Top level what?!
protectingwhatmatters.vig doesn't exist yet, but it could exist if we decided to – because we have our own brand top level domain (TLD) and are also using it with "group.vig" for our new website. But what does this term actually mean and what does it mean in particular for a brand like VIG?
For around 10 years now, there have also been so-called "new top level domains" in addition to the more common endings such as ".at" and ".com", including our very own brand TLD ".vig" with which we can assign customised addresses for our VIG websites.
However, the fact that we have this unique and unambiguous ending is not a coincidence but is thanks to particularly foresighted colleagues. To put the whole thing into a meaningful context, here are a few facts and figures:
There are less than 2000 new top level domains. Out of these, only 664 brand TLDs were applied for, one of which was ".vig". When ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, opened up the possibility of registering TLDs according to strict specifications in 2013, no one could have guessed that this would remain the only option to date. A new registration window is not due to open again until April 2026, but this does not include the time it will take before these endings actually can be used.
While it is common practice for insurance companies to look into the future in order to safeguard the present, in this case it was worthwhile to have shown foresight to an unforeseeable extent. VIG has seized the opportunity presented to it and thus laid a valuable foundation stone for its presence on the Internet. It is also an advantage that our Group can be represented in the TLD with just three letters. Having our own TLD has several advantages:
Probably the most important factor is security, both for our company itself and our stakeholders. Because if you are on a page that ends with ".vig", you can be sure that it really is an official VIG page.
You can also use your own brand TLD to create short, meaningful and therefore easy-to-remember URLs for specific purposes or campaigns. The websites of the VIG annual report in German or English can be accessed via geschaeftsbericht.vig or annual-report.vig. The same applies here: Our TLD ".vig" gives users the assurance that they are on a trustworthy site. In addition, the address is easy to remember, you know immediately what it is about and the name of the company is also included.
Another advantage is that these domains are comparatively cheap and there is no risk that they could already be taken or have to be bought at a high price. Cybersquatting, i.e. the unlawful registration of domains by third parties, is therefore not something we have to fear.
In addition, we also use the shared TLD for our internal company intranet and can therefore utilise all of the aforementioned advantages for our employees.
In conclusion, it can be said that ".vig" was a sustainably good decision that has paid off.