Our story is one of innovation and growth. Here are some highlights:
1948 – Desjardins Life Assurance founded
Desjardins Life Assurance started out selling nothing but individual life insurance, but it quickly branched out adding many group insurance and retirement savings products to its repertoire, like Family Insurance, Loan Insurance, Accident Insurance for School Children and Savings-Life Insurance.
1999 – Financial products and services distributed through the caisses
Desjardins caisses started selling the full range of life and health insurance services with the passing of the Act respecting the distribution of financial products and services. Desjardins-Laurentian Life Assurance (formerly Desjardins Life Assurance) set up a team of representatives dedicated exclusively to caisse members.
2002 – Desjardins Financial Security created
Over the years, Desjardins Life Assurance grew and expanded through acquisitions and mergers with 20 or so insurance companies and portfolios. In the early 2000s, it merged with the Laurentian Life and Health Insurance Corporation, and then with Imperial Life, resulting in the creation of Desjardins Financial Security in 2002.
The new company, which ensures the financial security of some 5 million Canadians, is a major player in the Canadian life and health insurance industry.
2009 – Major restructuring within Desjardins Group
In 2009, Desjardins Financial Security became part of Desjardins Group. While Desjardins Financial Security still exists as a legal entity, its operations and corporate functions have been integrated with those of Desjardins Group since January 1, 2010.
Highlights – at a glance
| 1948: Desjardins Life Assurance was founded |
| 1952: First pension and group insurance plans were established for Desjardins Group employees |
| 1953: Family Insurance was created |
| 1954: Savings-Life Insurance and Loan Insurance were launched |
| 1955: First group insurance plans outside the caisse network were established |
| 1958: Accident Insurance for School Children (renamed Accirance in 1968) was launched |
| 1962: La Sauvegarde was acquired |
| 1978: Assurance populaire Desjardins was launched |
| 1989: Laurier Life Insurance was acquired |
| 1990: Desjardins Life Assurance and La Sauvegarde merged |
| 1992: Individual, group and accident insurance portfolios acquired from Les Coopérants |
| 1994: Life and health insurance portfolio of the Laurentian Group and its subsidiary Imperial Life was acquired |
| 1994: Desjardins Life Assurance became Desjardins-Laurentian Life Assurance |
| 1995: Æterna-Life Insurance Company was acquired |
| 2000: Desjardins-Laurentian Life Assurance and the Laurentian Life and Health Insurance Corporation merged |
| 2001: Desjardins-Laurentian Life Assurance and Imperial Life merged |
| 2002: Desjardins Financial Security was created |
| 2006: Performa Financial Group was acquired |
| 2007: Desjardins Financial Security Investments Inc. (brokerage subsidiary) was created |
| 2009: Desjardins Group announced a restructuring and integration |
Companies and portfolios acquired or merged since 1948
- La Prospérité
- La Sauvegarde
- Laurier Life Insurance
- Annuity Life Insurance
- Compagnon Assurance Voyage
- Les Coopérants
- Mutuelle-Vie de l'UCC (individual, accident and group insurance portfolios)
- La Société des Artisans canadiens-français
- L'Union Saint-Joseph à Saint-Sauveur de Québec
- L'Union Saint-Joseph de Lachine
- L'Union Saint-Pierre
- Laurentian Life
- L'Union du Commerce
- La Prévoyance Compagnie d'assurance
- Les Prévoyants du Canada
- La Stabilité
- Imperial Life Financial Services
- Æterna-Life Insurance Company
- Centre d'autorisation et de paiement des services de santé (CAPSS)
- Laurentian Life and Health Insurance Corporation
- Performa Financial Group