BUSINESS

We Understand the Needs of Our Clients,

We Cover Their Risks

Twenty-two years ago, Roman Horváth, Jitka Hradilová, and Peter Diľ decided to take a very significant

step: they had worked in insurance and they all had clear ideas about customer service in industrial

insurance. Their enthusiasm and resolution helped to establish SATUM CZECH, which has become

one of the biggest insurance companies in the Czech Republic. We asked the owners of the company

about their beginnings, current trends, and the importance of positive thinking and foresight.

Your company, SATUM CZECH, ranks

among the most significant insurance

companies in our country. What inspired

you to start the business together?

Roman: After university I briefly worked

in marketing jobs and later with an

insurance broker company which does

not exist any more. Then me, Jitka, and

Petr founded SATUM. We had already

had some experience in industrial

insurance, so our programme was clear.

In the very beginning we also knew there

was a gap in a market that had a limited

offer of insurance of traffic and transport

risks, and related advisory services.

Jitka: The late 1990s was an optimal

time to start this kind of enterprise.

There were many new products and

a great demand for professional service

in insurance broking. The time was very

hectic, especially in regards to keeping up

with all the legislative and administrative

requirements, all the possible contractual

relations,

contracting

insurance

companies, trading and settlements of

insurance, etc.

Peter: The very beginning of our business

was marked with the great floods of 1997.

We did lots of work for various people

who became our clients, and most of

them have remained our customers. We

have always aimed at having superior

quality and customized terms in our

insurance contracts and we have created

atypical ways to administer the insurance.

You operate in many sectors, yet I want

to ask what you think of the future and

development of Czech industry, and

what risks are you prepared to protect

your clients from?

Roman: I believe Czech industry is

doing well. We cooperate with a great

number of companies who are generally

economically very stable. There is no

doubt, however, that mostly because of

our close links to other economies, some

decrease will come. It will hopefully be

only short term and definitely not critical.

Besides the standard risks, we are ready

to cover risks related to acquisitions and

fusions of other companies in regards

to tax, legal and other risks, so-called

warranty and indemnity insurance.

Data safety and protection is a priority

in the digitized world: what is your

opinion on that?

Roman: Data and their storage is a daily

routine in each and every modern

company, whether it’s data about clients

and their behaviour, accounting and

finance, or production management and

supplies, etc. Even though companies are

fully aware of their great value in their

business, they do not always pay the best

attention to their data protection.

Large investment is often spent on data

back-up and net safety but users are often

neglected. Employees these days read

email on their phones and use remote

access to the company data via their

computers at home. Their comfort brings

the risk of the end application not being

safe enough, and becomes the Trojan

horse opening the system to an attack.

Peter: Company data leaks are often

solved only in the view on the effects

they have on the company itself, without

considering the further impact of the data

leak. Any leak damages the company as

well as the clients, business partners who

must pay extra costs of better safety,

remedies, etc.

Our experience proves that the most

frequent data leaks are caused by dated

hardware and software, loss or theft of

hardware, and, most often, humans. It can

be an end-user mistake or a purposeful

act. The impact on the company may

be enormous. First because of the loss

in profit, second because of fines. The

good reputation of the company can be

seriously damaged by news of the leak.

Data leaks cannot be totally prevented.

One of the ways to minimize its impact

is to have a good choice of customized

insurance of cyber risks.

You and your company are well known

for your social responsibility. What

projects are your priority?

Jitka: We love the country we live and

work in, and create values. Our relation

towards our home country is reflected in

our words as well as in the steps taken

by our company, a socially and regionally

responsible enterprise. I love art,

therefore I am happy that we regularly

sponsor cultural events. You can meet

us at some concerts of the Leoš Janáček

International Music Festival “Janáčkův

máj”. For many years we have supported

the Summer Festival of Shakespearean

Theatre, and others.

Roman: All three of us are very fond

of sports; we can be called fans and

enthusiast. We enjoy events which

bring people together both in sports

and culture. We are partners of the

National Heritage Sight – Lower Area of

Vítkovice (Dolní oblast Vítkovice, DOV).

We have been a long-term supporter to

sports clubs in our region, e. g. FC Baník

Ostrava, HC Vítkovice, NH Basketball

Ostrava and HC Frýdek-Místek.

Peter: In the past we have also been

partners to the prestigious awards of the

“Moravian-Silesian Nurse of the Year”,

we annually participate in the Nurses’

Ball. I am happy for these events as we

are also a significant broker covering risk

management in health care.

Roman: There are many opportunities to

help an individual, a group or all society.

We have started a survey within our

company this year, and the employees

of SATUM decide which non-profit

organizations will get our financial

support. Let me thank our colleagues

who engage with the vote. It feels great

to be in a team which understands the

needs of others and supports those in

need.

Thank you for the interview.

- editorial -

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