Czech Republic
VIG increases profit but posts fall in premium in Q1
Vienna Insurance Group increased profit before taxes by 5.2% to €159.4m in the first quarter of 2013.
Top 5 European news stories
The top five stories from www.insuranceinsight.com over the past seven days.
Forty injured after blast in Czech capital
At least forty people were injured, and many more trapped, after an explosion in the Czech capital, Prague, on Monday morning.
VIG posts record profit for second year running
Vienna Insurance Group posted a 5.1% increase in profit before taxes to €587.4m in 2012, the highest profit in the company's history.
European M&A opportunities
A range of dynamics influenced mergers and acquisition activity across the CEE in 2012 but as Leonid Zubarev explains the CEE region remains attractive to investors.
Generali bolstered by P&C growth in Germany and CEE countires
Generali has reported an increase in premiums to € 70bn (+3.2%) with a 3.3% growth in property & casualty to €22.8bn.
Europe’s hidden gems
Insurers branching out in Asia and other far reaches seem to be grabbing the headlines of late but as Francesca Nyman explains, there are still plenty of opportunities for insurers closer to home.
Indirect tax changes to hit European insurers in 2013
Insurers should brace themselves for an unprecedented level of indirect tax changes in Europe in 2013, intensifying the challenge of maintaining tax compliance.
Vienna Insurance profits up 7% in first nine months
Vienna Insurance Group has posted a 7% increase in group profit before taxes to €443.2m, in the first three quarters, driven by strong growth in Central and Eastern Europe.
JLT Re makes additions to CEE team
JLT Re has expanded its team serving Central and Eastern Europe with the addition of Sergey Grazhdankin and Edmond Wodehouse as partners.
XL adds seven new hires to continental casualty team
XL has added seven underwriters to its casualty team to meet the growing demand for liability solutions throughout Europe.
13% growth in CEE helps VIG Group profit grow 7%
The Vienna Insurance Group has posted a 7% increase in profit for the first half of 2012 compared to 2011, helped by a 13% growth in profit from Central and Eastern Europe.
Aviva offloads east European life insurance units
British insurer Aviva has agreed to sell its east European life insurance businesses to US rival Metlife.
Analysis: Major events in the Russian insurance market in Q2 2012
Highlights for the Russian insurance market for Q2 include a number of important personnel reshuffles, several companies being sold and problems with a high roller. Paul Koshik reports.
A mutual future?
Regulations like Solvency II will have a significant impact on mutuals across Europe. Francesca Nyman asks whether the model will survive.
RSA pulls plug on direct motor venture in Czech Republic
RSA is quiting the direct motor insurance business in the Czech Republic.
Geyer steps down as Vienna Insurance president
Günter Geyer is resigning after 11 years as chief executive of Vienna Insurance Group, having presided over the most profitable period in the group's history.
Q&A: Vienna Insurance Group CEO Gunter Geyer
While the economic turmoil of the Eurozone crisis and heavy catastrophe losses eroded the bottom line of many European insurers in 2011, Vienna Insurance Group enjoyed the most profitable year in the group’s history, and avoided having its A+ credit…
Q&A: Frank Weinreich, Liberty Syndicates
Frank Weinreich, regional manager for reinsurance for Central and Eastern Europe at Liberty Syndicates, pictured, spoke to Stephanie Denton with a reinsurance point of view on trends in CEE, claims levels and the future of brokers in the region.
Vienna Insurance increases dividend after €559m record profit
Vienna Insurance Group's increased its profit by 10.1% to €559m, making 2011 the most profitable year in the group's history.
Bancassurance in CEE: opportunities for growth
Some view Central and Eastern Europe as behind Western Europe, but bancassurance could help to change this. Thomas Schöllkopf takes a look at the motives and opportunities for growth offered by this alternative sales channel.
How will the ECJ gender ruling impact European insurers?
As the national press continues to probe the impact of the European Court of Justice’s gender ruling on the European consumer, Francesca Nyman asks if European insurers can comply and still retain their competitive edge.
Insurance fraud increases seven-fold in the Czech Republic
Insurance fraud is seven times higher in the Czech Republic than before the economic crisis according to internal figures from Generali.
Vienna Group’s Kooperativa is best Czech financial services company
Vienna Insurance Group’s Czech subsidiary Kooperativa, was ranked the fourth best Czech businesses in the country's recently announced "Top 100” rankings.