Zurich grows strongly; Farmers business transformation accelerates and delivers excellent results
- Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance revenue up 12% on a like-for-like1 basis.
- Life continues to grow in protection and unit-linked, driving strong revenue growth in short-term insurance and fee business as well as higher new business margin.
- Farmers Management Services (FMS) achieves 6% growth in underlying fee income2, well above the average annual growth rate of the last 10 years. Farmers Exchanges3 surplus ratio is at 36.2% following outstanding combined ratio supported by expense improvements.
- Strong capital position with Swiss Solvency Test (SST) ratio estimated at 232%4 as of March 31, 2024.
- Previously announced share buyback to start as planned in the next few weeks.
Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) delivered a strong performance in the first three months of 2024, continuing to profitably grow the top line and maintaining the positive momentum built on the record results achieved in 2023.
Ongoing growth in both our P&C and Life portfolios, combined with improved margins in Retail P&C, confirms the strength of our diversified business model. Farmers continues to show impressive results with Farmers Management Services reaching 6% growth in underlying fee income, well on track to meet or exceed the guidance of mid-single digit growth for the year.
Claudia Cordioli, Group Chief Financial Officer
Year-on-year changes on a like-for-like basis1, for the three months ended March 31, 2024
(For a more comprehensive set of financial highlights see full media release in PDF)
P&C
Life
Farmers
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1 Like-for-like comparisons represent the change in local currencies and after adjusting for acquisitions and disposals, the reclassification of Zurich Global Employee Benefits Solutions from Group Functions and Operations to Life, and for the impact of a Life portfolio accounted for with the premium allocation approach in Q1-24 (previously accounted for with the building block approach).
2 Reflects Farmers Management Services management fees excluding the reimbursement of certain ancillary service costs that are BOP neutral.
3 Zurich Insurance Group has no ownership interest in the Farmers Exchanges. Farmers Group, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Group, provides certain non-claims services and ancillary services to the Farmers Exchanges as its attorney-in-fact and receives fees for its services.
4 Estimated Swiss Solvency Test (SST) ratio as of March 31, 2024, calculated based on the Group’s internal model approved by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA. The SST ratio as of January 1 has to be filed with FINMA by end of April each year and is subject to review by FINMA.
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Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) is a leading multi-line insurer serving people and businesses in more than 200 countries and territories. Founded over 150 years ago, Zurich is transforming insurance. In addition to providing insurance protection, Zurich is increasingly offering prevention services such as those that promote wellbeing and enhance climate resilience.
Reflecting its purpose to ‘create a brighter future together,’ Zurich aspires to be one of the most responsible and impactful businesses in the world. It is targeting net-zero emissions by 2050 and has the highest-possible ESG rating from MSCI. In 2020, Zurich launched the Zurich Forest project to support reforestation and biodiversity restoration in Brazil.
The Group has about 60,000 employees and is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. 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 is available at www.zurich.com.
Disclaimer and cautionary statement
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. 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 interinsurance 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 three 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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