Impacts That Social Distancing Rules Resulting from the Pandemic Have had on the Development of Distance Selling of Insurance Products and Effects of the Emergency Legislation Issued in Italy

Cristina Rustignoli, General Counsel , Generali Italia, Italy

Technological innovation has become a driver of change capable of influencing the entire process of insurance companies’ strategic, organisational and commercial development and is having a significant impact on the entire insurance value chain, by determining the evolution of the traditional operators’ business models and encouraging new operators to enter the market.

Cristina Rustignoli graduated with honors in law from the University of Trieste, she obtained the qualification to practice as a lawyer. In her professional career she has gained a wide and consolidated experience in the banking, financial and insurance sector. In 2000 she joined the Generali Group as legal manager of Banca Generali, assuming positions of increasing responsibility over time until becoming central director, head of the Governance Area, coordinating legal, corporate, human resources and organization. During her time with Banca Generali, she coordinated, among other things, the process of listing the company on the stock exchange and, since 2002, held the role of secretary of the Board of Directors. At the same time, she assumed the role of head of legal and corporate activities for other banking and financial companies of the Generali Group, including Banca BSI Italia, Generali Investments Italy SGR, Simgenia SIM, BG Fiduciaria SIM, Generfid, BG Fund Management Luxembourg. She was also a member of the Assoreti Management Committee and of the Scientific Committee of the Anti-Money Laundering & Compliance Studies Center. In 2016 she joined Generali Country Italy Group as General Counsel and in 2019 she became General Counsel of Generali Country Italy and Global Business Line. She is board member of several Companies in Generali Group, such as Banca Generali, Alleanza Assicurazioni, Genertel, Genertelife, Welion, GBS and chairman of the board of Jeniot.

Generali is one of the major global players in the insurance and asset management sector. Born in 1831, it is present in 50 countries with a total premium income exceeding