Business overview  Results of operations – France 80 Overview of France Aegon is present in the French insurance market, the second largest in Europe,  through a partnership agreement with AG2R La Mondiale. Overview of sales and distribution channels Market position History In 2002, Aegon began a partnership with mutual insurer  La Mondiale through the acquisition of a 20% interest in  La Mondiale Participations, La Mondiale’s subsidiary company.  La Mondiale Participations offers a wide range of life insurance,  pensions, savings, investment and asset management services  to corporate and individual retail customers through three  subsidiaries, Arial Assurance, La Mondiale Partenaire and  La Mondiale Europartenaire. In 2004, Aegon increased its stake  in La Mondiale Participations from 20% to 35%. In 2005, the  Aegon Pension Network was launched in collaboration with  La Mondiale. In July 2007, La Mondiale and fellow insurer AG2R  announced a merger. The merger, which has not affected Aegon’s  partnership with La Mondiale, created a significant insurer in  France serving some 8 million customers (including retirees). The  new group became operational at the start of 2008. In 2009,  La Mondiale Partenaire started to distribute "Terre d’Avenir",  Aegon’s variable annuities product. In 2012, AG2R La Mondiale is ranked tenth by premiums in the  life insurance sector and first by premiums in corporate pensions.  The Association of Insurers of Luxembourg ranked La Mondiale  Europartenaire fourth by premiums in 2013 with a 9% market  share. Arial Assurance specializes in collective pensions for large  corporates. La Mondiale Partenaire focuses on high-net-worth  individuals in France. La Mondiale Europartenaire serves  high-net-worth individuals in Luxembourg. Arial Assurance  distributes its corporate solutions through agents and brokers,  while La Mondiale Partenaire and La Mondiale Europartenaire  distribute their individual solutions predominantly through banks  and independent financial advisers. Annual Report 2013