Between January-June 2020, the insurance market of Romania totaled RON 5.6 billion (~EUR 1.2 billion) in gross written premiums (GWP), 3.5% more in local currency (+1.2% in EUR) when compared to the same period of prior year. The overall claims paid went up to RON 3.3 billion (down to EUR 691 million), 1.5% more in local currency (-0.8% in EUR).

Half-year market figures from the Bulgarian Financial Supervision Commission (FSC) show that local insurers ended the first semester with a 2% y-o-y decrease in GWP to BGN 1.44 billion (EUR 740 million), while aggregate value of net profit increased by 47.79% y-o-y, to BGN 150.84 million (~ EUR 77.12 million).

According to the data for 1H2020, published by the National Bank of Ukraine, the market decreased by 23% y-o-y, to UAH 21 billion (EUR 701.43 million). At the same time, the downtrend was observed only in the non-life sector, while life insurance recorded an increase of almost 10%.

As of October 1, Robert VRCA has taken over the position of Chairman of the Board and CEO of the Croatian subsidiary of the Austrian Merkur Versicherung AG. He is a member of the Board since July 2017.

On September 28, the Supervisory Board of Sava Non-Life Insurance Belgrade appointed Mirjana BOGICEVIC as President of the Executive Board, the company announced.

The Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) decided on October 2, 2020 to appoint Beata KOZLOWSKA-CHYLA for the position of President of the Management Board of PZU SA, a position that she held on interim basis since the resignation of Pawel SUROWKA.

On 1 October, the Management Boards of Generali osiguranje, company registered in Croatia, and Generali zavarovalnica dd, Zagreb Insurance Branch (formerly Adriatic Slovenica Zavarovalna druzba dd, Zagreb Branch) signed the Minutes on the conclusion of the transaction that will reunite under one roof all the Croatian business of the Italian group.

Preserving the market achievements, remaining close to the customers and employees and keeping an open path for the future growth are top priorities for the Georgian insurance market in dealing with the Covid crisis, as the XPRIMM TIME FOR BUSINESS show's guest have revealed yesterday.

Insurance Europe has published an insight briefing on the Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD). During the two years since the IDD came into force on 1 October 2018, insurers have fully embraced this new legal framework, which provides significant benefits for both consumers and insurers.

Massimiliano Ottochian has been appointed Group Head of Mergers & Acquisitions at Generali, reporting directly to the General Manager, Frederic de Courtois.

90% of Romanians believe that climate change is a real fact, according to the latest sociological research conducted by UNSAR in partnership with IRES. The percentage is similar to the one that emerges from the analysis made in the previous year, a sign that Romanians continue to be concerned about the reality of climate change.

The value of the total assets under management, at the level of the entire Romanian private pensions system, has reached the amount of RON 68.57 billion, at the date of 30.06.2020, exceeding in European currency equivalent the value of EUR 14 billion, increasing by 6.31%, as compared to December, 2019.

According to the data of the Latvian Motor Insurers' Bureau (LTAB), the recalculation of the annual insurance risk assessment of Bonus-Malus system (B/M) classes, which takes place every year on September 15, this year the BM class has increased for 348,226 vehicles, decreased for 197,540 vehicles and remained the same for 550,662 vehicles.

The Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Kosovo (CBK) for Financial Supervision, Sokol Havolli and the Chairman of the Kosovo Competition Authority (KCA) , Valon Prestreshi presented to the media the measures taken regarding the new model that will be applied with the cost of compulsory insurance.

Polish insurers ended the first half of 2020 with a 6.7% y-o-y decline of the GWP volume, to EUR 7.05 billion. In absolute terms, this means an about EUR 512 million drop in the market premiums turnover, almost equally divided between the life and non-life segments. Yet, given the about 5% depreciation of the Polish currency against Euro, the market results denominated in local currency look much better, showing just a 2% depreciation of the GWP volume.

According to the half-year market figures published by the Central Bank of Hungary - MNB, the insurance sector's 1H2020 premium income amounted to HUF 613 billion (~EUR 1.72 billion), rising in local currency by 3.65% y-o-y. Life insurance H1 2020 premium income increased by about 0.59% to HUF 259.4 billion, while non-life segment expanded by more than 6pp to HUF 353.69 billion. About 42.31% of premium income originated from the life insurance business and 57.69% from the non-life insurance business.

According to the estimation of Russian constituent entities, the damage to agricultural producers from natural disasters at the moment is about RUB 7.5 billion (EUR 80.62 million*), of which the amount of insured property interests is only RUB 555 million, the Minister of Agriculture Dmitry PATRUSHEV said on September 30.

In 1H2020, total income of insurers in Kyrgyzstan amounted to KGS 593.5 million (~EUR 6.94 million*), which is 6.9% less y-o-y, according to the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The Board of Supervisors of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has decided to extend the term of Fausto Parente, the current Executive Director of EIOPA, for another five years.

The products of SBERBANK Insurance and SBERBANK Life insurance have been combined to operate under SberStrakhovanie brand.