German insurer TALANX "exceeded its profit forecast significantly", reporting FY2016 net income of EUR 907 million, EUR 174 million more than previous year when it totaled EUR 734 million.

Non-life insurer Baltikums VIG has been renamed to InterRisk VIG, reads an article published by The Baltic Course. The company has already experienced a partial change of name in December 2015, when it added the VIG "suffix" following its acquisition by the Austrian group. The visual rebranding will start in April.

HANNOVER Re has reached an agreement to acquire the UK holding company ARGENTA Holdings plc, which owns the companies ARGENTA Syndicate Management and ARGENTA Private Capital as well as a pro rata share of the Lloyd's syndicate ARGENTA Syndicate 2121. The parties have agreed to maintain confidentiality regarding the purchase price.

CHUBB Limited announced that John THOMPSON has been appointed Division President, International Accident & Health (A&H). Currently, John THOMPSON is Chief Underwriting Officer, Personal Insurance for CHUBB Overseas General, the company's international general insurance business. This position is taken by Soledad MUNE, as CHUBB announced. Both appointments are effective immediately.

Vienna Insurance Group (VIG) expects all-around positive results based on the preliminary figures for 2016. "We have achieved all our major targets for 2016. This sends a clear signal of the stability we feel is important to be a reliable partner in times of dynamic change," emphasised today Elisabeth STADLER, CEO of Vienna Insurance Group at a press conference in Vienna.

French insurer GROUPAMA reported a EUR 46 million decrease in its 2016 net profit, to EUR 322 million (EUR 368 million in 2015), a EUR 10 million decrease in its economic operating income (to EUR 153 million), a non-life combined ratio of 100.3% (vs. 99.2% as at 31 December 2015) and stable premium income of EUR 13.57 billion (+0.1% y-o-y).

SAVA Re has announced today the repaiment of the first transche of EUR 12 million of the subordinated debt contracted in 2006 and 2007, to finance the Group's expansion the markets of the former Yugoslavia and to improve its capital adequacy position in accordance with the then applicable insurance laws and the Standard & Poor's model.

HANNOVER Re has reached an agreement to acquire the UK holding company ARGENTA Holdings plc ("Argenta"), which owns the companies ARGENTA Syndicate Management and ARGENTA Private Capital, as well as a pro rata share of the Lloyd's syndicate ARGENTA Syndicate 2121. The parties have agreed to maintain confidentiality regarding the purchase price.

PZU Group has ended 2016 with GWP of PLN 20,219 million, 10.1% up y-o-y. The largest sales growth rate was recorded in motor insurance, which reported 34.4% y-o-y growth to PLN 7,050 million. At the same time, the administrative expense ratio (for the Group's Polish insurance companies) edged down by 0.7 p.p. y-o-y to 8.1%.The Group has also successfully expanded its insurance market share and strengthened its position in the banking sector.

The Slovenian SAVA Re Group closed the year 2016 with a profit before tax of EUR 40.7 million, an 1.4% y-o-y improvement, mainly due to the underwriting result of international reinsurance business. The after-tax profit was EUR 32.9 million, which is 1.3% below the y-o-y figure because of tax effects. The Group also reached a major goal by merging all its EU-based insurers.

The Munich Re's Supervisory Board recommended Renata JUNGO BRUNGGER (55) to be elected by the Annual General Meeting as successor to Wolfgang MAYRHUBER (69), who resigned his position on the Supervisory Board with effect from the end of 2016.

"For the financial year 2017, MUNICH Re is aiming for a profit in the range of EUR 2.0-2.4 billion in what is set to be a challenging environment," Chairman of the Board of Management, Nikolaus von BOMHARD said on the group's outlook for 2017.

The Italian insurer GENERALI announced it closed the year 2016 with an operating result of EUR 4.83 billion, up by 0.9% y-o-y, while the net profit increased by 2.5% y-o-y to EUR 2.08 billion. At the same time, the dividend per share to be proposed at the next Shareholders' Meeting is EUR 0.80, up by 11.1%. The total dividend relating to shares outstanding amounts to EUR 1.24 billion, thus the payout ratio increased from 55.3% in 2015 to 60%.

Swiss Re's Board of Directors proposed Walter B. KIELHOLZ to be re-elected to the Board of Directors and in the same vote be re-elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors for a one-year term of office until the completion of the AGM in 2018. The Board's proposal is in line with the Articles of Association provisions wich provide for an annual individual election of members of the Board of Directors and of the Chairman of the Board of Directors by the AGM.

Swiss Re's 2016 Annual Report - "For a resilient future" -, consisting of the Business Report and the Financial Report, including audited financial statements for 2016 was published, showing a continued solid underwriting performance and profitability.

"Aviva's results are simple and clear cut: more operating profit, more capital, more cash, more dividend. And there is more to come. Aviva's financial position has been transformed and a distinctly stronger balance sheet and excess capital give Aviva more options. We are now actively planning a capital return to our shareholders and debt reduction in 2017 and will invest further to grow our businesses", said Mark Wilson, Group Chief Executive Officer.

"Achmea closed 2016 with a net loss of €382 million, primarily as a result of extraordinary expenses. The result was influenced by events such as the severe hail storms in June last year, which caused in excess of €300 million damage and affected more than 30,000 of our customers. The use of the Health result to limit the increase in premiums also lowered the result. Looking to the future, we have raised the provisions for personal injury claims and have formed a restructuring provision in connection with further changes to our organisation. Finally, there has been an impairment of goodwill of our Turkish insurance operations. Although it is disappointing to end the year with a loss, over the next few years we expect to benefit from the improvements implemented in recent years", said Willem van Duin, Chairman of Achmea's Executive Board.

With Group net income of EUR 1.17 billion HANNOVER Re has comfortably surpassed its target for the 2016 financial year. "Another strong underwriting result in property and casualty reinsurance combined with pleasing investment income laid the foundation", Chief Executive Officer Ulrich Wallin noted. In addition, the tax rate for 2016 decreased to a normalised level.

According to unaudited data, the TRIGLAV Group generated a profit before tax of EUR 95 million (planned at between EUR 80 million and EUR 90 million) and achieved an 11.4% return on equity in the reporting period. The business results above the planned target level were primarily the result of a very successful performance in the insurance business, whereas the unfavourable situation in financial markets had a negative impact, a Group's press release reads.

U.S. insurer AIG said this week that although it will keep its main European headquarters in London, it also plans to a European Union hub in Luxembourg following Britain's decision to leave the bloc, report Reuters.