The largest insurance market in the CEE, Poland, ended1H2018 with GWP worth EUR 7.36 billion (PLN 32.12 billion). In local currency, the y-o-y comparison shows a positive rate growth of 1.7%. Yet, given the roughly 3% depreciation of the Polish zloty against Euro, the market results denominated in European currency show a market decrease of 1.4%.

Unum Group completed its purchase of Pramerica Zycie TUiR SA ("Pramerica"), a financial protection provider in Poland that will support Unum's long-term growth strategy of protecting more people.

The full history of MTPL and Motor Hull insurance is now available online for every vehicle owner in Poland. In addition, all drivers - even if they are not the owners of the vehicle - can check their accidents history.

The Dutch insurance group NN announced that as of 15 September, Jacek KORONKIEWICZ, currently CFO and COO of Nationale-Nederlanden Poland, heading the functions of Finance, Operations and Procurement, will act as interim CEO.

A.M. Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of "a-" of Polskie Towarzystwo Reasekuracji S.A. (POLISH Re) (Poland). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) remains stable.

Allianz was the most recommended life and property insurance brand in Poland in the first half of 2018, a research carried out by GfK showed. The company achieved the highest Net Promoter Score (NPS) values both in life and non-life insurance.

Polish insurers ended 1Q2018 with GWP worth PLN 16.25 billion (EUR 3.86 billion), approx. 2% up y-o-y, depending on the currency of choice. Paid claims amounted to PLN 10.5 billion (EUR 2.5 billion), a sum by about 0.7% larger y-o-y.

Austrian VIG said is acquiring 100% of the shares of Polish non-life insurer GOTHAER Towarzystwo Ubezpieczen (GOTHAER TU). The purchase agreement was signed on 6 June 2018. The purchase is subject to approval by the local authorities.

Polish insurance market may witness a new round of increasing MTPL tariffs following a recent Supreme Court ruling, asking insurers to pay compensations for permanent disability not also to the victim, but also to his/hers close relatives.

Polish insurers ended 2017 with aggregated net profit of PLN 5.7 billion (EUR 1.37 billion), of which PLN 2.3 billion came from the life insurance segment and PLN 3.4 billion was the result of the non-life business.

End investors, Insurance-Linked Securities (ILS) funds, and buyers - the three groups active in ILS - have predominantly weathered 2017 loss activity with a view that reinsurance products backed by 'alternative' capital have become mainstream, according to a new Global ILS Market Survey by Willis Towers Watson.

Swiss Re expects the global reinsurance industry to consolidate as the distinction between insurers and reinsurers become increasingly blurred, an executive from the Swiss Group said in Baden Baden, reports Reuters.

Current market conditions are putting increasing pressure on returns with some companies viewing consolidation as a potential solution, James NASH, CEO of International at Guy Carpenter said in his opening remarks at the Baden-Baden 2018 Reinsurance Meeting hosted by the global risk and reinsurance specialist.

E+S Ruckversicherung AG, the Hannover Re Group's unit handling German business, continues to expect a positive premium development in the German market for the January 2019 renewals, albeit at a somewhat more diminished pace than in 2018.

The market volume for cyber insurance is expected to grow up to USD 8-9 billion by 2020, Doris HOEPKE, member of Munich Re's Board of Management stressed in Baden Baden adding that, "The demand for cyber risk cover is growing continuously. We therefore see it as our duty to develop solutions."

After severe storm damage in Japan and the United States, Munich Re is looking with a little more optimism to the next renewal season. "I expect at least a stable renewal round in 2019," Board member Doris HOEPKE said in Baden-Baden. Until recently the reinsurer's expectations were leaning towards a stagnant season.

"You don't have to be big to be beautifully relevant or financially successful, but you do have to be focused," Pina ALBO, Group CEO of Hamilton Insurance Group said, addressing the question of whether bigger is necessarily better at the Reinsurance Symposium in Baden-Baden.

Five new titles are available this year on the XPRIMM Baden-Baden press stands opened in the Kurhaus Casino and in Baden Baden main locations, presenting the latest statistical data and comprehensive analysis for the CEE, SEE and CIS insurance markets.