According to a preliminary report published by ERGO, the second quarter of 2009 marked for the German insurance group the return to the profitable business area. Thus, after a first quarter in which the climate of the crisis on financial markets had a strong influence on the figures achieved by the insurer, the second-quarter results indicate, compared with Q2 2008, a volume increase of underwritings of 7.8%. Also, the combined ratio on the general insurance line amounted to 90.6%, up 2.2% compared to April-June 2008, when the combined ratio was 88.4%.

SAMPO Group's profit before taxes for the first half of 2009 amounted to EUR 433 million. Strong stock market development and tightening of credit spreads were reflected in assets values and SAMPO Group's net asset value per share increased to EUR 10.87.

The VIENNA Insurance Group reported a stable development in the first six months of this year, the volume of gross written premiums amounting to EUR 4.25 billion, up 0.9% compared to same period in 2008.

During the first half of 2009, the PZU Group collected a total of EUR 1,95 billion in insurance premiums, achieving a net financial result of EUR 559 million. This significant growth, in comparison to the result obtained in H1 of the previous year, is attributed to the Group's new strategy, and to better results on investment activity, achieved by the Group's companies.

In the first six months of this year, the UNIQA Group's written premiums' volume fell by 1.6%, to EUR 2.95 million, due to the muted demand for unit-linked life insurance and to fewer single premiums. Retained consolidated premiums earned in the first half of 2009 rose by 2.6%, to EUR 2.37 billion.

Matjaz RAKOVEC is the new President of Management of the insurance company TRIGLAV, according to a press release of the Slovenian insurer. After the session of the Supervisory Board, TRIGLAV officials informed about their decision, with an explanation that RAKOVEC was the director of the Ljubljana regional unit until now.

In the first six months of 2009, VIENNA Insurance Group recorded a total of written premiums (consolidated) of EUR 4.25 billion. Based on EUR, this corresponds to an increase of 0.9 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. The net earned premiums rose by 4.1 percent (in EUR).

In the first half of 2009, ALLIANZ New Europe recorded EUR 1.9 billion in premiums, reflecting the devaluation of Central and Eastern European currencies. Compared to EUR 2.1 billion in the first half of 2008, premiums decreased by 9%, according to company's press release.

Polish financial group PZU, one of the most important insurers in Central and Eastern Europe, is negotiating the takeover of Slovenian insurer KD Group, which will give PZU access on markets from Central and Eastern Europe, where PZU is not represented. According to some market sources, parties are negotiating the possibilities of acquisition.

ZAVAROVALNICA TRIGLAV (ZT), Slovenia's largest insurer, posted a 43% annual decline in its first-quarter net profit, to EUR 3.8 million, mainly due to lower revenues from financial investments and long-term impairment of investments, which accounted for EUR 2.2 million in the period.

In the first quarter of 2009, the UNIQA Group succeeded in achieving growth. Despite the unfavorable currency evolutions in Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, it was possible to increase the Group's euro-based written premiums, with 1.4%, to EUR 1.655 billion (Q1/2008: EUR 1.633 billion).

The results of GENERALI Group, for the first quarter of 2009, amounted to EUR 103.8 million, a decrease of 88.6%, compared to EUR 910.3 million in Q1/2008. Gross written premiums rose by 0.3% compared to the first quarter of 2008, up to EUR 18,479 million. The operating result for Q1/2009 is EUR 1.01 billion, a 12.7% decrease compared to 1.15 billion at the end of March 2008.

In the first quarter of 2009, VIENNA Insurance Group recorded a total of written premiums of EUR 2.35 billion. In EUR, this corresponds to an increase of 1.5 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. The Group profit amounted to about EUR 121 million in the first quarter. Actually, after tax expenses and minority interests, a profit growth of nearly 4 percent was recorded.

Overall, premium growth was maintained at stable levels for the first quarter of 2009, with some segments registering very good growth rates. Preliminary figures of VIENNA INSURANCE Group companies in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Romania confirm the potential of Central and Eastern European insurance markets.

The largest insurer in Poland, PZU, concluded 2008 with a profit of EUR 500 million and a nominal 40% growth in the Polish currency, of the volume of the underwritings compared to 2007, led by an 80% growth of the life business segment. However, based on the strong depreciation of the Polish zloty, the increase in EUR was only 5%, from EUR 4.5 billion to EUR 4.72 billion in the range noted.
Dutch insurer EUREKO failed to reach a settlement in court in the ongoing dispute over the privatization of Poland's top insurer PZU.

Poland's largest insurer, state-controlled PZU, is focused on taking over the operations of troubled AIG, rather than considering buying PKO BP shares, PZU's chief executive said on Monday.

The year 2008 was another successful year for ALLIANZ in New Europe. Despite market turbulences the company continued its course of growth. Gross written premiums in Property and Casualty insurance and in Life and Health insurance grew by 11 percent, to EUR 4.18 billion in 2008 from EUR 3.76 billion in 2007. Operating profit for the year 2008 continued to grow by 9.8 percent to EUR 348 million from EUR 317 million in 2007.

GUY Carpenter and Co. L.L.C. announced Tuesday the launch of a new Pan-Central and Eastern European flood model that addresses the issue of cross-border flooding events.

International rating agency STANDARD& POOR's (S&P) has recently affirmed the existing 'A+' rating for Austrian group VIENNA Insurance.

Poland and the Ukraine will host the major quadrennial European football tournament, Euro2012. Recognising the opportunities that this will bring, Marsh colleagues in the region have been working with many entities involved in planning and organizing the event. Their diligence and hard work has paid off and resulted in large appointments for our Polish operation.