News

Achmea Bank receives DNB approval for use of A-IRB model in capital calculations

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 17:45:00 +0100

After De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) granted Achmea Bank the Advanced Internal Rating-Based (A‑IRB) status in September 2023, it has now also approved the bank’s calculation of required capital. This approval follows from an extensive assessment by DNB.

The new model will be implemented in March 2026 and has a positive effect on both the Common Equity Tier 1 ratio (CET1 ratio) and the Total Capital Ratio (TCR) of Achmea Bank. Based on the figures as at 30 June 2025, the pro forma ratios increase by 3.7 and 4.3%-points respectively, to 21.1% and 24.6%. This calculation takes into account the previously announced dividend payment of € 75 million in November 2025. The pro forma impact on Achmea’s group solvency amounts to 3%-points as at 30 June 2025.

Achmea splits mortgage and real estate activities of Syntrus Achmea Real Estate & Finance

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 08:30:00 +0200

As of 1 October 2024, Achmea will split the mortgage and real estate activities of Syntrus Achmea Real Estate & Finance B.V. The Dutch regulators, DNB and AFM, as well as the works council, have given their approval. This organisational change is important for the further growth of Achmea in mortgages and real estate.

The activities will be restructured as follows:

Syntrus Achmea Hypotheekdiensten B.V. will continue its activities (origination and management of mortgages) as a subsidiary of Achmea Bank N.V. Her two subsidiaries, Achmea Hypotheken B.V. and Attens Hypotheken B.V., will therefore also be transferred to Achmea Bank.
Achmea Mortgage Funds B.V. (trade name Achmea Mortgages) will take over the management of mortgage funds and investment portfolios from Syntrus Achmea Real Estate & Finance. Achmea Mortgage Funds will also become the manager of the Achmea Mortgage Investment Platform.
In addition to the trade name, Achmea Real Estate will become the legal name of the real estate company, which is responsible for asset management of real estate funds and separate accounts.

Achmea Bank, Achmea Mortgage Funds and Achmea Real Estate will each have their own management board and organisational structure. Composition of the statutory boards of the above-mentioned entities is as follows:

Achmea Bank and Syntrus Achmea Hypotheekdiensten:
Pierre Huurman (CEO) and Mark Geubbels (director Finance & Risk);
Achmea Mortgage Funds:
Hikmet Sevdican (chair statutory board) and Johan Dijkstra (director Finance);
Achmea Real Estate:
Toon Sweens (co-chair, director Operations), Boris van der Gijp (co-chair, director Investments) and Mascha Hendrickx (director Finance).

Achmea Bank acquires mortgages from a.s.r. up to an amount of €1 billion annually

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 08:30:00 +0200

Achmea Bank and a.s.r. reached an agreement to continue their cooperation in the mortgage field for three years. Each month during this period, Achmea Bank will acquire newly originated mortgages with a short-term fixed-interest period from a.s.r., up to an amount of €1 billion annually. In the new agreement, Aegon Asset Management will be acting as the relationship manager for Achmea Bank.

The acquisition will not affect customers in the portfolio; a.s.r. remains their point of contact and the agreement and terms and conditions will not change.

Pierre Huurman, chairman at Achmea Bank’s Executive Board: “Achmea Bank and a.s.r. have been working together in the mortgage field for quite some time now. The two organisations reinforce each other and so we are pleased to continue our strategic alliance. This extension underlines our growth ambitions in financial services.”

Patrick Klijnsmit, chief executive at a.s.r. asset management: “We have found in Achmea, for several years now, a suitable partner with a long-term vision and proven knowledge of mortgages. Today we announce the continuation of our three-year agreement from 2021. However, the true origin of our partnership in mortgages dates back from 2019, when Achmea Bank acquired the largest part of the then banking operations of a.s.r. bank. This turned out to be the start of a fruitful partnership in which we also confine a lot of trust in the future.”

Bas NieuweWeme, global chief executive at Aegon AM: “We are excited to play a part in this successful mortgage agreement. Our involvement follows our long-term strategic partnership with a.s.r. This partnership was created after combining Aegon’s Dutch insurance, pension, banking and mortgage activities with that of a.s.r. early 2023.”

Achmea Bank and a.s.r. entered into a three-year alliance at the end of 2021. Since then, Achmea Bank has acquired the target volume of some €2 billion of mortgages from a.s.r. This was done mainly through portfolio transactions and also with newly-originated mortgages with a fixed-interest period of up to five years.

Achmea Bank broadens strategy with retail investing

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 08:30:00 +0100

Achmea Bank intends to start providing investment services to retail customers in 2022. As part of this, its sister company Achmea Investment Management, will transfer its retail investment accounts to Achmea Bank. Achmea Investment Management will continue to manage the investment funds, which will still be offered under the Centraal Beheer brand.

In this way, Achmea Bank is broadening its strategy and its product range, which currently comprises savings products and mortgages. The addition of investment services will make it possible for customers to switch easily between saving and investing, while keeping the costs for the customer low. It also offers opportunities for launching new products and propositions on the market.

Retail investing is an important part of Achmea Group’s strategy. As a provider of financial solutions for now, tomorrow and later, Achmea wants to grow strongly in this area in the coming years with the brand Centraal Beheer. This ambition is in line with current market developments and customer demand for alternatives to savings accounts.

The proposed transfer is subject to favourable advice from Achmea’s Central Works Council.

Achmea Bank to acquire mortgage portfolio from a.s.r.

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 08:30:00 +0100

On 17 November 2021, Achmea Bank will acquire a mortgage portfolio of €500 million from a.s.r. a.s.r. will continue to manage these mortgages for Achmea Bank. The two organisations have expressed the intention to conduct additional transactions of €500 million in both 2022 and 2023. In addition, Achmea Bank will acquire roughly €190 million of newly originiated mortgages from a.s.r. annually for the next three years. These are mainly mortgages with a short fixed-interest period. The acquisition has no consequences for the servicing to customers in this portfolio.

These transactions are an expansion of the strategic mortgage alliance between Achmea and a.s.r.

Pierre Huurman, chairman of board of directors of Achmea Bank: “Achmea Bank and a.s.r. have been working together with respect to mortgages since 2019. In recent months we elaborated on how we can further reinforce each other in this area. We are delighted that this has led to these transactions, which underline our ambition to grow in mortgages. We look forward to making a success of the strategic alliance with a.s.r. over the next few years.”

Jack Julicher, CEO of a.s.r. asset management: “The transaction with Achmea Bank is a seamless fit with a.s.r. asset management’s strategy. As well as managing assets for a.s.r.’s insurance companies, we focus on third-party asset management in certain specific investment categories, including residential mortgages. This mandate allows us to use our know-how and experience in mortgage services for Achmea Bank. In Achmea, we have found the right partner with a long-term vision and proven mortgage knowledge.”

The acquisition will not affect customers in the portfolio; a.s.r. will remain their point of contact and the agreement and terms and conditions will not change. a.s.r. will remain an active player in the mortgage market. Overall a.s.r. asset management manages roughly €11 billion of mortgages, which are on the balance sheet of a.s.r. In addition a.s.r. manages assets of over €9 billion for external clients through mortgage funds and external mandates.

The combined mortgage portfolio of all Achmea brands (Centraal Beheer, Woonfonds, Syntrus Achmea, Attens and Tellius) equals roughly €29 billion. Achmea wants to further expand its share of the mortgage market in the next few years. In the past Achmea Bank has acquired mortgage portfolios from a.s.r. (2019) and BinckBank (2020).

Achmea Bank acquires portfolio of Dutch residential mortgages

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 07:30:00 +0100

On 1 November 2020, Achmea Bank acquired a portfolio of Dutch residential mortgages from BinckBank, part of the Saxo Bank Group. The acquisition of this portfolio, with a size of approximately € 460 million, underlines Achmea’s ambition to grow in mortgages.

In recent years, this mortgage portfolio has been originated for the benefit of BinckBank, under the label ‘bijBouwe’ of mortgage provider Dynamic Credit. The portfolio that has been acquired is aso-called closed book, meaning that no new mortgages will be originated although interest rate resets and further advances will be offered. Consequently, the transaction will not affect the borrowers in the mortgage portfolio. Achmea Bank is taking the place of BinckBank as the investor on the Dynamic Credit platform. This acquisition is in line with Achmea Bank’s strategy of focusing on growth and scale.

Dynamic Credit uses Quion, one of the largest independent third-party service providers in the Netherlands, to service the mortgages. Achmea Bank also works with Quion.

Overall, the mortgage portfolios of all Achmea’s brands (Centraal Beheer, Woonfonds, Syntrus Achmea, Attens and Tellius) were some € 28 billion at the end of June 2020. Over the next few years, Achmea wants to further expand its share in the mortgage market.

Achmea takes the next step in the process of combining its mortgage activities

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 07:30:00 +0200

Achmea wants to grow its mortgage activities. Syntrus Achmea Real Estate & Finance therefore intends to set up a separate account in order to provide mortgages through the Centraal Beheer brand. This allows Dutch and international institutional investors to invest directly in their individual Dutch residential mortgage portfolios with the risk profile they want. Through this, Achmea offers a wider range of options to institutional investors.

Achmea Bank intends to invest in the separate account and its future mortgage production will be originated through Syntrus Achmea.

This expansion of its service to institutional investors allows Achmea to enhance its strengths in the housing and mortgage markets and to grow its market share. As a result, it can be of even greater service to institutional investors with appropriate and sustainable mortgage solutions.

This is another step forwards for Achmea in the previously announced process of combining its mortgage activities.

The creation of the separate account is subject to the approval of the relevant regulators and other stakeholders, including the Supervisory Boards.

Pierre Huurman to become new divisional chairman of Achmea Bank

Tue, 31 May 2016 07:30:00 +0200

Pierre Huurman (50) has been appointed Chairman of Achmea Bank with effect from 1 July 2016. He has been with Achmea since 2000, having held the role of Chairman of Staalbankiers for the past four years.

Huurman succeeds Margreet van Ee, who is leaving Achmea owing her desire to have more time for personal projects. She plans to concentrate on supervisory roles and will remain involved with Achmea as a member of the Supervisory Board of Achmea Reinsurance.

Executive Board Achmea Bank
As of 1 July 2016, Achmea Bank’s Executive Board will comprise Pierre Huurman (Chairman), Ronald Buwalda (Chief Financial Officer) and Vincent Teekens (Chief Operating Officer).

Succession Huurman
The Executive Board of Achmea expects to be able to give details of Pierre Huurman’s successor at Staalbankiers shortly.