The jump in quality of Spanish insurance companies between 1966 and 2000

Resumen

The Spanish insurance sector in the period 1966– 2000 is characterised by two well differentiated periods. The first one was marked by slow growth until 1986, with a difficult beginning when the insurance companies lost the branch of occupational accidents that represented 29.1 % of all their activity, and by the global crisis of 1973, which hit Spain especially hard. The second period was one of rapid expansion starting with the country’s entry into the EEC, explained by the economic growth of the country and a significant increase in cultural standards, which led to a demand for more life insurance, pension plans, health insurance and multi-risk insurance. These changes also brought about serious problems in the most characteristic branch, that of automobiles, and was one of the causes of the crisis in La Unión y el Fénix and La Estrella, as well as the success of MAPFRE and Mutua Madrileña, among others.