Insurer Aviva has notched up a record performance for its savings and retirement business and its highest general insurance sales for a decade thanks to trends in the pandemic. It also posted a 4% rise in core general insurance gross written premiums to £4 billion in the three months to the end of March, with commercial business surging 11%. Aviva said its combined operating ratio – a measure of underwriting profitability – improved significantly, with a fall to 90.6% from 118.7% a year earlier. “Eight disposals, worth £7.5 billion in total, means the group is now more focused on its core markets of the UK and Canada. “That should fund a hefty return to shareholders; exactly how and of what size remains to be seen.”

Source: Irish Independent May 27, 2021 08:26 UTC