Taking into consideration a provision for the UNIQA Group contribution to the overall Austrian solution for the compensation of the holocaust victims, a preliminary company profit for the year of about ATS 292 million (EUR 21.22 million) was achieved compared to ATS 333 million (EUR 24.20 million) in the previous year. The Management Board intends to propose a dividend distribution at last year’s level i.e. 16% of the share capital.

The domestic premium volume of the UNIQA Group could clearly be increased by 10% to approximately ATS 31.9 billion (EUR 2.32 billion). Simultaneously the paid benefits increased by 7.6% to ATS 21.9 billion (EUR 1.59 billion). Capital investments reached ATS 144.2 billion (EUR 10.48 billion / +6.8%) as at year end. In Central Europe the strategy of a strengthened market presence was consistently and successfully continued.

The UNIQA Group’s domestic insurers

Premium: total +10.0%, life assurance +21.4%,
property and casualty +1.8%, health insurance +2.0%
The domestic insurers of the UNIQA Group – the listed UNIQA Versicherungen AG, the UNIQA Personenversicherung, the UNIQA Sachversicherung, the Raiffeisen Versicherung, the Salzburger Landes-Versicherung as well as the Call Direct Versicherung – achieved premiums earned of ATS 31.9 billion (EUR 2.32 billion) from direct business in 2000. Herewith, the Group recorded a premium growth of 10.0% compared to the previous year. The portfolio increased in 2000 in a more competitive environment by 67,444 policies, respectively 1.5% to 4,580,926 policies.

Life assurance, with a premium increase of 21.4% to ATS 14.7 billion (EUR 1.07 billion), was the growth carrier also in the past year. The premium for single premium business included therein increased to ATS 4,123.1 million (EUR 299.64 million / +115.3%). Life assurance recurring premiums increased by 3.7%. In total, the UNIQA Group domestic companies administer 1,106,547 life assurance policies as at year-end.

The property and casualty insurance recorded direct premiums of ATS 9.3 billion (EUR 675.86 million), an increased volume of about ATS 160 million (EUR 11.63 million), 1,8%. The premium increase in motor vehicle insurance also amounted to 1.8%. At year end there were 2,880,141 property and casualty insurance policies.

In the health insuranceline, the premiums earned from direct business amounted to over ATS 7.9 billion (EUR 574.12 million). With the premium increase of about 2.0%, UNIQA managed to stay market leader in this segment. At year end, the UNIQA Group had administered 594,238 health insurance policies.

Paid benefits increased by 7.6%
The mentioned UNIQA Group domestic companies paid benefits of ATS 21.9 billion (EUR 1.59 billion) to, respectively for, their customers in the past year. This corresponds to an increase of 7.6%. Of the paid benefits, ATS 8.8 billion (EUR 639.52 million / +4,8%) apply to life assurance, ATS 6.4 billion (EUR 465.11 million / +5.0%) to health insurance and ATS 6.7 billion (EUR 486.91 million / +14.3%) to property and casualty insurance.

Capital investments at ATS 144.2 billion (EUR 10.48 billion), current investment income +9.2%
In total, the UNIQA Group domestic insurers administer capital investments of ATS 144.2 billion (EUR 10.48 billion) as at 32 December 2000, 6.8% more than in the previous year. The current investment income earned from the capital investment in the past year is with ATS 8.6 billion (EUR 624.99 million), 9.2% above the previous years value. The increase of total investment income by 16.0% to ATS 9.0 billion (EUR 654.06 million) includes once-off profits from the redemption of participations. Excluding this effect, the increase was 11.4%.

Foreign insurers of the UNIQA Group
The year 2000 was a successful one in total for the foreign insurers. Following the strategic orientation, the majority of shares of the Assicurazioni "La Carnica" in Italy were acquired, and the contract to take over 95% of the shares of the "Polonia" in Poland was signed. After the sale of the "Interrisk" Versicherungen Wiesbaden, a further strategic step was taken with the sale of the minority shareholding of the "Signal" insurance company in Hungary, towards the adjustment of the share structure abroad.

With the inclusion of the UNIQA Assurances Genf in the UNIQA International Versicherungs-Holding in December 2000, the restructuring concept abroad was completed.

In total the foreign insurance companies of the Group - CRP/Czech Republic, UNIQA/Slovak Republic, Austria Assicurazioni/Italy, "La Carnica"/Italy and UNIQA/Switzerland – achieved a premium volume of about ATS 2.1 billion (EUR 152.6 million), some 45% more than in the previous year. The summed profit on ordinary business activities of the foreign companies is with about ATS 110 million (EUR 8.0 million) similar to the previous years value.