Two of Slovakia’s largest private health insurance companies have announced plans to merge.
The companies, Dôvera and Union, together insure approximately 2.39 million people. Once the transaction is completed and all regulatory approvals are obtained, Union will be integrated into Dôvera, which will continue operating under its current brand.
According to the companies, Achmea B.V., the Dutch owner of Union, signed an agreement on 14 July to sell its Slovak health insurance business to Dôvera, which is part of the Penta investment group. The deal will only take effect after receiving approval from regulators and meeting all required conditions.
The companies plan to submit the final application to Slovakia’s Healthcare Surveillance Authority in the coming weeks to obtain clearance for the transaction.
Until the merger is completed, customers of both insurers do not need to take any action. Updates on the process will be published on the official websites of Union and Dôvera.
The merged company’s main competitor will remain Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa (VšZP), Slovakia’s state-owned health insurer, which operates under the Ministry of Health.
Representatives of both companies stressed that nothing will change for Union policyholders at this stage. Existing insurance contracts, customer benefits, covered services, and the network of contracted healthcare providers will remain unchanged until the merger is finalized.
Achmea also emphasized that it is not leaving the Slovak market. Following the sale of its health insurance business, the Dutch group will continue operating in Slovakia through Union poisťovňa, offering property and life insurance products.
