24.04.2006 |
- Premium volume written rose by 25.2% to EUR 4.7 billion
- Growth in premiums outside Austria up 91.9% / foreign share increased by 28.4%
- Pre-tax result at EUR 190.3 million due to the EUR 70 million increase
- Positive contribution to earnings from all countries / foreign share of profit on ordinary activities 32.7%
- Dividend up to 26 cents / Equity rose 31.8% to EUR 1,133.7 million
- Life insurance was the growth engine with a growth in premiums of 41.7%
- Growth continues both domestically and abroad in the first quarter of 2006/ foreign share increased to 30.9%
With an increase in premium volume written of 25.2% to EUR 4,730.4 million, UNIQA Group Austria again managed a clear jump in growth this past year. Included in this are the savings portions of the unit- and index-linked life insurance products amounting to EUR 360.2 million (+102.2%). During the last three years the UNIQA Group's premium volume thus increased by EUR 2,043.3 million (76.0%) due to organic growth and acquisitions in Western and Eastern Europe.
The Austrian companies in the UNIQA Group increased their premiums written in 2005 by 10.0%, contributing a volume of EUR 3,385.6 million to Group premiums. Premiums written in the companies outside of Austria increased at the same time by 91.9% to EUR 1,344.8 million. Since 2002,premiums generated by the UNIQA Groups outside of Austria have thus risen by 338.1% or EUR 1,037.8 million - increasing their contribution to total Group premiums by 11.4% to 28.4%. The latest acquisitions in Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine have not yet been included in these figures - in accordance with the consolidation regulations. The numbers for Mannheimer Krankenversicherung and Raiffeisen Osiguranje (Bosnia and Herzegovina) were each included as of the final three quarters of 2005.
UNIQA paid out a total of EUR 2,585.5 million in 2005 for benefits and claims. This corresponds to an increase of 13.5% compared to 2004.
The consistent and successful implementation of programmes for increasing earnings also made it possible to continue to exponentially develop the profitability of the UNIQA Group in this offensive growth phase as well.
With an increase of 30.9%, net profit for the year is at EUR 133.3 million. As a result, profit per share climbed 27% from 74 cents (pre-tax: 92 cents) to 94 cents (pre-tax: EUR 1.44/ +56.5%). After 15.0% in the previous year gross ROE according to IFRS also reached a new peak of 19.7%. At the same time equity could be increased by EUR 273.5 million (31.8%) and, at EUR 1,133.7 million, is EUR 525.1 million higher than in 2002.
In the property and casualty insurance segment UNIQA was able to increase premiums by 16.8% to EUR 1,933.6 million. Premium volume in Austria was up 5.9% to EUR 1,193.3 million. In the other markets in Western and Eastern Europe the companies in the UNIQA Group earned premiums totalling EUR 740.2 million - 39.9% more than in the previous year - increasing their share of total premiums in this segment from 32.0% to 38.3%.
In health insurance, premium volume written was up in 2005 by a total of 13.5% to EUR 845.4 million. In Austria - where UNIQA is the unchallenged market leader with a 50% share of the market - premiums rose 3.0% to EUR 693.9 million. The companies outside of Austria wrote a total of EUR 151.5 million in premiums. The 112.9% rise is due mainly to the first-time inclusion of Mannheimer Kranenversicherung. The foreign companies' share in premiums rose as a result from 9.6% to 17.9%.
The exponential growth that continues to take place in the markets in Western, Eastern and South- Eastern Europe of 24.2% (EUR 76.6 million) to EUR 392.8 million results in a 30.9% increase in the portion of foreign premiums. Premiums of the Austrian companies in the UNIQA Group amount to EUR 878.1 million and are thus 8.4% or EUR 68.2 million above last year's figures.
For the total 2006 financial year UNIQA is expecting the profit on ordinary activities, in light of the continued increased earnings programme, to be about 20% higher, or approximately EUR 228 million.
Vienna, 24. April 2006