Commercial Banking and Insurance
The bank at the heart of the group’s activities
Groupe BPCE is the 2nd largest financial institution in France specializing in commercial banking and insurance, with 8,000 branches and 36 million customers. The net banking income generated by these activities accounts for 65% of the group’s aggregate income.
Strong historical brands, a deep-rooted regional presence
One out of every two people in France is a customer of a Groupe BPCE banking institution. With 8,000 branches and 36 million customers, commercial banking forms the very heart of the group’s activities.
Groupe BPCE works through two networks boasting a strong presence at a local and regional level:
- 19 Banque Populaire banks including 17 regional banking institutions, CASDEN Banque Populaire, the favored partner of employees of the national French Educational system, research community and cultural sector, and Crédit Coopératif, a major player in the social and solidarity-based economy. Created by and for entrepreneurs, the Banque Populaire banks have constantly evolved, innovated and expanded their range of products and services to meet the individual needs of all their different customers. Key financial institutions in the local regional economy, the Banques Populaires actively support and encourage the audacity of all those who pursue the entrepreneurial path. The No.1 bank for SMEs, they play a leading role in the distribution of loans for new business creation and help more than 70,000 business start-ups every year.
- 17 Caisses d’Epargne At the service of 27 million customers, the 17 Caisses d'Epargne rank among the foremost banking institutions in their regions. Thanks to their comprehensive range of bancassurance products and services (deposit taking and savings management, the granting of loans, payment services equipment, asset management, insurance, etc.), the French savings banks help all economic agents – private individuals, self-employed professionals, companies, associations, local authorities, etc. – in the pursuit of their various projects. Partners of regional decision-makers, they are leading providers of financing to the public sector, the social housing movement and the social economy. No.2 producer of real estate loans granted to individual customers.
- Other banking subsidiaries complete the range of services provided by Groupe BPCE: Crédit Foncier de France, a bank specializing in real estate financing solutions, Banque Palatine, an institution more focused on business banking and wealth management, Crédit Maritime, a financial institution serving customers active in the coastal economy, and the banks belonging to the BPCE International et Outre-mer network active in French overseas territories and departments and in the international arena.
A panoply of expertise in France and in the international arena
To provide all the services, advice, financing or investment solutions required by their customers, the banking networks within Groupe BPCE draw on the expertise and assistance of its specialized subsidiaries. This approach respects the close, local relationship offered by the group’s banks and the decision-making ability appreciated by their customers. It allows them to enjoy access to highly effective solutions in insurance, real estate, asset management, payment systems, factoring, leasing and a wealth of other services.
Outside France, Groupe BPCE is present in both central and eastern Europe, in the Mediterranean basin, in central Africa and the Indian Ocean. The group plans to gradually expand this international presence.
Against a background of economic crisis and a decline in consumption, the commercial banking division confirmed its dynamism and further enhanced its market share. It contributed €15.1bn – or 65% of the total – to the group’s aggregate net banking income, and boasted net income of €2.9bn.
- No.2 bank for individual customers, self-employed professionals and entrepreneurs
- No.1 bank for small- to medium-sized enterprises
- No.1 private banking institution for the social housing movement
- No.2 producer of real estate loans granted to individual customers
- No.2 bank for the social economy
- No.1 private lender to local authorities and the public hospital sector
Insurance, at the service of the network customers
Groupe BPCE is working through its specialized subsidiaries and partnerships forged with insurance company who have acquired substantial know-how in their particular areas. This enables the group to satisfy the expectations of its network customers with a wide range of products and services related to life insurance, non-life, health & disability insurance, and payment protection insurance.
Groupe BPCE is also active in personal care services and special payment vouchers such as the Cesu prepaid voucher used to pay employees providing services on an irregular basis.
Life insurance
Life insurance is the networks’ principal source of savings deposits. Groupe BPCE works with several companies to satisfy their expectations and those of their customers.
- Groupe BPCE and La Poste own a joint 35.5% stake in CNP Assurances, the No.1 personal insurance company in France. CNP Assurances designs and manages the life-insurance products distributed by the Caisse d’Epargne networks, with the support of Ecureuil Vie Développement, which oversees life-insurance operations.
- Natixis Assurances, working through Assurances Banque Populaire Vie and Natixis Assurances Partenaires, provides a range of products and services to the Banque Populaire banks, private banks and independent wealth managers.
- Prepar-Vie is the subsidiary dedicated to the Bred Banque Populaire network.
Non-life and health & disability insurance
Non-life and health & disability insurance covers car and home insurance, legal protection, accident insurance, top-up healthcare insurance, invalidity insurance, health & disability insurance for professionals in additional to collective pension and health insurance programs.
BPCE Assurances, in partnership with the Macif and MAIF mutual insurance companies, and Natixis Assurances, in partnership with MAAF for non-life insurance, are the group’s principal entities in this area.
Payment protection insurance and guarantee insurance
Intimately bound up with lending activities, payment protection insurance and financial guarantee insurance make it possible to provide a comprehensive range of secure solutions for private individuals, self-employed professionals, real estate professionals and corporate customers.
Against a background characterized by a separation between loans and insurance, customers are offered personal insurance solutions via Ecureuil ADE Services in the Caisses d'Epargne and via Sésame Multi-Assureurs in the Banque Populaire banks.
- Natixis Assurances and CNP Assurances have joined forces as partners for the payment protection insurance offered to customers of the Banque Populaire banks and Caisses d’Epargne.
- Compagnie Européenne de Garanties et Cautions, a Natixis subsidiary, is the second–largest issuer of real estate guarantees in France.