Our story

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
    • L'Économie Mutuelle-Vie
  • 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
  • MGI Financial Inc.