Bulgarian Commission for Protection of Competition announced this week that it approved the fully aquisition of EXPRESS Life Insurance (former SOGELIFE Bulgaria) by the local subsidiary of French insurer GROUPAMA, after about two weeks before the transaction received the "green light" from the Bulgaria's Financial Supervision Commission.

For the first nine months of 2019, the number of Green Card policies reached 39.5 thousand units, which is 18% more than for the same period of last year, Trend reports with reference to the data provided by the Compulsory Insurance Bureau of Azerbaijan.

According to the overall CIS data, total GWP increased slightly - by 4.60% only, while paid claims, on the contrary, keep high growing pace (+22.76%). At individual level, markets' dynamics looks very uneven, although with a rather weak change in their shares in the regional portfolio.

The three markets under consideration in the SEE area - Cyprus, Greece and Turkey - have gathered together, according to the XPRIMM estimations based on the Q1 market trend for Cyprus, GWP worth EUR 7.52 billion, 1.4% down y-o-y.

Top 10 CEE insurers accounted together for about 37% of the regional GWP, both on the life and non-life sector in 1H2019. In comparison with the previous year, Top 10's contribution to the total GWP decreased by about 0.5 pp on the life side and 1 pp for non-life.

Aon plc appointed Michael MORAN as Executive Vice President of Delivering Aon United, accelerating its efforts to drive better outcomes for clients with the appointment of the senior executive.

Everest Insurance, part of Everest Re Group, announced that Michelle SIPPLE has joined the organization as Vice President and Head of Inland Marine. She will be based in Liberty Corner, New Jersey.

Georgian insurer IRAO, member of the Vienna Insurance Group, has reported GWP worth GEL 19.47 million (EUR 5.96 million) in 1H2019, 3.53% up y-o-y, a figure resulting almost entirely from the non-life insurance activity. At the end of June, the company ranked 5th, with a market share of 5.64%, ascending a position in the market hierarchy.

Georgian insurer Unison ended 2018 with GWP worth GEL 44 million (EUR 14 million), 28% more y-o-y, holding an 8% market share. NEP after Q2 2019 amounted to GEL 21 million (EUR 6,6 million), 30% more y-o-y.

On October 23, 2019, the PZU's Supervisory Board adopted a resolution regarding the appointment of Aleksandra AGATOWSKA to the Management Board, giving her the function of Member of the Management Board of PZU SA.

Swiss Re's current Reinsurance Chief Operating Officer (COO), Kaspar MUELLER, will join Latin America business in his new role as President, effective November 1^st, 2019, ReinsuranceNe.ws reports.

Munich Reinsurance America, Inc. has appointed Juan HERRERA as its first full-time Head of Diversity & Inclusion. HERRERA reports to Brian VISCUSI, U.S. Regional Head of Human Resources, and is based in Princeton, New Jersey.

Reuters reported that French insurer AXA is considering selling its Central European business "as part of a restructuring to quit markets where it lacks scale, three sources familiar with the situation said".

Bosnian branch of GRAWE, the life insurance sector leader from Bosnia and Herzegovina, will take over the life portfolio of DUNAV Osiguranje Banja Luka, the Bosnian subsidiary of Serbian market leader, CAPITAL.ba reports.

The law for the separation of functions of the National Commission for Financial Services Market (regulator) between the National Bank and the National Commission for Securities and Stock Market, was signed on October 16, as Forinsurer reports with reference to the official website of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

The National Bank of Kazakhstan published three advisory measures as a supervisory response, after the analysis of violations of the rights and interests of financial services consumers, committed by insurance companies in the first three quarters of 2019, Allinsurance.kz reports.

Fitch Ratings has affirmed and removed Sirius International Group, Ltd.'s ratings from Rating Watch Negative, including its 'BBB' Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR), 'BBB-' senior debt rating and 'A-' (Strong) Insurer Financial Strength (IFS) rating of Sirius's operating subsidiaries. The Rating Outlook for all ratings is Stable.

Turkish authorities opened the way for the setting up the SDDK - the new independent Insurance Regulation and Supervision Authority, by publishing the Presidential Decree in the Official Gazette. The SDDK is part of Turkey's "New Economy Programme Structural Transformation Steps 2019" announced in April 2019, that promises structural reforms for the financial sector.

GENERALI CEE Holding announced it will expand on Croatian insurance market by acquiring the business of local non-life insurer IZVOR osiguranje: "The transaction will be finalized after receiving the approval of the relevant supervisory and competition authorities and is aimed to further consolidate GENERALI's position on the Croatian market".

The financial recovery procedure, introduced in July 2019, of Moldova-Astrovaz SA and Klassika Asigurari SA continues, Capital.market reports with reference to the National Financial Market Commission (CNPF) press service.