria

Euphoria echc is a not-for-profit-organization of European insurers according to the law of Luxemburg to support each other in the field of handling international motor claims, echc Standing for “european claims handling cooperation”. By now twentytwo companies are included as full members in the trade register of Luxemburg. 

Further information in terms of the rules about the organization of the cooperation can be found in the so-called “articles of association”, while rules to support the claims handling procedures as such are stored in the so-called “rules of procedure”. 

The main purposes of Euphoria are: 

to protect the general interests of Euphoria echc and its members

to provide the best possible claims service by handling claims following accidents caused by insureds of a partner the same way you handle your own claims

to provide efficient working procedures by using modern techniques to exchange information and by waving the necessity of proofs for actions and outlays in the course of the claims handling

to share general and specific knowledge and information about all aspects of importance for the task of a competent handling of international motor claims

to combine the sources of all members in the fight against insurance fraud.    

The structure of Euphoria echc is built like following :

the general assembly decides all matters of general interest with a majority of two thirds of its members

the board prepares annual meetings and decisions to be taken by the general assembly, protects the interests of Euphoria echc and tries to ensure progress in the aforementioned fields, decisions to be taken with a simple majority of votes.

While the Euphoria echc cooperation aspires to have as full member only one suitable company for each European country, it also respects the rules of European competition law and will under exceptional circumstances consider applications of additional companies for countries where a partner is already defined.

Moreover the group wants to provide an open structure and offer its services also to other customers interested in improving their claims work for the benefit of their clients and for the best possible results for the company itself.

The historical background:

Free travel for the citizens of the European countries is a basic need for economic development as well as for private comfort. This ever increasing traffic of course bears the risk of road traffic accidents with international character.

To ensure that accident victims have no disadvantage due to the fact that their loss was caused by a foreign vehicle the Green-card-system was installed following a UN-suggestion of 1949.

It took some more time to find a suitable solution for claims arising from accidents abroad. The 4th EU-directive on motor insurance finally took care of that problem providing for EU-residents after such an accident a representative of the liable foreign insurer in their home country.

Insurers confronted with the task of settling claims arising out of such accidents have to provide knowledge of the applicable law, the relevant jurisdiction and of foreign languages to be able to collect the necessary information.

Qualified claims handlers capable of finding positive solutions for international motor claims according to the Uniform Agreement, yet the Internal regulations, and the 4th EU-directive on motor insurance, yet Art. 20 ff of the directive 2009/103/EC, according to our experience can best be found in successful insurance companies of the country where the accident took place.

As the interpretation and application of traffic and compensation law seems still different in all the member countries, a network of insurers covering most of Europe soon turned out to be the best possible solution.

Following that idea the Euphoria echc cooperation for the settlement of international motor claims was called into life in 1998 and ever increased in the following years by including national insurers of the different European markets with a similar attitude to claims handling and a strong position in their home market.

The meaning of the term Euphoria echc:

The name Euphoria echc reflects the idea of a strong and optimistic cooperation between its members in the claims handling field aiming at the best possible results in satisfying the needs of traffic accident victims  and at the same time avoiding unnecessary costs for the liable companies.

To reach those aims Euphoria echc relies on a good relationship with regular contacts of the persons involved in the claims handling process. Instead of a sharing of stocks Euphoria echc companies rather put their trust in a sharing of experience and knowledge well aware that only in a climate of mutual trust of the claim handling and the paying company the sometimes difficult tasks can successfully be taken care of in the end.

At the same time the rules within the cooperation are reduced to the necessary minimum offering guidelines for working procedures in the different claims handling fields without putting up too much of a bureaucratic system trying to leave enough room for flexible reactions to the ever changing demands of the European traffic and compensation laws.