American International Group, Inc. (NYSE:AIG) today reported net income attributable to AIG of USD 1.6 billion for the quarter ended March 31, 2014, compared to USD 2.2 billion for the first quarter of 2013. After-tax operating income attributable to AIG was USD 1.8 billion for the first quarter of 2014, compared to USD 2.0 billion for the prior-year quarter.

MetLife reported operating earnings of USD 1.6 billion, down 4 percent over the first quarter of 2013. On a per share basis, operating earnings were USD 1.37, down 7 percent over the prior year quarter. Operating earnings in the Americas grew 3 percent. Operating earnings in Asia decreased 2 percent on a reported basis but increased 8 percent on a constant currency basis. Operating earnings in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) increased 1 percent on a reported basis and 2 percent on a constant currency basis. Offsetting these results were larger losses in Corporate & Other.

The Bulgarian insurance group EUROINS (EIG) - member of EUROHOLD, reported for the first quarter 2014 an 11% decline of gross written premiums (GWP) to EUR 36.4 million, according to preliminary data published by the group. At the same time, the automotive division - AVTO UNION, registered above 121% growth with 980 sales of new PC and LCV compared to 443 units for the same period in 2013.

The Prague-based reinsurer VIG Re, reported for the financial year 2013 a EUR 58 million y-o-y decline in premiums written, while in profit-loss account, the company posted a EUR 18.4 million pre-tax profit compared to EUR 24.3 million in 2012.

On April 17th, the Polish Group PZU has closed an agreement with RSA regarding the acquisition of RSA' s insurance companies in Poland and the Baltics: Link4 Insurance Company, the Polish direct insurance market leader and Lietuvos Draudimas AB (Lithuania), AAS Balta (Latvia) and Codan Forsikring (Estonia). The total value of the transaction is aprox. EUR 360 million. Transactions are subject to regulatory approval and the relevant antitrust authorities' consent and, according to the schedule, should be finalized by the end of 2014.

British insurer AVIVA agreed to sell its Turkish general insurance business AVIVA Sigorta to a private equity consortium led by EMF Capital Partners. "This agreement is part of AVIVA's strategy to narrow the group's focus on businesses where it has a leadership position and can generate attractive returns", the insurer said on Tuesday.

In 2013, the SAVA Re Group wrote EUR 386.7 million in premiums, representing an increase of 43% over 2012, according to the preliminary figures published by the Slovenian Re/Insurance Group. At the same time, the value of gross claims paid totaled EUR 221.2 million (or 62.3% more y-o-y), while the combine ratio improved 4.5% to 94.2%.

Boosted by the sale of shares in SWISS Life and deferred income tax, Germany's third biggest insurer TALANX closed the financial year 2013 with an operating profit of EUR 1.8 billion, or 2.1% more y-o-y while, the Group net income improved by 21.7% to EUR 762 million. At the same time, the value of gross written premiums increased across all divisions and totaled EUR 28.1 billion in 2013 compared with EUR 26.7 billion in 2012.

The progress achieved over the year in the turnaround of the business allowed the GENERALI Group to register a boost in profitability despite an uncertain economic recovery, low interest rates and high natural catastrophe losses. Thus, the Group closed the year with an operating result of EUR 4.20 billion (+5.3%; EUR 3.99 bil FY12) reflecting growth in all the lines of business.

According to the company's release, HANNOVER Re comfortably surpassed its year-end profit target for 2013 and posted a new record result of EUR 895.5 million. "This performance was driven by a very good underwriting result in non-life reinsurance, which improved again on the previous year by EUR 63 million. Group net income additionally benefited from a positive tax effect", Chief Executive Officer Ulrich WALLIN explained. It is envisaged that HANNOVER Re's shareholders will also share in this success. The Executive Board and Supervisory Board will therefore propose to the Annual General Meeting that a dividend of EUR 3.00 per share should be paid; this is equivalent to a payout ratio of 40% relative to IFRS Group net income.

The French reinsurer SCOR reported a net income of EUR 549 million in 2013, a 31% increase over 2012, while the gross written premiums totaled EUR 10.25 billion, up 7.8% "driven by healthy SCOR Global P&C renewals, major new contracts signed by SCOR Global Life and the GENERALI US contribution", reported the company.

In the 2013 financial year, the Austrian insurance group UNIQA increased its profit on ordinary activities by 49.7%, to EUR 305.6 million, while the consolidated net profit (after taxes and minority interests) increased by 123.0% to EUR 283.4 million (EUR 127.1 million in 2012), according to the FY2013 Preliminary Results, recently published by the company.

The French insurer GROUPAMA reported a net profit of EUR 283 million in 2013 (compared with EUR -589 million loss in 2012 or a EUR -1.76 billion loss in 2011), while the value of combined premium income stood at EUR 13.7 billion or 2.3% less y-o-y, reflecting "the Group's strategy emphasis on profitability instead of premiums growth," as stated by the group's press release.

The TRIGLAV Group and it's parent company, Zavarovalnica TRIGLAV ended 2013 with a net profit of EUR 69.9 EUR million and EUR 48.3 million respectively which, even though somewhat lower than in 2012, it is still above the planned level. The Group maintained a strong level of financial stability although its underwriting figures were still impacted by the sustained economic crisis.

Aviva has reversed losses to post a GBP 2.2 billion post-tax profit for 2013 as its UK arm reaps the rewards of the retail distribution review (RDR), despite continuing outflows from the investment business.

Dutch insurer ACHMEA said its FY2013 net profit declined by 27% year-on-year to EUR 344 million "due to goodwill impairments for pension services and health  insurance".

CROATIA Osiguranje (CO) ended 2013 with a consolidated net loss of about EUR 3.1 million (HRK 24 million). "We had to finally make a consistent impairment of real estate properties' value, which significantly affected the profit of the company. In fact, CO's earnings from the core business would be far above the planned amount," explained Kresimir STARCEVIC, CEO of CROATIA Osiguranje. One should note that Croatia recorded a y-o-y 16.9% fall in real estate prices as measured by the House Price Index, in 3Q 2013, the biggest in EU, according to Eurostat data.

The total revenues achieved by AXA in 2013 were up by 2%, driven by growth in all business lines, as the French Group's representatives recently stated. "The numbers are showing that the performance is a high quality one. The business is growing in all business segments, the margins have improved and this is leading to operational earnings going up by 18%. We have also progressed with the achievement of the key initiatives of Ambition AXA, our strategic plan." AXA's Chairman & CEO, Henri de Castries, commented on the 2013 results.

ZURICH Insurance Group reported a business operating profit of USD 4.7 billion (15% more y-o-y) and a net income attributable to shareholders of USD 4.0 billion (4% more y-o-y) for the year ending on December 31, 2013. "We delivered a solid operating profit in all core businesses, with good growth in the priority General Insurance and the Global Life markets, and FARMERS focusing on implementing its new consumer strategy, while at the same time delivering resilient margins," said Chief Executive Officer Martin SENN.

The Dutch insurer AEGON reported a 60% y-o-y drop in its Q4 2013 net profit to EUR 174 million, from EUR 431 million in the same quarter of last year. "The net income decreased to EUR 174 million as higher losses from fair value items and other lower income more than offset higher underlying earnings and lower impairments," company officials stated.