Slovak Regulator Approves Dôvera's Takeover of Union Insurer

The Slovak health-care supervisory authority, Úrad pre dohľad nad zdravotnou starostlivosťou, approved on 30 September a request by health insurer Dôvera to acquire 100 percent of the shares and voting rights of rival insurer Union.²³⁴⁵

Regulator's decision

Regulator spokesperson Katarína Kudjáková said the authority found the request complete and compliant. "Po detailnom preskúmaní všetkých predložených podkladov úrad konštatuje, že žiadosť spĺňa všetky zákonné podmienky," she said, adding that the office "vydáva predchádzajúci súhlas spoločnosti ZP Dôvera na nadobudnutie 100 percent akcií."³

Dôvera and Union's Dutch owner, Achmea B.V., said the acquisition is intended to build a stronger foundation for the development of health insurance in Slovakia.³²⁵¹

Path to the approval

Achmea and Dôvera signed a share transfer agreement for Union on 14 July 2026, according to Interez.sk. Dôvera submitted its acquisition request to the ÚDZS in early August, and Dôvera and Achmea filed a pre-notification request with the European Commission the same month.¹⁵

Denník N noted that Union policyholders will not be automatically shifted to Dôvera until the European Commission signs off on the transaction. Refresher.sk reported that the European Commission had not yet expressed a position on the acquisition, and Hospodárske noviny and STVR reported that Commission approval remains a required step.⁴⁵³²

What changes for clients

According to Interez.sk, the merger will take effect only after all necessary approvals are obtained, and the combined company will operate under the Dôvera name. Union, which has operated on the Slovak market since 2006, is expected to remain active with a focus on commercial insurance, the outlet reported.¹

Interez.sk reported that Dôvera and Union plan a partnership allowing clients to use insurance solutions from both companies, and that Union clients are expected to gain a wider range of services once the merger is completed. For now, the outlet said, Union clients need take no action and nothing changes in this phase.¹

Company statements

Union general director Michal Špaňár described the planned merger with Dôvera as a step for the company's future. "Plánované spojenie s Dôverou je logickým krokom pre jej ďalší rast, rozvoj a dlhodobú udržateľnosť," he said, adding, "Som rád, že aj v tejto oblasti nadväzujeme strategické partnerstvo s Dôverou."¹

Dôvera general director Martin Kultan said the company valued the trust placed in it by Achmea through the signing of the purchase agreement. "Sme hrdí na to, že nám partneri z Achmei prejavili podpisom kúpnej zmluvy dôveru," he said. He added that Dôvera intends to select the best benefits and services from both insurers and make them available to all clients: "Z benefitov a služieb oboch poisťovní chceme vybrať tie najlepšie a sprístupniť ich všetkým," and said the step is meant to raise the quality and availability of health care for all: "Sme presvedčení, že týmto krokom dokážeme pre všetkých ešte viac zvýšiť kvalitu aj dostupnosť zdravotnej starostlivosti."¹