AVUS

What AVUS does

AVUS worldwide claims service GmbH is an Austrian-headquartered, privately held B2B insurance services provider founded in 1960 in Linz by Josef Pscheidl. The company specializes in international cross-border claims settlement on behalf of insurance and reinsurance companies, national insurers' bureaux and guarantee funds, social security insurers, brokers, transport and fleet operators, automotive OEMs, and retailers. Its core service spans investigation, evaluation, settlement, and recovery of claims across motor, travel, health, accident, liability, and legal protection insurance lines, delivered through a network of 19-20 owned branch offices across Europe and more than 100 cooperation partners spanning 150+ countries.

The technology stack consists of proprietary claims-handling processes and an in-house IT infrastructure coordinated from regional hubs, with line-of-business-specific digital workflows tailored per insurance vertical. Service delivery is supported by the AVUS Claims Portal (claims.avus-group.com) for online claim submission. The team of 120+ professionals, approximately half of whom are legally trained and collectively speaking more than 30 languages, executes the day-to-day coordination of loss adjusters, lawyers, garages, and other counterparties across jurisdictions. AVUS operates as a nominated correspondent within the Council of Bureaux Green Card system and as a claims representative under the EU Motor Insurance Directive (Directive 2009/103/EC), a regulatory positioning built over 60+ years.

AVUS generates revenue on a transaction-fee basis, charging a 15% commission on each settlement amount (regulierter Betrag) with a minimum fee of €295 per claim. Pricing is performance-linked: AVUS earns only when a claim is successfully settled or recovered, aligning its economics with client outcomes. The company sells exclusively through direct B2B enterprise relationships, with no retail or consumer-facing distribution. Following the 2023 separation from sister company AFES AG, AVUS rebuilt its European footprint via four new wholly-owned subsidiaries (Germany, Romania, Italy, France) in a single calendar year and extended into Northern Europe with the 2026 acquisition of Handling Danmark. The company remains under family ownership, with Doris Petroni and Dr. Pscheidl-Privatstiftung each holding 50%.

Name

AVUS

Legal name

AVUS worldwide claims service GmbH

Website

https://avus-group.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

AVUS is an Austria-headquartered B2B insurance services firm that handles international cross-border claims settlement for insurers, reinsurers, bureaux, social security funds, and fleet operators across 150+ countries, via 19-20 owned European branches and 100+ correspondent partners, charging a 15% commission per settled claim.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Graz

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices19 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Claims Settlement Commission: AVUS charges 15% of the settlement amount (regulierter Betrag) as honorarium for services, with a minimum fee of €295.00. The settlement amount includes compensation amounts realized for the client or paid to third parties on behalf of the client. Additional services from third parties are invoiced separately.
2. Minimum Fee Charges: Minimum honorarium of €295.00 for services; minimum €250 for early contract termination scenarios caused by the client.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AVUS is an international claims handling and settlement service provider that acts as a correspondent for insurers, reinsurers, brokers, leasing and car rental firms, and other corporate clients needing cross-border claims resolution. It manages motor, travel, health, liability, cargo and other insurance lines, processing claims through its own European offices and a global partner network covering more than 150 countries.

Product overview

AVUS is a B2B insurance service provider specialized in international cross-border claims settlement. Its core product is a unified international claims management service covering motor, travel, health, accident, liability, and legal protection insurance lines, delivered through a pan-European network of 20+ owned branches and 100+ cooperation partners across 150+ countries. The service portfolio is organized around the core International Claims Management Service, which is supplemented by specialized sub-products including Motor Insurance Claims Handling, Travel Insurance Claims Handling, Health Insurance Claims Handling, Accident Insurance Claims Handling, Liability Insurance Claims Handling, Legal Protection Insurance Claims Handling, Social Security Recourse Service, Recovery/Recourse Service, Expert Assessments (Loss Adjusting), Investigations Service, and Fleet Customer Service. Additional specialist offerings include Green Card System Correspondent Services and EU Motor Insurance Directive (KH-Richtlinie) representation services. Service delivery is supported by the AVUS Claims Portal for online claim submission and the broader AVUS Office Network spanning owned branches across Austria (Linz, Graz, Vienna), Germany (Hamburg), France, Italy, Romania (Bucharest), Denmark, Slovenia (Maribor), Poland (Wrocław), Croatia (Zagreb), Hungary (Budapest), Bulgaria (Sofia), Czech Republic (Prague), Slovakia (Bratislava), Portugal, Netherlands, and Moldova (Chișinău).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AVUS Schadensportal: Online claims reporting portal for customers to submit claims digitally

Products and services

• International Claims Management Service Core outsourced claims handling and settlement service for insurance, reinsurance, broker, leasing, rental, and mobility clients needing cross-border claims resolution across 150+ countries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Claims handled in over 150 countries through worldwide network
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Handling DanmarkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2026Acquisition of Danish claims handling company Handling Danmark establishes AVUS's own operational presence in Denmark and strengthens position as pan-European service provider for international claims. Former owner Tommy Storgaard will continue to support the integration process.
• Alpine Rescue Service Pvt. Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 March 2024Alpine Rescue Service has been an integral part of AVUS worldwide network for many years, playing a pivotal role in enforcing clients' claims in Nepal. The partnership provides AVUS with local expertise and extensive connections across various sectors in Nepal for claims enforcement and recovery actions.
• Peter L. Botham GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNikolaus Baldauf serves as Managing Director of Peter L. Botham GmbH, representing AVUS in international operations. The relationship involves senior leadership collaboration between the two entities.
• 100+ Cooperation Partners WorldwidecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAVUS maintains a network of over 100 cooperation partners globally, enabling claims handling services across 150+ countries. Partners provide local market expertise, regulatory knowledge, and network connections for cross-border claims settlement.
• Global Network of Partner Law FirmscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAVUS maintains a wide network of partner lawyers and law firms in Austria, Europe, and worldwide for rapid and qualified judicial enforcement of claims. This network supports out-of-court and judicial recovery actions across jurisdictions.
• Council of Bureaux (CoB)coreOthersAVUS has been a correspondent for the Council of Bureaux for over 60 years, operating within the Green Card system framework for international motor insurance claims. This relationship enables AVUS to serve as nominated correspondent for insurance companies across Europe.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Europ Assistance: Generali Group-owned global assistance, travel insurance claims, and emergency services provider. Closely comparable to AVUS in handling cross-border travel, health, and motor claims on behalf of insurers and corporations.
• Crawford & Company: One of the world's largest independent claims management and loss adjusting firms, with broad global reach across property, casualty, and motor lines. Directly comparable to AVUS as a multi-line international claims handling specialist serving insurers and corporates.
• Sedgwick: Global claims management, loss adjusting, and managed care firm serving insurers, employers, and major corporations. Directly comparable to AVUS in cross-border claims handling and TPA services across multiple insurance lines.
• McLarens: Global insurance claims services and loss adjusting firm operating across property, casualty, marine, and aviation. Closely comparable to AVUS as an international claims handling and adjusting provider serving major insurers and corporations.
• Van Ameyde: Dutch-headquartered European claims handling firm specializing in cross-border motor, liability, and casualty claims for insurers. Directly comparable to AVUS given similar European footprint, correspondent model, and focus on cross-border insurance claims.
• ROLAND Assistance: German specialist in international claims handling, assistance, and recovery services for insurers. Directly comparable to AVUS in cross-border motor, travel, and liability claims management across European and international markets.
• Charles Taylor: UK-headquartered insurance services group providing claims management, adjusting, and TPA services globally with strong European presence. Directly comparable to AVUS in international claims handling for insurers, particularly in motor and casualty lines.
• Valecia Group: European claims handling and motor claims management group with multiple country operations. Directly comparable to AVUS as a continental European specialist handling cross-border insurance claims for major insurers.

Others

• AXCO (AXCO Global Information Services): Provider of insurance market intelligence and regulatory information to insurers and reinsurers. Adjacent to AVUS as an enabling service provider in the international insurance value chain, rather than a direct claims handling competitor.

Emerging players

• MDD Forensic Accountants: Global forensic accounting firm specializing in insurance claim quantification and economic loss assessments. Comparable to AVUS's expert assessment sub-product line, though narrower in scope (financial quantification only).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/avus.claims
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/avus-group

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AVUS