The CEE insurance market saw a 3.6% y-o-y increase in GWP at regional level, to EUR 28.68 billion. A similar increase (3.8%) was witnessed on the paid claims side, insurers paying compensations and indemnities in a total amount of EUR 17.25 billion.

Total investments directed to InsurTech platforms reached USD 6.37 billion in 2019, according to the new Quarterly InsurTech Briefing from Willis Towers Watson. This value represents 33.9% of the historical total, following a record-breaking USD 1.99 billion of investment in 75 projects during the last quarter of 2019 alone.

Based on the 3Q2019 results, last year was a successful one for Hungarian insurance companies, the 11% y-o-y increase in GWP justifying optimistic expectations for the year-end result. "Premium income of the sector is expected to exceed HUF 1,100 billion (~EUR 3.3 billion) by the end of the year," said Mihaly ERDOS, vice president of the Hungarian Insurance Association (MABISZ).

AXA announced the appointment of Matthieu Andre, currently Deputy CEO and Chief Strategic Development Officer of AXA Europe, as CEO of Architas Holding. This appointment will be effective March 1, 2020, and subject to any required regulatory approval.

The human cost of disasters is not just measured in the deaths and injuries that they cause, but also in terms of their lasting economic impact on survivors and countries. Natural disasters don't just destroy homes, factories, shops, and fields; they can altogether annihilate years of economic growth, which is essential for developing economies.

Digital transformation empowers consumers to be more informed and independent than ever before, and equips insurers with the tools to cater to customers' current and future needs. This leads to the development of new data-driven business models, impacting the entire insurance value chain, the latest Swiss Re sigma publication says.

Establishing a national disaster insurance scheme is one of the main features of the UNDP's NAP for Bosnia & Herzegovina. Improving BiH's preparedness for dealing with Nat Cat events is instrumental considering the expected increase in flood losses and the very low current insurance coverage.

Starting January 6^th, 2020, Alina OSOIANU returns to the position of Executive Director of Moldovan Motor Insurers Bureau (BNAA). It will be the second time when she holds this position inside BNAA, after she lead the institution between 2015-2018.

In 2019, ALSKOM insurance company concluded around 285 thousand of insurance contracts while generating GWP worth of over UZS 50 billion (~EUR 4.7 million), company's preliminary results show, published on its website.

According to the Motor (Transport) Insurance Bureau of Ukraine (MTIBU), total number of e-MTPL policies in 2019 exceeded 1.2 million units, while the GWP under electronic contracts amounted to about UAH 929.7 million (~EUR 35.18 million), Forinsurer reports.

On January 22, 2020, Yanko NIKOLOV was appointed as a Chairman of the Managing Board of EUROINS Ukraine.

The National Bank of Ukraine created two new departments - on methodology for regulating activities of non-banking financial institutions and on insurance market supervision, Forinsurer reports with reference to Interfax-Ukraine.

At the end of 2019, Russian MTPL GWP decreased by 3.4% y-o-y to RUB 220.2 billion (~EUR 3.17 billion), while paid claims, on the contrary, grew by 5.6%, to RUB 150.1 billion (~EUR 2.16 billion), as preliminary data of the Russian Association of Motor Insurers (RAMI) show, ASN reports.

As the preliminary data of the National Association of Agriculture Insurers (NAAI) show, the agroinsurance market at the end of 2019 amounted to RUB 5.3 billion (~EUR 76.4 million), as ASN reports.

Starting January 1, 2020, income tax amount was reduced and will reach soon 20%. Considering new income tax rates and increased minimum wage amount, citizens of the country will be able to receive extra AMD 1.5 billion (~EUR 2.84 million) monthly, ArmInfo reports.

Everest Re Group has announced that Artur KLINGER will join the Everest Reinsurance Division ("Everest Re") during mid-to-late 2020 as Managing Director of Continental Europe, succeeding Stephan KNIPPER who will retire after 33 years in the industry.

On January 27, 2020, CCR Re has announced the appointment of Bertrand PETRAS as Vice President of the company.

Insured losses from major natural catastrophes in 2019 totaled roughly USD 53.0 billion, about 18% lower than the annual average since 2011. This continues a relative period of calm compared to 2017, when the total loss reached a peak of USD 143 billion, according to the Summary of Natural Catastrophe Events 2019, published by WILLIS Re, the reinsurance division of broking company WILLIS TOWERS WATSON.

ALLIANZ Global Corporate & Specialty SE (AGCS), the corporate insurance carrier of ALLIANZ Group, appoints Henning HAAGEN as Chief Underwriting Officer Specialty and member of the Board of Management, subject to regulatory approval. Effective March 1, 2020, HAAGEN will succeed Paul O'Neill, who left AGCS in September 2019.

LLOYD's announced the appointment of Angela CRAWFORD-INGLE as a new Board member who succeeds Richard KEERS as Chair of the Audit Committee, effective immediately.