International markets

The international premium volume of the UNIQA Group (including the savings portion from unit-linked and index-linked life insurance) fell in 2009 by 9.3% to € 1,983 million (2008: € 2,186 million) as a result of the difficult economic conditions and the negative currency developments in Eastern and South Eastern Europe. This brought the international share of Group premiums up to 34.6% (2008: 37.9%).

Including the savings portion from the unit-linked and index-linked life insurance (after reinsurance), the premiums earned decreased by 10.4% to € 1,800 million (2008: € 2,008 million). On the other hand, the retained premiums earned (according to IFRS) declined only slightly by 1.3% to € 1,697 million (2008: € 1,719 million).

The premium volume written including the savings portion of the unit- and index-linked life insurance was divided as follows among the various regions in the UNIQA Group:

Total insurance benefits in the international group companies fell slightly by 0.3% in 2009 to € 1,231 million (2008: € 1,235 million). The consolidated operating expenses less reinsurance commissions and profit shares from reinsurance business ceded remained at the level of the previous year at € 517 million (2008: € 517 million). Before consolidation based on the geographic segments (cf segment reports), the profit on ordinary activities generated by the companies in the three regions outside of Austria amounted to € 16 million (2008: € 86 million) in 2009. This decline can be attributed in particular to lower results by the companies in Italy, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary.