What are the world's most despised professions? Most people would probably say politics, journalism, banking and the legal profession - not necessarily in that order. But Henri de Castries, the Axa chief executive, believes his own insurance business probably also ranks pretty high on this popular black list. So much so that he has decided to launch a major crusade to try to revive what he readily admits is the dismal image of the insurance industry.

The head of the giant French insurer is quite candid. "When people take out an insurance policy they often feel like a tax payer paying for a compulsory service. And when they make a claim for compensation they tend to feel they are being treated as crooks by the insurance company," he says. This is not only bad for the general image of the industry but is also becoming a significant obstacle to his company's continuing progress and development.