VIENNA INSURANCE GROUP IN THE 1ST QUARTER 2013

“Thanks to another increase in profit before taxes – by 5.2 percent to a total of EUR 159.4 million – Vienna Insurance Group posts the best result for a first quarter in its corporate history. We have succeeded in further improving our Group’s profitability, which has already been on a high level,  despite difficult market conditions“, Peter Hagen, Chairman of the Managing Board and CEO of Vienna Insurance Group, highlighted the result for the 1^st quarter of 2013. “The economic environment and the insurance market remain challenging. This fact is reflected in the diverse development of premiums in the individual markets. Although no uniform trend can be observed in the CEE region, this economic area continues to offer great potentials.“

Best 1^st quarter in the corporate history
In the 1^st quarter of 2013 Vienna Insurance Group earned consolidated premiums written of EUR 2.7 billion. This 1.5-percent decrease is mainly due to the fact that the short-term single premium business in Poland has been downsized according to plan. Excluding special effects and adjusted for currency fluctuations, Vienna Insurance Group achieved a growth of about 1.4 percent.

Premiums in the property/casualty insurance segment amounted EUR 1.5 billion. The Group reported premiums of EUR 1.1 billion in life insurance with regular premiums growing by 2.7 percent. Premiums in the health insurance segment went up by 2.9 percent, totalling EUR 100.7 million.

The Group profit (before taxes) increased by 5.2 percent to EUR 159.4 million. The share of the CEE countries in the Group profit (before taxes) rose by 15.6 percent to a total of 51.5 percent.
 
The combined ratio of the Group (after reinsurance and excluding investment gains) stood at 96.9 percent.

The financial result of the Group totalled EUR 270.2 million in the 1^st quarter of 2013. As of 31 March 2013 the investments of the Group – including cash and cash equivalents – amounted to EUR 29.6 billion.


Highlights from the markets of Vienna Insurance Group

Austria – increase in premiums ensures VIG market leadership
The Austrian Group companies clearly maintained their market leadership thanks to an increase in premiums by 1.1 percent to a total of EUR 1.4 billion in the 1^st quarter of 2013. In the life insurance segment the Group reported a plus by 1.9 percent to EUR 564.8 million. In the property/casualty insurance segment premiums climbed to EUR 728.2 million. With premiums totalling EUR 91.6 million, the Group achieved a growth of 2.7 percent in the health insurance segment. Profit (before taxes) was EUR 64.2 million. The combined ratio amounted to 96.9 percent.

Czech Republic – stable development as a market leader
Currency effects (on a euro basis) led to a decline in premiums to EUR 475.9 million. Adjusted for exchange rate effects, the Czech Group companies of Vienna Insurance Group achieved a growth of 0.4 percent. Increasing by 2.4 percent, premiums written in the life insurance segment rose to EUR 211.7 million.

In the 1^st quarter of 2013 profit (before taxes) grew significantly by 8.0 percent to EUR 47.2 million. The combined ratio dropped to an excellent level of 90.9 percent. Holding a market share of 32.3 percent, Vienna Insurance Group with its Group companies is the number one in the Czech insurance market. Kooperativa was once more awarded the title “Insurer of the Year”.

Slovakia – strong growth in the life insurance segment
With a total growth in premiums by 5.5 percent to EUR 204.0 million, Vienna Insurance Group reaffirmed its position as the number one in the Slovak insurance market. In the non-life insurance segment premiums amounted to EUR 105.0 million. Premiums in life insurance increased sharply by 13.8 percent to EUR 99.1 million. Sales and distribution through Slovenská sporiteľňa, the local subsidiary of Erste Group, developed in a highly successful way. Profit (before taxes) amounted to EUR 9.3 million. The combined ratio improved by 2.9 percentage points to 95.5 percent.

Poland – profit continues to increase
In Poland the Vienna Insurance Group companies reported once more a double-digit increase in profit (before taxes) by 21.6 percent to a total of EUR 15.3 million. With this successful result, the very favourable development of the previous year has been continued seamlessly. The total volume of premiums earned amounted to EUR 268.8 million. In the life insurance segment the short-term single-premium business was downsized as planned, resulting in a drop of premium volume to EUR 115.4 million. In the non-life insurance segment the Group earned premiums of EUR 153.4 million. The combined ratio decreased to an excellent level of 96.1 percent.
 
Romania – ongoing restructuring
Despite the challenging market environment in Romania, Vienna Insurance Group has succeeded in maintaining its position as the number one insurer. The motor own-damage insurance business has been under the impact of the downturn in the markets for new cars and car leasing. In general, the motor vehicle sector is still facing fierce competitive pressure. Vienna Insurance Group continues to pursue its strategy of a risk- and income-oriented pricing policy to restructure its portfolio. The premiums earned by Vienna Insurance Group totalled EUR 101.2 million in the 1^st quarter of 2013. EUR 78.3 million were attributable to the non-life insurance segment, while premiums in life insurance amounted to EUR 23.0 million.

Remaining markets – significant growth
As premiums grew by 10.1 percent to a total of EUR 260.2 million, the favourable trend in the segment “remaining markets” continued. A double-digit increase of premiums by 13.7 percent to EUR 174.5 million was reported in the non-life insurance segment thanks to a strong development in countries such as Hungary, Croatia, Albania, Serbia and Georgia. Increasing by 3.4 percent, premiums in the life sector amounted to EUR 85.7 million. Profit (before taxes) rose very significantly – from EUR 7.8 million to EUR 10.6 million. The combined ratio decreased to 95.3 percent.