Who we are - Unespa : Unespa

UNESPA has represented insurers’ interests since 1977. Over the course of these four decades, the Spanish Association of Insurers has become a leading stakeholder, upholding the same hope and energy that it had on the very first day.

What is UNESPA?

UNESPA is the Spanish Association of Insurers and Reinsurers. The association was founded in 1977 and represents over 200 firms that as a whole make up 96% of this industry in Spain. These companies invoice €60 billion a year, which represents nearly 5.3% of Spain’s gross domestic product (GDP). The insurance industry handles an average of some 140,000 claims every day. These incidents range from minor inconveniences —like a flat tyre or a leak— to major challenges, such as complex surgical procedures or prudently managing the retirement savings that a person has accrued over the course of his life.
To perform their work, insurers directly employ some 51,000 people. Added to these jobs are the indirect jobs of distribution networks. Insurance is a first-class provider of services to society due to its role as a support service industry and, as such, is an important creator of work and a driver for the economy.

What is its purpose?

UNESPA’s mission is to represent its members when dealing with a wide range of institutions and organisations, both national and international, and ensure that the insurance industry point of view is duly conveyed. The association seeks to be present in all major social debates related to the insurance industry and to make known, in a constant way, the value and benefits that insurance generates.

UNESPA’s ultimate goal is for Spanish society to be aware of the existence of insurance and its inherent benefits. To achieve this, the association offers its members tools that facilitate the development of their daily business activities and provide a better service to citizens -at all times within the context of free competition. These measures involve the development of industry-wide cooperation agreements that help speed up the settlement of claims, publishing and promoting adherence to self-regulation guidelines, and so on. UNESPA also promotes best business practices among its members, negotiates collective agreements on its behalf with other social agents, and generally encourages market conduct within the industry that is consistent with a developed and innovative society such as Spain.

In short, UNESPA is the voice of insurance.

Spanish Insurance, at a glance.

The Spanish Association of Insurers has published a Brochure of Spanish insurance. This document gives a broad view of the insurance business in Spain at a glance.

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Who is behind the Association?

UNESPA brings together more than 200 insurers that represent 96% of the national insurance market. The association advocates the interests of the insurance industry and is led by a team of professionals with extensive experience.

Pilar González de Frutos

President

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Pilar González de Frutos (Navares de Ayuso, Segovia 1956). A graduate in Law from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), her connections with the insurance industry began in 1980, when she started working as a civil servant insurance inspector.

Her entire professional career has been in the area of insurance. Among other positions, she has been director of operations for the Insurance Compensation Consortium (1988-1997), director general of the Spanish supervisor of insurers and Pension Funds (1997-2002) and is currently chair of UNESPA. She has also been chair of FIDES (the Inter-American Federation of Insurers) from 2015 to 2017.

María Aránzazu del Valle Schaan

Secretary general

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María Aránzazu (Mirenchu) del Valle Schaan (Madrid, 1963) has been secretary general of UNESPA since 1996. She holds a degree in Law from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) and a master’s in Community Law from the Institute d’Études Européennes at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Brussels. Belgium).

Her professional career began at the General Directorate of Territorial Policy of the European Commission of the former European Economic Community (EEC), now the European Union. After passing through EU institutions she joined the Spanish Association of Insurers as director of international relations in 1988. She was appointed general secretary of UNESPA in 1996 -a position she still holds and which she combines with responsibilities at various Spanish and multinational institutions. She has been chair of the Insurance and Reinsurance Stakeholders Groups (IRSG) of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) between 2016 and 2018.

Manuel Mascaraque Montagut

General Insurance Area Director

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Manuel Mascaraque Montagut (Madrid. 1961) has been director of UNESPA’s General Insurance Area since 2004. He is responsible for coordinating the committees overseeing different types of general insurance (motor, multi-risk, liability and transport, and reinsurance).

He holds a degree in Economics and Business Administration, is an insurance actuary, has a master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the Instituto de Empresa, and also holds two other postgraduate degrees in insurance. Almost all his entire professional career has been linked to the sector. Between 1999 and 2004, he held management positions in several insurance companies.

Luis Miguel Ávalos Muñoz

Personal Insurance and Taxation Director

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Luis Miguel Ávalos Muñoz (Madrid, 1960) has been head of UNESPA’s Personal Insurance and Taxation Area since 1999. He is responsible for coordinating the committees for insurance lines of business that relate to the protection of persons (life, health and funeral expenses), as well as the taxation committee.

After graduating in Law from Complutense University of Madrid in 1982, Ávalos completed his education with other legislative and business-related degrees. He holds a diploma in Tax Law (1987) and a master’s in Business Advice (1988). He was technical secretary and later director of the Spanish Confederation of Mutualities (CNEPS) between 1984 and 1999.

How are we organised?

The work of UNESPA is structured around technical committees, functional committees, regional unions and working groups. Throughout the year, around a thousand professionals from different insurers participate in these bodies. Their work enables the insurance industry to provide a better service to its customers. In other words, to society as a whole.

Chair

Chief executive of UNESPA. The chairperson is a professional representative, elected by the General Assembly for a period of four years.

General Assembly

All associate organisations form part of it and have the right to vote.

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Board of Directors

Governing body between assembly meetings. Some 30 insurance companies sit on this body.

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Executive Committee

Responsible for managing the Association. Consists of around 20 insurance companies.

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Audit and Control Committee

Oversees the organisation’s financial reporting and internal control systems. Three representatives from UNESPA’s member companies make up this Committee.

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