- Profit (before taxes) up by 21% to EUR 135 million
- Consolidated net profit up by 59% to EUR 105 million
- Premiums in the Eastern European growth regions rose by 23%
- Profit outlook for 2007 increased from EUR 270 million to EUR 320 million

UNIQA Group Austria was able to substantially improve results in the first half of 2007. The profit of EUR 135 million for the first six months (before taxes) was 20.7% above last year’s value. Net profit (after taxes and minority stakes) rose by 58.6% to EUR 105 million. The STRABAG SE capital increase had no effect on the improvement in results and will only have an effect on earnings in the third quarter of 2007.

Premium volume written for products with recurring premiums continued to see pleasing development in the first six months of 2007 and rose by 4.2% to EUR 2,413 million. In contrast, single premiums fell due to inadequate profitability in the marketplace and special effects in Italy - by 16.7% to EUR 306 million. In total the gross premium volume written (including the savings portion from the premiums of unit- and index-linked life insurance) rose by 1.4% to EUR 2,719 million.The strongest impulses for growth continued to come from the Eastern European markets - premium volume rose there by 23.0% to EUR 377 million.This corresponds to a share of Group premiums of just below 14%.

At the same time it was possible to reduce total insurance benefits compared with the same period in the previous year in spite of storm claims in the first quarter - by 7.6% to EUR 1,772 million.

The UNIQA Group was able to increase capital investments as at 30 June 2007 by 9.9% to EUR 21,770 million, compared with the same period in 2006. Net capital income of EUR 455 million was 4.0% above the value for the same period last year.

As a result of the inclusion of special effects that will become effective in the third quarter due to the stake in STRABAG SE and intensifying investment activity in organic growth in Eastern Europe, and under the assumption that there are no extraordinary claim events and that capital markets remain stable, the forecast for the profit (before taxes) in 2007 has been increased from EUR 270 million to EUR 320 million. Compared to the value for 2006, this corresponds to an increase of approximately 34%.

Reservation for future statements
This notification contains statements relating to the future development of UNIQA Group Austria. These statements represent estimates made on the basis of information available to us at the current time. If the assumptions on which they are based are not fulfilled, the actual results may vary from those currently expected. Therefore we cannot accept liability for these statements.