Tracing its origins back to burial funds, which provided modest amounts of money for the Dutch to arrange decent funerals for their loved ones, Dutch insurer Aegon had its own brush with death during the financial crisis.

As losses on financial investments dented its capital base, Aegon's share priced crashed more than 70% over the first 10 months of 2008, leading to a €3bn capital injection from the Dutch state in October 2008. Less than three years later, the firm is set to repay the entire amount it received in state aid.