A little healthier every day - from a simple idea to a real business

Tamara Pagel from Generali Vitality GmbH
I still remember the day I got an urgent call from our HR manager. “There is a special project you could apply for. It sounds pretty interesting and you will have to decide fast.”

Two days later, I was on my way from Munich to Cologne to have a meeting with the project leader, my heart beating in my chest during the entire flight. All I knew back then was: Generali wants to launch a wellness program. A program with the intention to make people healthier.

Only a few weeks later this idea would become one of the most exciting projects I have every experienced in the Generali Group: Generali Vitality. In 2014, our small project room was full of motivated and committed colleagues from all over the world. Full of energy and dedication.

This simple idea, that insurance could be more than just providing a cover for the worst case. The idea that we could help to prevent the worst case from happening. That we could help people to live a healthier life. It’s hard not to feel passionate about it.

But the challenge was huge, and we had so many obstacles to overcome. PR crisis, old insurance mindset, timelines, language barriers. Nights full of work to meet deadlines. More skeptical questions than we were able to count. But day by day, we made progress. Together with brilliant colleagues from Austria, Germany and France, we made it. We were the first insurance company in Europe to launch a comprehensive wellness and health program, with the pure objective to improve our clients lives.

Today, we are approaching a very important date for us: the fifth anniversary of our launch in Germany. We are live in three markets and will launch another four in the next months. We have grown into a stable business.  We are a strong team. Here we are, five years later.

I am proud that I was a part of this great achievement from the very beginning. I’m thankful that I have worked with so many great people from so many countries. I’m grateful that I have learned so much on this journey.  I’m proud that we are motivating our members every day to live a healthier life.

I am proud that our company believes in simple ideas.

A little healthier every day - from a simple idea to a real business

I still remember the day I got an urgent call from our HR manager. “There is a special project you could apply for. It sounds pretty interesting and you will have to decide fast.”

Two days later, I was on my way from Munich to Cologne to have a meeting with the project leader, my heart beating in my chest during the entire flight. All I knew back then was: Generali wants to launch a wellness program. A program with the intention to make people healthier.

Only a few weeks later this idea would become one of the most exciting projects I have every experienced in the Generali Group: Generali Vitality. In 2014, our small project room was full of motivated and committed colleagues from all over the world. Full of energy and dedication.

This simple idea, that insurance could be more than just providing a cover for the worst case. The idea that we could help to prevent the worst case from happening. That we could help people to live a healthier life. It’s hard not to feel passionate about it.

But the challenge was huge, and we had so many obstacles to overcome. PR crisis, old insurance mindset, timelines, language barriers. Nights full of work to meet deadlines. More skeptical questions than we were able to count. But day by day, we made progress. Together with brilliant colleagues from Austria, Germany and France, we made it. We were the first insurance company in Europe to launch a comprehensive wellness and health program, with the pure objective to improve our clients lives.

Today, we are approaching a very important date for us: the fifth anniversary of our launch in Germany. We are live in three markets and will launch another four in the next months. We have grown into a stable business.  We are a strong team. Here we are, five years later.

I am proud that I was a part of this great achievement from the very beginning. I’m thankful that I have worked with so many great people from so many countries. I’m grateful that I have learned so much on this journey.  I’m proud that we are motivating our members every day to live a healthier life.

I am proud that our company believes in simple ideas.