UNIQA Group

With a premium volume written (including savings portions from unit-linked and index-linked life insurance) of €5,372.6 million, the UNIQA Group is among the leading insurance groups in Central and Eastern Europe. The savings portion from the unit-linked and index-linked life insurance in the amount of €309.8 million was set off against the change in , pursuant to 97 (). Without taking the savings portion from the unit-linked and index-linked life insurance into consideration, the premium volume written amounted to €5,062.8 million.

UNIQA in Europe

UNIQA offers its products and services via all distribution channels (hired sales force, general agencies, brokers, banks and direct sales) and covers virtually the entire range of insurance lines. UNIQA is the second-largest insurance group in Austria, with a presence in 15 countries of the CEE growth region: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine. In addition, insurance companies in Switzerland and Liechtenstein are also part of the UNIQA Group.

The listed holding company UNIQA Insurance Group AG manages the Group and also operates the indirect insurance business concluded as active with another insurance company. Moreover, UNIQA Insurance Group AG carries out numerous service functions for UNIQA Österreich Versicherungen AG and its international Group companies, in order to take best advantage of synergy effects and to implement the Group’s long-term corporate strategy consistently.

UNIQA International AG manages the international activities of the Group. This entity is also responsible for the ongoing monitoring and analysis of the international target markets and for acquisitions and post-merger integration.

Property and casualty insurance

The property and casualty insurance line includes property insurance for private individuals and companies, as well as private casualty insurance. The UNIQA Group received in property and casualty insurance in the amount of €2,846.8 million in 2019 (2018: €2,774.4 million) – which is 53.0 per cent (2018: 52.3 per cent) of total premium volume. The largest share by far in the volume of property and casualty insurance comes from private consumer business. Most property and casualty insurance policies are taken out for a limited term of up to three years. A broad spread across the different risks of a great many customers and the relatively short terms of these contracts lead to only moderate capital requirements and also make this business segment attractive as a result.

Health insurance

Health insurance in Austria includes voluntary health insurance for private customers, commercial preventive healthcare and optout offers for certain independent professions such as lawyers, architects and chemists. Although health insurance is still at the early stages in CEE, increased levels of prosperity in the region make the long-term growth potential even greater. Group-wide, in 2019, written totalled €1,130.8 million, (2018: €1,086.4 million) – which is 21.0 per cent (2018: 20.5 per cent) of total premium volume. UNIQA is the undisputed market leader in this strategically important business line in Austria, with around 46 per cent of market share. The overwhelming majority comes from Austria with around 93 per cent of premiums, with the remaining 7 per cent from international business.

Life insurance

Life insurance covers economic risks that stem from the uncertainty as to how long a customer will live. It includes savings products such as classic and unit-linked life insurance. There are also “biometric products” which hedge against risks such as occupational disability, long-term care needs or death. The life insurance business model is oriented towards the long term: policy terms are around 25 years on average. Life insurance is still facing major challenges, as the low interest rate environment is particularly disadvantageous to all long-term forms of saving and investment, including for life insurance. In life insurance, UNIQA reached a premium volume (including savings portions from unit-linked and index-linked life insurance) of €1,394.9 million Group-wide in 2019 (2018: €1,448.6 million) – which is 26.0 per cent (2018: 27.3 per cent) of total premium volume.

Companies included in the IFRS consolidated financial statements

In addition to the annual financial statements of UNIQA Insurance Group AG, the consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of all subsidiaries in Austria and abroad as well as those of the investment funds under the Group’s control. Including UNIQA Insurance Group AG, the basis of consolidation comprised 33 Austrian (2018: 34) and 57 international (2018: 59) subsidiaries along with six Austrian (2018: 6) and one international (2018: 1) investment fund under the Group’s control. The are five domestic (2018: 5) and one international company (2018: 1) that were included in the consolidated financial statements using accounting.

Details on the consolidated companies and associates are contained in the corresponding overview in the consolidated financial statements. The accounting and measurement methods are also described in the consolidated financial statements.

Error corrections

Errors were corrected in accordance with 8 as part of the process for preparing the consolidated annual financial statements. This resulted in adjustments to the values for the 2018 financial year. See note 37 in the consolidated financial statements for further details.

Risk reporting

UNIQA’s comprehensive risk report is included in the notes to the 2019 consolidated financial statements.

Corporate Governance Report

Since 2004, UNIQA has pledged to comply with the Austrian Code of . UNIQA publishes its consolidated Corporate Governance Report at www.uniqagroup.com in the Investor Relations section.

Consolidated non-financial statement, consolidated non-financial report

Pursuant to Section 267a(6) of the Austrian Commercial Code, UNIQA Insurance Group AG prepares its consolidated non-financial statement as a separate consolidated non-financial report. The separate consolidated non-financial report is prepared and signed by all of the statutory corporate representatives. It is submitted to the Supervisory Board for review and published together with the Group Management Report pursuant to Section 280 of the Austrian Commercial Code.

Insurance provision
Provision in the amount of the existing obligation to pay insurance benefits and reimbursements, predominantly in life and health insurance. The provision is determined using actuarial methods as a balance of the present value of future obligations less the present value of future premiums.
FAS
US Financial Accounting Standards that set out the details on US GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles).
US GAAP
US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
Reinsurance
An insurance company insures part of its risk via another insurance company.
Premiums written
All premiums due during the financial year arising from insurance contracts under direct insurance business, regardless of whether these premiums relate (either wholly or partially) to a later financial year. This involves (net) premiums written when reduced by the amount ceded to reinsurance companies.
Premiums
Total premiums written. All premiums from contracts written in the financial year from business acquired by the company directly and as inward reinsurance.
Associates
Associates are all the entities over which UNIQA has significant influence but does not exercise control or joint control over their financial and operating policies. This is generally the case as soon as there is a voting share of between 20 and 50 per cent or a comparable significant influence is guaranteed legally or in practice via other contractual regulations.
Equity method
Investment in associates is accounted for using this method. The value assessed corresponds with the Group’s proportional equity in these companies. In the case of shares in companies that prepare their own consolidated financial statements, their Group equity is assessed accordingly in each case. Within the scope of ongoing valuations, this value must be updated to incorporate proportional changes in equity; it is used to impute the pro rata profit on ordinary activities to the Group results.
IASs
International Accounting Standards.
Corporate governance
Corporate governance refers to the legal and factual framework for managing and monitoring companies. Corporate governance regulations are used in order to ensure transparency and thereby boost confidence in responsible company management and controls based around added value.