Zurich and Farmers Exchanges to buy MetLife’s property and casualty business in U.S.
- Zurich subsidiary Farmers Group, Inc. and Farmers Exchanges1 agree to acquire MetLife’s U.S. property and casualty business for USD 3.94 billion2
- Transaction to give Farmers Exchanges1 nationwide presence and access to new distribution channels that provide strong platform for accelerated growth
- Purchase to further increase Zurich’s stable, fee-based earnings streams and add to earnings from first full year after completion
- Acquisition expected to support delivery of Zurich’s growth targets for 2022
Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) subsidiary Farmers Group, Inc. (FGI) has agreed to acquire MetLife’s property and casualty (P&C) business in the U.S. together with the Farmers Exchanges1 for USD 3.94 billion2. Zurich will contribute USD 2.43 billion through FGI and the Farmers Exchanges1 USD 1.51 billion.
The transaction gives the Farmers Exchanges1 a truly nationwide presence and access to new distribution channels with the potential to accelerate growth. This includes a 10-year exclusive distribution agreement through which the Farmers Exchanges1 will offer their personal lines products on MetLife’s industry-leading U.S. Group Benefits platform, which today reaches 3,800 companies and 37 million employees.
Farmers Exchanges1 expects to become the sixth-largest personal lines insurer in the U.S. with access to MetLife’s network of agents. The business to be acquired includes 2.4 million policies, USD 3.6 billion net written premiums in 2019 and 3,500 employees.
“The acquisition significantly increases the potential for growth at the Farmers Exchanges and will further boost the share of Zurich’s profits linked to stable fee-based earnings,” said Zurich Group Chief Executive Officer Mario Greco. “Together with the continued increase in rates in commercial insurance, this transaction will strengthen our ability to achieve our 2022 targets.”
”The acquisition of MetLife’s P&C business is a unique opportunity to accelerate growth and to achieve a significant presence in all 50 states,” said Jeff Dailey, Chief Executive Officer of Farmers Group, Inc. “MetLife’s distribution channels complement the Farmers Exchanges’ existing strength in the exclusive agent channel, deepen their presence in the fast-growing independent agent channel and provides entry into the worksite marketing channel via a leading platform, with the 10-year exclusive distribution agreement through MetLife Group Benefits.”
The acquisition is expected to contribute to Zurich’s earnings from the first full year after completion and is expected to deliver Zurich a return on investment of approximately 10% from 2023.
Zurich expects to fund Farmers Group, Inc.’s portion of the acquisition through a roughly equal combination of internal resources and hybrid debt. Following the transaction, Zurich’s capital position is expected to remain strong with the pro-forma Swiss Solvency Test ratio3 as of September 30, 2020, at around 190%.
Completion of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is anticipated to occur in the second quarter of 2021. The purchase price is subject to certain adjustments.
1 Zurich Insurance Group has no ownership interest in the Farmers Exchanges. Farmers Group, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Zurich Insurance Group, provides certain non-claims services and ancillary services to the Farmers Exchanges as its attorney-in-fact and receives fees for its services.
2 As part of the transaction, FGI acquires 100% of the MetLife U.S. P&C business and immediately sells the U.S. P&C business less certain assets and liabilities to the Farmers Exchanges. Further details of the structure of the transaction are available on slide 5 of an investor presentation on our website.
3 Estimated Swiss Solvency Test ratio, after application of standard yield curves as allowed by FINMA.
Further information
An investor presentation will be available from 06:00 CET on our webpage.
Q&A session for media
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Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) is a leading multi-line insurer that serves its customers in global and local markets. With about 55,000 employees, it provides a wide range of property and casualty, and life insurance products and services in more than 215 countries and territories. Zurich’s customers include individuals, small businesses, and mid-sized and large companies, as well as multinational corporations. The Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was founded in 1872. The holding company, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (ZURN), is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and has a level I American Depositary Receipt (ZURVY) program, which is traded over-the-counter on OTCQX. Further information about Zurich is available at www.zurich.com.
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Certain statements in this document are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements that are predictions of or indicate future events, trends, plans or objectives of Zurich Insurance Group Ltd or the Zurich Insurance Group (the Group). Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the Group’s targeted profit, return on equity targets, expenses, pricing conditions, dividend policy and underwriting and claims results, as well as statements regarding the Group’s understanding of general economic, financial and insurance market conditions and expected developments. Undue reliance should not be placed on such statements because, by their nature, they are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and can be affected by other factors that could cause actual results and plans and objectives of Zurich Insurance Group Ltd or the Group to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements (or from past results). Factors such as (i) general economic conditions and competitive factors, particularly in key markets; (ii) the risk of a global economic downturn, in the financial services industries in particular; (iii) performance of financial markets; (iv) levels of interest rates and currency exchange rates; (v) frequency, severity and development of insured claims events; (vi) mortality and morbidity experience; (vii) policy renewal and lapse rates; (viii) increased litigation activity and regulatory actions; and (ix) changes in laws and regulations and in the policies of regulators may have a direct bearing on the results of operations of Zurich Insurance Group Ltd and its Group and on whether the targets will be achieved. Specifically in relation with the COVID-19 related statements, such statements were made on the basis of circumstances prevailing at a certain time and on the basis of specific terms and conditions (in particular applicable exclusions) of insurance policies as written and interpreted by the Group and may be subject to regulatory, legislative, governmental and litigation-related developments affecting the extent of potential losses covered by a member of the Group or potentially exposing the Group to additional losses if terms or conditions are retroactively amended by way of legislative or regulatory action. Zurich Insurance Group Ltd undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any of these forward-looking statements, whether to reflect new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise.
All references to “Farmers Exchanges” mean Farmers Insurance Exchange, Fire Insurance Exchange, Truck Insurance Exchange and their subsidiaries and affiliates. The three Exchanges are California domiciled inter-insurance exchanges owned by their policyholders with governance oversight by their Boards of Governors. Farmers Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries are appointed as the attorneys-in-fact for the Farmers Exchanges and in that capacity provide certain non-claims services and ancillary services to the Farmers Exchanges. Neither Farmers Group, Inc., nor its parent companies, Zurich Insurance Company Ltd and Zurich Insurance Group Ltd, have any ownership interest in the Farmers Exchanges. Financial information about the Farmers Exchanges is proprietary to the Farmers Exchanges, but is provided to support an understanding of the performance of Farmers Group, Inc. and Farmers Reinsurance Company.
It should be noted that past performance is not a guide to future performance. Please also note that interim results are not necessarily indicative of full year results.
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THIS COMMUNICATION DOES NOT CONTAIN AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE IN THE UNITED STATES; SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES ABSENT REGISTRATION OR EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION, AND ANY PUBLIC OFFERING OF SECURITIES TO BE MADE IN THE UNITED STATES WILL BE MADE BY MEANS OF A PROSPECTUS THAT MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ISSUER AND THAT WILL CONTAIN DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY AND MANAGEMENT, AS WELL AS FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.