-     Premium volume written rose by 25.2% to EUR 4.7 billion
-    Growth in premiums outside Austria up 91.9% / foreign share increased by 28.4%
-    Pre-tax result at EUR 190.3 million due to the EUR 70 million increase
-    Positive contribution to earnings from all countries / foreign share of profit on ordinary activities 32.7%
-     Dividend up to 26 cents / Equity rose 31.8% to EUR 1,133.7 million
-     Life insurance was the growth engine with a growth in premiums of 41.7%
-    Growth continues both domestically and abroad in the first quarter of 2006/ foreign share increased to 30.9%

With an increase in premium volume written of 25.2% to EUR 4,730.4 million, UNIQA Group Austria again managed a clear jump in growth this past year.  Included in this are the savings portions of the unit- and index-linked life insurance products amounting to EUR 360.2 million (+102.2%).  During the last three years the UNIQA Group's premium volume thus increased by EUR 2,043.3 million (76.0%) due to organic growth and acquisitions in Western and Eastern Europe.

The Austrian companies in the UNIQA Group increased their premiums written in 2005 by 10.0%, contributing a volume of EUR 3,385.6 million to Group premiums.  Premiums written in the companies outside of Austria increased at the same time by 91.9% to EUR 1,344.8 million. Since 2002,premiums generated by the UNIQA Groups outside of Austria have thus risen by 338.1% or EUR 1,037.8 million – increasing their contribution to total Group premiums by 11.4% to 28.4%.  The latest acquisitions in Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine have not yet been included in these figures – in accordance with the consolidation regulations.  The numbers for Mannheimer Krankenversicherung and Raiffeisen Osiguranje (Bosnia and Herzegovina) were each included as of the final three quarters of 2005.

UNIQA paid out a total of EUR 2,585.5 million in 2005 for benefits and claims.  This corresponds to an increase of 13.5% compared to 2004.

The consistent and successful implementation of programmes for increasing earnings also made it possible to continue to exponentially develop the profitability of the UNIQA Group in this offensive growth phase as well.

The high growth in premiums, clearly lowered cost ratios and excellent income from investments has made it possible to raise the profit on ordinary activities by 57.5% to EUR 190.3 million – bringing it up EUR 5.3 million over the last forecast from February.  Supported by the Group's intensified internationalisation, the consolidated results have thus risen in the three years since 2002 by 439.1% (EUR 155.0 million). The companies in Western, Eastern and South Eastern Europe included in the Group consolidated financial statements all made a positive contribution to earnings, and with EUR 62.2 million (+49.0%) they have already contributed a share of 32.7% to the results.   The Austrian Group companies were able in total to increase their results even more – up 62.0% to EUR 128.1 million.

With an increase of 30.9%, net profit for the year is at EUR 133.3 million. As a result, profit per share climbed 27% from 74 cents (pre-tax: 92 cents) to 94 cents (pre-tax: EUR 1.44/ +56.5%).  After 15.0% in the previous year gross ROE according to IFRS also reached a new peak of 19.7%.  At the same time equity could be increased by EUR 273.5 million (31.8%) and, at EUR 1,133.7 million, is EUR 525.1 million higher than in 2002.

As of the balance sheet date the UNIQA Group's total investments were, at EUR 19.37 billion, 16.7% or EUR 2.77 billion higher than the comparable figure of the previous year.   Influenced by the positive development of the capital market, net income from investments could be increased by 28.7 % to EUR 962.9 million.

An increase in the dividend  of 18.2% to 26 cents will be proposed at the Annual General Meeting on 15 May 2006.   This is the third dividend increase in a row and makes the dividend 62.5% higher than it was in 2002. In total, UNIQA will pay out dividends amounting to EUR 31.1 million to its shareholders for the 2005 financial year.

Segments
With a premium growth of 41.7% to EUR 1,951.4 million (including savings portion), life insurance was the fastest growing segment in the UNIQA Group in 2005.   Because of the unusually strong growth in premiums outside of Austria amounting to 350.6% (EUR 453.0 million) – partially due to the first-time inclusion of Claris Vita – the foreign share rose from 7.3% to 23.2%.  The Austrian Group companies were able to increase their premium volume written in 2005 by a pleasing 17.3% to EUR 1,498.4 million.

In the property and casualty insurance segment UNIQA was able to increase premiums by 16.8% to EUR 1,933.6 million.  Premium volume in Austria was up 5.9% to EUR 1,193.3 million. In the other markets in Western and Eastern Europe the companies in the UNIQA Group earned premiums totalling EUR 740.2 million - 39.9% more than in the previous year – increasing their share of total premiums in this segment from 32.0% to 38.3%.

In health insurance, premium volume written was up in 2005 by a total of 13.5% to EUR 845.4 million. In Austria – where UNIQA is the unchallenged market leader with a 50% share of the market – premiums rose 3.0% to EUR 693.9 million. The companies outside of Austria wrote a total of EUR 151.5 million in premiums.  The 112.9% rise is due mainly to the first-time inclusion of Mannheimer Kranenversicherung. The foreign companies' share in premiums rose as a result from 9.6% to 17.9%.

Current business year
The growth in the UNIQA companies in the first quarter of the current year was very positive.  In total, and based on local accounting standards and preliminary data, the companies in the Group increased premiums from direct business (incl. savings portion) by 12.9% to EUR 1,270.9 million. The strongest growth can be observed in the life insurance line with an increase of 19.1% to EUR 562.8 million – due among other things to the excellent successes in sales of state-aided pension plans.   Business in property and casualty insurance grew by 11.2% to EUR 515.8 million.  Premiums in health insurance rose by 1.4% to EUR 192.3 million.

The exponential growth that continues to take place in the markets in Western, Eastern and South- Eastern Europe of 24.2% (EUR 76.6 million) to EUR 392.8 million results in a 30.9% increase in the portion of foreign premiums.  Premiums of the Austrian companies in the UNIQA Group amount to EUR 878.1 million and are thus 8.4% or EUR 68.2 million above last year's figures.

For the total 2006 financial year UNIQA is expecting the profit on ordinary activities, in light of the continued increased earnings programme, to be about 20% higher, or approximately EUR 228 million.