30/03/2009

Launch of the book “CHAPAS” Heraldry of Insurance Companies, by Vítor Alegria and José Pousinho Henriques, with Carlos Barata’s photograph.

The book “CHAPAS” Heraldry of Insurance Companies resulted from a challenge made by Carlos Marques, president of STAS – Trade Union of the Workers of Insurance Activity, to the three mentioned insurance professionals, to carry out a documentary work on the collection of insurance mark of this institution.

Over the course of the work, for the materialisation of this book, it was possible to count on access to other insurance mark collections in Portugal, which allowed enriching the edition, which was launched on March 30 at the Grémio Literário, in Lisbon.

01/03/2010

Giorgio Casari, president of the Italian Club Collezionisti Targhe Incendio, invited Vítor Alegria to present the book “CHAPAS” Heraldry of the Insurance Companies at the Annual Congress of the Italian Insurance Mark Collectors in the city of Parma, Italy.

Vito Platania, author of the book “Le Targhe Incendio in Italia” and other publications, enthused Vítor Alegria to work about insurance chapas in Portugal.

In Italy, Vítor Alegria met Andre Peetermans, collector, recognized insurance mark’ valuer and representative of the German club Deutscher-Feuer-Versicherungs-Schilder-Verein, of which he was president between 2004 and 2010.

Still in Italy, Vítor Alegria announces the intention of founding, in Portugal, the CHAPAS-Clube História e Acervo Português da Actividade Seguradora.

03/03/2011

Foundation of the non-profit private law association CHAPAS-Clube História e Acervo Português da Actividade Seguradora, whose objective is to preserve the memory of insurance.

Created by two handful of people, enthusiastic and motivated by the importance in receiving, to preserve and disseminate the legacy of insurance activity.

The CHAPAS Club founders are: Ana Paula Lorena, Carlos Barata, Carlos Marques, INETESE, Isabel Anjos, José Pousinho, José Morgado, Manuel D’Orey Capucho, Mário Rúbio, Paulo Costa, STAS and Vítor Alegria.

17/03/2011

Invited by the president of the German club Deutscher-Feuer-Versicherungs-Schilder-Verein, Vítor Alegria participated in the Annual Congress of German collectors in the city of Dusseldorf.

07 – 08/05/2011

International CHAPAS Club Meeting 2011, held at the STAS-Sindicato dos Trabalhadores da Actividade Seguradora premises, Palácio Visconde da Graça, located at Largo do Intendente Pina Manique 35, Lisbon.

The event was focused on presenting the mission of CHAPAS Club, it’s values and objectives.

Representatives of ISP-Instituto Seguros de Portugal, APS-Associação Portuguesa de Seguradores, STAS-Sindicato Trabalhadores Actividade Seguradora, Club Italiano Collezionisti Targhe Incendio, Deutscher-Feuer-Versicherungs-Schilder-Verein, representatives of insurance companies, active and retired insurance employees, and Portuguese collectors of insurance chapas were present in this first event of CHAPAS Club.

07/07/2011

The CHAPAS Club management promoted a meeting with retired insurance employees, with the challenge “Tell us an episode from your professional life”. This event was held at the premises of STAS – Sindicato dos Trabalhadores da Actividade Seguradora, Palácio Visconde da Graça, located at Largo do Intendente Pina Manique 35, Lisbon.

24 – 27/09/2011

Promotion of CHAPAS Club in Italy:

• Vítor Alegria’s participation in the Annual Meeting of the Club Italiano Collezionisti Targhe Incendio, in the city of Recco.
• Vítor Alegria’s presence at the Fondazione Mansutti, in Milan, welcomed by its founder Francesco Mansutti and his team. Among the important collection of the foundation, the collection of advertising posters and the library of exceptional insurance books in Italy and in the world stand out.
• Visit to the Paolo Raspino Museum in Biella. A posthumous exhibition of the private collection of the Italian collector Paolo Raspino.

20 – 30/10/2011

First thematic exhibition of CHAPAS Club: “The Classic Car and the Insurance Activity”.

In partnership with Santogal, SGPA, SA it was possible to tell the history of the relationship between classic cars and the car insurance mark of the liability contract.

The exhibition was open to the public at Santogal’s premises situated at Rua Carolina Michaelis Vasconcelos 6, in Lisbon.

Present at the opening of the event were many colleagues from various insurance companies and there was a performance by the Ministry of Education Choir, conducted by maestro Vítor Roque Amaro.

05/01 – 24/02/2012

Exhibition “The Insurance Company and the Companies”, authored by the CHAPAS Club team.

The theme led to the display of pieces and documentation relating to the history of the insurance companies Bonança, Fidelidade, Mundial-Confiança and Império, which are part of the recently created Fidelidade Companhia de Seguros, SA.

The exhibition was held in the atrium of the Fidelidade building, opened in 1995 by the Império Insurance Company, at Rua Alexandre Herculano 53, Lisbon.

27/02 – 09/03/2012

Exhibition “The Knowledge of the Past to Insure the Future” at the Groupama building on Avenida de Berna, in Lisbon.

An exhibition of the CHAPAS Club evoking it’s mission.

03 – 05/03/2012

The celebrations of the 1st Anniversary of CHAPAS Club, began at the headquarters of Lusitania Insurance Company, with an International Meeting of Collectors of fire mark insurance and other objects and documents.

Portuguese antique dealers were present, as well as national and international collectors (Germany and Russia).

Commemorative session of the 1st Anniversary of CHAPAS-Clube História e Acervo Português da Actividade Seguradora, in the auditorium of the APS-Associação Portuguesa de Seguradores.

The panel of speakers included Ruy de Carvalho (Honorary President of APS), António Alves-Caetano (former president of Companhia de Seguros Fidelidade SA), Miguel Metelo Seixas (Professor of History and Heraldry of Universidade Lusíada and Universidade Nova) and the Russian collector Dmitri Korneyev who made a presentation of the history of fire mark insurance in Russia.

Vítor Alegria, president of CHAPAS Club presented, in retrospect, the dynamic first year of activity.

14/05/2012

The CHAPAS Club welcomed, in Lisbon and Sintra, William Evenden, American citizen, owner of one of the world’s largest collections of chapas (fire marks), author of the book “German Fire Marks” and member of the U.S. and England’s fire mark collector’s clubs.

01 – 24/08/2012

The “Insurance and Banking – advertising complicity” exhibition was on display to the public at the Caixa Central Crédito Agrícola building entrance, Rua Castilho 233 A, Lisbon.

This exhibition gave evidence of the banking advertising that so often intersects with that of the insurance market.

24 – 27/09/2012

The CHAPAS Club was represented, by the president of the board, at the celebrations of the XXV anniversary of the Italian Club of Fire Mark Insurance Collectors, in Trieste – Italy.

01 – 31/01/2013

News of the CHAPAS Club’s action in the newsletter of the Argentine radio programme “Tiempo de Seguros”.

In addition to divulging the work done in Portugal, it encourages the creation of a similar movement in Argentina, for the defense of the historical heritage of insurance in the country.

This was the first step towards other contacts at the level of South American countries.

17 – 20/05/2013

The CHAPAS Club management held one of its largest International Meetings with the presence of 23 foreigners of 9 nationalities. Participants of foreign nationalities from various latitudes: Spain, Italy, Belgium, Germany, England, United States of America, Canada, Russia, and Mexico.

19/11 – 20/12/2013

Exhibition “The Centenary of A Mundial and 100 years of the Occupational Accidents Law”.

In partnership with Fidelidade, Companhia de Seguros, SA the exhibition was held that told of one of the greatest milestones in the history of insurance. A law and an insurance company born in the same year by no coincidence.

There was a time for joining the guest speakers Ruy de Carvalho (honorary president of APS-Associação Portuguesa de Seguradores) Francisco Brás de Oliveira (Director of the Workmen’s Compensation branch of Fidelidade SA) and Vítor Alegria (president of CHAPAS Club).

There were countless visitors to this exhibition.

12/03/2014

Conference “CHAPAS” – Heraldry of Insurance Companies.

At the invitation of Prof. Dr. Miguel Metelo de Seixas, took place at the Lusíada University of Lisbon, with the support of the Lusitanian Academy of Heraldry and the Lusíada Center for Genealogical, Heraldry and Historical Studies of the Lusíada University of Lisbon, the conference on the book “CHAPAS” – Heraldry of the Insurance Companies.

The guest speaker was Vítor Alegria, president of CHAPAS Club.

09 – 10/05/2014

The CHAPAS Club was represented, by its president of the board, in the celebrations of the XXX anniversary of the German Club “Deustcher-Feuer-Versicherungs-Schilder-Verein” of Fire Mark Insurance Collectors.

The commemorative session was held in the premises of the insurance company “Versicherungs Kammer Bayern”, and there was an occasion for a visit to the Allianz Insurance Museum, all in Munich.

16 – 17/06/2014

International CHAPAS Club Meeting, in Coimbra. Employees of several Portuguese insurance companies from the Centre and North of the country were present, as well as Leon Aziz, American collector of insurance sheets.

04 – 14/09/2014

Exhibition “Today would be 80 years – Grémio dos Seguradores”, whose showing dealt with the history of the insurance regulator during the Estado Novo period.

The exhibition was held in Lisbon at Espaço Arte, at the headquarters of Tranquilidade Insurance Company. This event had the support of the APS-Associação Portuguesa de Seguradores and Companhia de Seguros Tranquilidade.

On the opening day, the guest speakers were Marinho Leão (chairman of the board of Tranquilidade), José Figueiredo Almaça (chairman of the ISP) and Pedro Seixas Vale (chairman of the APS).

26 – 27/09/2014

Italian Club Collezionisti Targhe Incendio Congress.

By invitation of the Italian club, the president of the CHAPAS Club, Vítor Alegria, attended as representative of the Portuguese club.

This congress which took place in Milan, had the participation and support of Foundation Mansutti.

23/04/2015

Official inauguration of “LIVROTECA DOS SEGUROS” in Santar (Nelas), Viseu.

“The LIVROTECA DOS SEGUROS is a physical space of free and universal access, assumes as mission and objectives the promotion of education, information, dissemination and research of the Insurance Industry.”

Invitation extended by the mediator Rui Henriques, with office located in Santar, who already has more than 150 books and documents related to the insurance activity.

The inauguration and public presentation ceremony took place in the hall of the Junta de Freguesia de Santar, followed by a Dão de Honra.

The CHAPAS Club, as partner of LIVROTECA DOS SEGUROS, was represented by the president Vítor Alegria.

27 – 28/11/2015

International Meeting of CHAPAS Club in association with the exhibition “A Pátria, Sociedade Alentejana de Seguros – Today would be 100 years”.

CHAPAS Club held its annual event for the fourth consecutive year, this time in Évora, with the purpose of celebrating the centenary of the foundation of “A Pátria, Sociedade Alentejana de Seguros”, whose deed of incorporation was drawn up on 27th November 1915.

19/03 – 02/04/2016

The exhibition “A Império was born here”, expresses the history and the importance that the industrialist Alfredo da Silva had, in Barreiro, for the establishment of CUF – Companhia União Fabril, which would become the first great Portuguese industrial concentration.

03/03/2017

CHAPAS Club 6th anniversary celebration, which took place in the auditorium of the APS-Associação Portuguesa de Seguradores headquarters and had as interveners José Arez Romão, former administrator of Lusitania Insurance, José Cardoso Pinto, business manager of Edigma and Vítor Alegria, president of the CHAPAS Club.

10/08/2017

By initiative of APS-Associação Portuguesa de Seguradores, an area dedicated to the history of insurance in Portugal was created, with the EPMS-Exposição Permanente Memória do Seguro to be located on the ground floor of the APS head office, at Rua Rodrigo da Fonseca 41, in Lisbon.

On this date, the first meeting of the members that integrated the Installation Commission of the EPMS was held at the premises: Ruy de Carvalho, as president designate of the Commission, Isabel Robalo and Maria Manuel Silva in representation of the Associação Portuguesa de Seguradores, Vítor Alegria and Isabel Anjos in representation of CHAPAS-Clube História e Acervo Português da Actividade Seguradora.

25/09/2017

The CHAPAS Club Board, represented by Vítor Alegria and Isabel Anjos, signed a Collaboration Protocol with APS-Associação Portuguesa de Seguradores for the creation of the EPMS-Exposição Permanente Memória do Seguro.

04 – 06/05/2018

The international meeting of the German counterpart club “Deustscher-Feuer-Versicherungs-Schilder-Verein” was held between the 4th and 6th of May.

The president of the CHAPAS Club was there and invited as a guest speaker at this event, of insurance mark collectors.

18 – 31/05/2018

The exhibition “Memories of the 100 years of ATLAS” was inaugurated, which ran from 18 to 31 May in the atrium of the Fidelidade building, located at Rua Alexandre Herculano in Lisbon.

An exhibition dedicated to the centenary of the foundation of the Insurance Company.

02/06/2018

On 2nd June, at the request of many former employees and the CHAPAS Club Direction, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the “União” Insurance Company was celebrated, which was formally born on 15th June 1918.

This commemorative lunch, which took place at the House of Idanha-a-Nova, in Lisbon, was quite lively with the presence and participation of former employees of the company.

The CHAPAS Club presented a roll-up that summarizes the birth and most relevant memories of the “União” until its merger in 1980.

01/11/2018

CHAPAS Club has rented a flat in the Barreiro council, as a reserve space, to store and preserve their Collection.

18/11/2018

The celebrations of “100 years of O ALENTEJO” began at the Elvas Town Hall, with a formal sitting on the foundation of the Insurance Company “O Alentejo”, created on 18th November 1918. The president of CHAPAS Club, Vítor Alegria, was one of the interveners in the event.

28/11/2018

At the decision of the APS-Associação Portuguesa de Seguradores Board of Directors, the pre-inauguration of the EPMS-Exposição Permanente Memória do Seguro was held on 28th November, only with representatives of the member companies and guests of CHAPAS Club.

As guest speaker, was present historian Fernanda Rollo, who spoke about the EPMS project and the importance of insurance in the historical context.

Galamba de Oliveira from APS, Paulo Monteiro from Glorybox and Vítor Alegria from CHAPAS Club were also guests.

17/12/2018

Constitution of the EPMS Monitoring Committee, formed by the following members:

• President: Fernanda Rollo
• Members: José Galamba and Alexandra Queiroz, representing APS, Vítor Alegria, representing CHAPAS Club, José Figueiredo Almaça, representing ASF-Autoridade Supervisão de Seguros e Fundos de Pensões.

14/05/2019

Official inauguration of the EPMS-Exposição Permanente Memória do Seguro, by the Secretary of State for Tax Affairs António Mendonça Mendes.

There were speakers at the event: José Galamba de Oliveira, president of APS, Fernanda Rollo, president of the EPMS Monitoring Committee, José Figueiredo Almaça, president of ASF and Vítor Alegria, president of the CHAPAS Club Board.

08/06/2019

CHAPAS Club was present at the book release: “Palavras vividas, sentidas, sofridas”, an autobiography of colleague Armando Jorge, at Casa da Covilhã in Lisbon.

It gathered many colleagues and at the invitation of the author, CHAPAS Club was represented by the president, Vítor Alegria.

04/07/2019

The CHAPAS Club in partnership with a group of colleagues from Fidelidade and the Management of the Covilhã House held a lunch in honour of colleague and friend Humberto Azevedo.

He worked in the Fidelidade Insurance Company between April 1947 and April 1989.

To CHAPAS Club he offered many of his memories as an insurance professional, where we highlight his employee card of the company.

As a way of remembering this day, he was presented with a trophy by CHAPAS Club, which was represented by Vítor Alegria and Isabel Anjos.

09/07/2019

Starting in the 2nd half of the year, with the first visit on 9th July, CHAPAS Club organized and scheduled weekly guided visits to the EPMS-Permanent Insurance Memory Exhibition.

Regular visits were made every Tuesday from 5 to 6 p.m. and, exceptionally, on other days of the week and at lunchtime, visits were made in groups, with approximately 500 visitors at the end of the year.

The presentation and coordination of these visits was the responsibility of Vítor Alegria, Isabel Anjos, Carlos Barata, and Isabel Ramos.

06/08/2020

The CHAPAS Club staff have been organising and providing intellectual and physical treatment to the collection since 2011.

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of the EPMS-Exposição Permanente Memória do Seguro, where part of the CHAPAS Club collection was available.

The impossibility of conducting weekly guided tours, at EPMS, motivated the CHAPAS Club management and with the help of professionals, to build the website “Virtual Museum of Insurance by CHAPAS Club”, which had its launch on 6th August 2020.

In this virtual space, constantly updated, the visitor has at his disposal the CHAPAS Club collection and the material and immaterial memories of insurance in Portugal. People have not been forgotten.

See here MUSEUM

03/03/2021

On this day, we have virtually celebrated the 10 years of CHAPAS Club, our work, commitment, dedication and promotion of the history and stories of Insurance in Portugal.

We are all Congratulations!