The Swiss-based P&C insurer ACE increased its profit by 13% to USD 2.6 billion (USD 2.5 billion) in 2012, despite USD 502 million (USD 480.5 million) of pre-tax losses due to super-storm SANDY paid in the fourth quarter.

AON plc, the global provider of risk management, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, and human resources solutions and outsourcing services, reported for the 2012 financial year, a revenue growth of 2%, to USD 11.5 billion. Organic revenue growth was 4%, partially offset by a 2% hit from foreign currency exchange rates. By divisions, Risk Solutions total revenue increased 1% to USD 7.6 billion and HR Solutions total revenue increased 4% to USD 3.9 billion.

MUNICH Re, the world's biggest reinsurer, reported that its profit increased by almost fivefold in 2012, to EUR 3.2 billion (previous year: EUR 0.71billion) on lower losses from natural catastrophes. This value exceeds the estimate made by the company in November last year - EUR 3 billion.

For the financial year 2012, the Bulgarian insurance group EUROINS reported a 27.1% increase in GWP, to EUR 151.4 million, as shown by the preliminary non-audited data published by the group.

Direct, unconsolidated written premiums earned by Vienna Insurance Group in 2012 amounted to EUR 9.9 billion, up by 9.5% y-o-y. CEE's share in premiums grew to about 56%, while profit (before taxes) totaled about EUR 585 million (up by ~ 5% y-o-y). Peter HAGEN, Chairman of the Managing Board and CEO of the Group, attributed the Group's achievements in 2012 to "the strong sales network and the multi-brand strategy," as well as to "the intensive cooperation with ERSTE Group in bancassurance operations."

By the end of 2012, MARSH announced the appointment of Flavio PICCOLOMINI to the new role of CEO of MARSH Continental Europe, CIS, and Turkey, in addition to his current responsibilities as CEO of MARSH Italy. At the same time, Martin SOUTH, former CEO of MARSH Europe and CEO of MARSH UK, has been appointed CEO of MARSH Asia-Pacific.

Starting this year WILLIS' Continental European operations will be divided into two distinct regions, one encompassing Western Europe and the other encompassing Central and Eastern Europe. Scott PICKERING, currently CEO South Africa and Regional CEO Middle East and Africa, will assume additional responsibilities for WILLIS's Central and Eastern European operations, while Alberto GALLEGO, currently General Manager of WILLIS Iberia, has been appointed CEO WILLIS Western Europe.

GENERALI Group officially announced its decision to purchase in two stages the remaining 49% of share capital of GPH - the joint venture established in 2008 with the Czech financial PPF Group in which GENERALI already holds 51% of the share capital -, for a consideration that has been fixed at EUR 2.52 billion. Following the transaction, full ownership and management control of GPH will be transferred to the Italian insurance group at closing of the first stage. "Today we are one of the leading players in a high-growth area. With full control of GPH, we shall be able to take full advantage of our investment and focus on developing our core insurance business while improving competitiveness and profitability," GENERALI Group CEO Mario GRECO said.

Zavarovalnica TRIGLAV was granted the Ljubljana Stock Exchange Special Achievement Prize for making significant headway in investor relations. The Special Achievement Prize is a subcategory of the Portal Prize, granted by the Ljubljana Stock Exchange to honour companies setting an example with excellent corporate governance and communication practices.

In 3Q2012, gross premiums written by the SAVA Re Group companies amounted to EUR 215.8 million, 6.6% up y-o-y. In absolute terms, the largest growth was generated by the largest companies in the Group, SAVA Reinsurance Company and Zavarovalnica TILIA. At the same time consolidated reinsurance premiums grew by 13.6%, due to the increase in international reinsurance premium. The Slovenian Group ended the first three quarters of 2012 with a consolidated net profit of EUR 11.95 million, significantly improved after the EUR 2.33 million recorded in 3Q2011.

UNIQA Group has improved its earnings before tax to EUR 152.4 million in 3Q2012 from the EUR 173.8 million loss posted in 3Q2011. Consolidated profit after tax and minority interests amounted to EUR 93.5 million. "In the first nine months of 2012, we achieved what we set out to do. We still have a great deal of work, but we are well on track, and we are consequently implementing our strategic program UNIQA 2.0.," commented Andreas BRANDSTETTER, CEO UNIQA.

AEGON has announced on December 5th, its acquisition of FIDEM Life, the fifth largest life insurance company in Ukraine, further strengthening the Dutch insurer's position on the CEE market. "Given the sizeable population and low penetration of life insurance in the country, Ukraine offers AEGON an attractive long-term growth opportunity. FIDEM Life's dedicated customer centric business approach fits well with AEGON's strategy," stated Gabor KEPECS, CEO of AEGON CEE and a Member of AEGON's Management Board.

The net profit of the TRIGLAV Group for 3Q2012 amounted to EUR 50.5 million, 5.4% up y-o-y. The group's gross insurance and co-insurance premiums totalized EUR 732.1 million, down by 5.4% y-o-y, while the combined ratio was favourable, at 91.8%. "With the consistent implementation of the set strategy, the TRIGLAV Group was able to achieve good results. Further exacerbation and deepening of the economic and financial crisis was successfully overcome by our focus on core business and profitability," commented Matjaz RAKOVEC, CEO and President of the Management Board of Zavarovalnica Triglav in the interim report published by the Group.

Vienna Insurance Group ended 3Q2012 with a record net profit figure, "surpassing the annual result of the pre-crisis year 2007," as Peter HAGEN, Chairman of the Managing Board and CEO of the Austrian Group stated. CEE countries contributed both to the overall profit and GWP with more than 50%, encouraging the further expansion of VIG in the CEE region. "We are now also regarding the region from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea as growth engines. About 120 million people live in this region, and they still face an enormous need to catch up as far as modern insurance solutions are concerned," stated Peter HAGEN.

PZU Group reported for 3Q2012 a consolidated net financial result of PLN 2.8 billion (~ EUR 677 million), 52.9% up y-o-y in local currency. At the same time, ROE's value grew by 8.8 pp y-o-y, to 28.4%. In terms of gross written premiums, the Polish group recorded a 6.5% growth, to PLN 1216 billion (~ EUR 2.9 billion), while net insurance claims amounted to PLN 8.43 billion (EUR 2 billion).

The Supervisory Board of VIENNA Insurance Group AG Wiener Versicherung Gruppe has renewed the Managing Board contracts of Peter HAGEN, Kosyna FRANZ, Martin SIMHANDL, Fuchs FRANZ and Peter HOFINGER for five more years. Thus, their terms of office will run from 1st of July 2013 to 30th of June 2018. Also, Peter HAGEN has been reappointed Chairman of the Managing Board.

Zavarovalnica TRIGLAV won for the fourth consecutive year the The TOP 10 - Training Management award granted every year by Planet GV and the Sofos Institute of Training Management to to ten Slovene companies and organisations which systematically invest in their employees' knowledge, skills and training.

The P&C insurer ACE reported a profitable third quarter aided by higher premiums written and lower catastrophe losses. The Swiss based insurer reported net income of USD 640 million (or USD 1.86 per share), compared to USD -39 million (or a net loss of USD 0.11 per share) for the same period last year. For the nine months ended September 30, 2012, net income was USD 1.94 billion, more than double compared with USD 805 million in January-September 2011.

AEGON's underlying earnings before tax increased by 31%, to EUR 472 million in the third quarter of 2012, reaching EUR 1.34 billion after the first nine months of 2012 (14% more y-o-y). At the same time, new life sales level reached at EUR 405 million. "The steps we are taking across our organization to get closer to our end customers, combined with the strength of our current position, give us full confidence in the prospects for our business going forward", stated Alex WYNAENDTS, CEO, AEGON.

For the first nine months of the current year, AXA reported a 1.3% growth in total revenues to EUR 68.36 billion, helped by a 4% increase in property and casualty insurance sales, according to 9M 2012 Activity Indicators published by the French group. Including the effects of currency swings, revenues rose 3.7%. "Growth is driven by Protection & Health and Property & Casualty, which are less sensitive to financial markets", commented Denis DUVERNE, Deputy CEO of AXA.