A brief history of SOS International

SOS International starts out as a roadside assistance company with only a small staff, based in a little office in Copenhagen. Activities soon expand to include personal assistance in foreign countries and in 1963 the company launches the first travel health insurance scheme with worldwide SOS service. Two years later, a large number of insurance companies sign a pan-Nordic agreement to use SOS International as their Nordic assistance organisation. In 1970, Danish insurance companies introduce a shared international roadside assistance arrangement for vehicles covered by fully comprehensive insurance – also known as Det Røde Kort (The Red Card) – which SOS International has administrated ever since. During the 1970s and 1980s, SOS International enjoys continuous growth on account of the overall expansion of the travel market. In the mid-1990s, Danish insurance companies also start to commission SOS International to deal with their travel insurance cases.

The transport department at SOS International offices at Vesterbrogade in Copenhagen.

Growth through acquisitions
During the first four decades of its existence, SOS International is owned by a consortium of Nordic insurance companies – in Denmark, the shares are distributed to the individual companies – based on a non-profit philosophy. In 2004, SOS International alters its legal status so that it operates on a completely commercial basis, and is owned directly by 24 Nordic insurance companies. At the same time, the company formulates a consolidation strategy that involves acquisitions of assistance companies in other Nordic countries. As a result, the following year SOS International purchases the Swedish assistance organisation Skade- och Räddningslarm AB, the Danish company Euro-Alarm A/S and the Norwegian Global Medical Support organisation - and opens a branch of SOS International in Finland. In addition, SOS International establishes a network of more than 20 SOS service offices at the most popular travel destinations around the world. In 2008, SOS International takes over administration of the Offentlige Rejsesygesikring (Public Travel Insurance) scheme in Denmark.

SOS International today
Today, SOS International is the leading personal assistance organisation in the Nordic region. From 24-hour alarm centres in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland, SOS International provides acute personal assistance all over the world. SOS International supplies a wide range of services in the field of assistance to people and material along with healthcare, crisis management, tracking, home assistance and global medical support. SOS International employs 730 people of 20 different nationalities, who together speak more than 30 different languages. Every year, the company deals with around 500,000 national and international incidents involving injury/damage and assistance. SOS International has been voted the best assistance company in the world on five occasions.