29 August 2002
Press Release
Good first half year 2002 overall / Profits from shareholding transactions
substantially outweigh additional provisions for US business and writedowns
on equities / One year after WTC: Realigned reinsurance business develops pleasingly;
however, further improvements in the terms of trade required / Limited claims
burden from natural catastrophes
Munich Re weathered the first half year 2002 well. The writedowns resulting
from the weak capital markets in the first six months of the year and the additional
reserving for its US business were more than compensated for by large profits
from the package of transactions with Allianz prepared in 2000 and 2001. The
performance of the Group's reinsurance business was markedly improved; Munich
Re expects the positive trend in premiums and conditions to continue in the
forthcoming renewals of many treaties.
The Munich Re Group's report for the first half year contains the following
figures:
Group premium income was up from €17.1bn to €20.4bn. This growth
of nearly 20% was driven mainly by reinsurance. Group net income rose to €4.1bn
at 30th June 2002, compared with €1.3bn at the half-year stage in 2001,
with earnings per share increasing from €7.34 to €23.15, particularly
as a consequence of the capital gains from the shareholding transactions.
The satisfactory Group result is made up of profit of €4.5bn in the first
quarter and a loss of €383m in the second quarter due to the additional
reserving for US business.
Dr. Jörg Schneider, member of Munich Re's Board of Management, said at
the presentation of the half-year figures on 29th August 2002: "Despite
the large one-off factors and the effects of the stock market weakness, the
first half year 2002 already shows clearly that we are back on track."
Reinsurance: Premium increased by 30.2% year on year to €13.2bn.
For the year as a whole, Munich Re is expecting its premium income from reinsurance
to show strong growth of around 14% to €25bn.
Reinsurance business contributed €4.9bn to the Group's net result. The
combined ratio for the first half year amounted to 133.1%; excluding the reserve
strengthening at US subsidiary American Re and the additional reserving for
the losses resulting from the WTC attack, it amounted to 102.0%. On a comparably
adjusted basis, the combined ratio for the whole of 2001 was 112.7%.
Primary insurance: Here the Group's premium income showed an increase
of 6.7% on the first half year 2001, reaching €8.4bn. The growth derived
from all fields of business, but the main contributor was life insurance. The
Group's life insurers have impressively extended their market position, not
just with "Riester" policies but with all varieties of product offering
private provision: premium income in life insurance rose by 7.7% to €3.5bn.
In health insurance it grew by 5.0% and in property-casualty insurance by 6.4%.
Munich Re expects premium growth in primary insurance of 7% to around €17.0bn
for the year as a whole.
The primary insurers' contribution of -€47m to the Group result for the
first half year is reflective of the weak capital markets.
Investments: Munich Re's investments rose to €163.1bn as at 30th
June 2002. The investment result of €9bn benefited significantly from total
capital gains of €4.7bn realized on the shareholding transactions with
Allianz. On the other hand, there were writedowns of €1.5bn on the Group's
equity portfolios, necessitated by the large price falls on the stock markets.
One year on from 11th September: heightened awareness of the need for risk
protection
Today, practically one year after the attack on the World Trade Center, Munich
Re has a much better overview of the extent of the losses. A revision to the
estimate is not necessary, as Munich Re increased its provision for the losses
from the terrorist attack by US$ 500m to US$ 2.6bn as at 30th June 2002. The
settlement of all claims will take years, owing to the complexity of the loss.
Board member Stefan Heyd had the following to say about the lessons to be learned
from the event: "Risks are increasing worldwide and with them the need
for security and provision. It is important for us as reinsurers that the terms
of trade for assuming risks are right. Although we are on the right road, we
have not yet reached our goal."
The 11th September loss greatly sharpened awareness of the need for reinsurance
cover with top security, and not only in the US. This also applies to large
risks involving natural hazards.
Flood catastrophes: insurance losses are manageable
Up until 30th June, claims costs from large and very large losses in reinsurance
were well below the long-term average. In July and August there was then a succession
of bad weather events with severe precipitation. Particularly affected were
Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria and Italy, and these events coincided with
flooding in China and Southeast Asia. Despite these serious events, the claims
burdens for the insurance industry will remain within manageable limits, as
insurance density for the flood risk as a whole is relatively low. Claims expenses
for the Munich Re Group, based on current knowledge, could amount to a medium-sized
triple-digit million figure, in all probability not exceeding €500m.
"Munich Re will continue to make a very significant portion of its capacity
available for the reinsurance of catastrophe losses. We are convinced that this
can be a worthwhile field of business, provided that premiums and conditions
are risk-commensurate" says Board member Stefan Heyd.
The readiness to pay an adequate price for first-class reinsurance cover has
meanwhile increased markedly. In the reinsurance treaties renewed at 1st January
2002 and those renewed since, substantial improvements were achieved in prices
and conditions. Further improvements are still required in the forthcoming renewal
season, however. As one of the most sought-after partners in international reinsurance,
Munich Re is approaching the coming negotiations for the renewal of treaties
at 1st January 2003 with justified optimism.
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Munich Re Group - 1st half year 2002 Key figures (IAS) (PDF, 70 KB)