200 years of insurance agents history in Austria – in the 19th century wellknown as an “insurance world power” together with its famous scientist and praCtitioners – should not remain merely a collection of historical facts. Much more it should be seen as a “manual” (like in learning how to play chess). In this way all interested in insurace as well as experts in non-EU member states can undestand which steps are still to be undertaken and recognise the mistekes to be avoided.
But all chapters contain the same core satement: “Together we are stronger!” European countries form a shared risk pool as well as the insured persons. Narrow-minded particularism, imposing individual/national interests before those of the community, in crisis leads to the ruin. Austrian insurers, agents and clients have learned from the “Phönix-crash” in 1936 “the lesson for life”, namely, how dangerous can it be allowing rank growth to spread with premiums dump, corruption, intransparent to wrong advising, combined with incomplete legislation framework.
Serbia has already completed some steps to reform its insurance science into a modern one in line with EU. But there are many more things to do. The aim of this article was to offer some useful suggestions.