ARAG Group remains on solid growth course in 2022
Profitable insurance business more than offsets lower investment result
Key Business Figures
ARAG Holding SE (in million €) |
2022 |
+/- |
2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenues including sales of service companies | 2,240.9 | 9.7 % | 2,042.6 |
| Gross written premiums | 2,199.4 | 9.0 % | 2,017.4 |
| Expenditures for insurance claims for own account | 1,089.9 | 6.1 % | 1,027.0 |
| Claims ratio | 50.2 % | – 1.5 % pts. | 51.7 % |
| Costs of insurance business for own acct. | 791.4 | 6.3 % | 744.7 |
| Cost ratio | 36.5 % | – 1.0 % pts. | 37.5 % |
| Underwriting result for own acct. | 157.8 | 33.5 % | 118.2 |
| Income from capital investments | 52.0 | – 35.2 % | 80.3 |
| Profit on ordinary activities | 97.3 | 12.2 % | 86.7 |
| Group net income | 43.5 | 15.0 % | 37.9 |
The ARAG Group again increased its gross premium income in 2022 by 9 percent, with € 182 million to a good € 2.2 billion. The Group's total revenues – including those of the service companies – exceeded € 2.2 billion. The underwriting result continued to expand strongly, rising by 33.5 percent to just under € 158 million. The result from ordinary activities was € 97.3 million. "We are meeting the needs of our customers. This is not only achieved selectively, but applies to the entire enterprise with all segments. ARAG is growing dynamically, while at the same time improving its earnings and using the profits to invest in personnel, technology and to strengthen its solvency," explained Dr. Renko Dirksen, Speaker of the Board of Management of ARAG SE, at the presentation of the ARAG Group's balance sheet.
The ARAG Group continued to expand its business in 2022. In the German market, strong demand for legal insurance and health insurance continued unchanged. Premium income rose by 8.2 percent to around € 1.3 billion. The international ARAG units delivered 10 percent more revenue and increased their premiums to € 907.2 million. At the end of 2022, the ARAG Group had a total of around 12 million policies in its portfolio. The Group's combined ratio improved to 86.7 percent from 89.2 percent in 2021, while claims expenses rose to € 1.09 billion from € 1.03 billion in the previous year. Despite strong premium growth, the Group claims ratio decreased from 51.7 percent to 50.2 percent. The costs ratio also decreased, from 37.5 percent to 36.5 percent. Due to the development of the financial markets in 2022, the investment result of € 52 million was clearly lower than in the previous year (€ 80.3 million). However, the Group compensated for this decline with its very good technical results: Income from ordinary activities rose to € 97.2 million, showing a 12.2 percent increase on the previous year (€ 86.7 million).
The continued high premium growth is primarily attributable to the strong legal insurance segment – the largest unit in the Group. This grew by 5.9 percent in the German market and by 7.5 percent in international business. The health insurance segment again delivered a strong growth impulse of 12.7 percent and is now the largest ARAG business unit in the German market. The composite segment also achieved a significant premium increase of 12.2 percent.
Current fiscal year 2023 off to another very good start
In 2023, the Group's dynamic development of recent years is continuing. Total premium income in the first quarter again increased significantly by 11.5 percent to € 712.3 million (previous year: € 638 million). Business in Germany grew by 9.5 percent. Health insurance contributed a particularly high increase of 16 percent. International business also grew significantly by 14.4 percent.
"Experience shows: When things are going really well in companies, it pays to be very alert. That is why it is extremely important for the ARAG management team to ensure the successes of the future today," emphasized Dr. Renko Dirksen. The new ARAG 5➤30 future program plays a key role in this, he said. The five core fields of action range from the goal of growing to € 3 billion in premium revenues by 2030, to increasing customer and employee satisfaction, to the major challenges of sustainable and digital transformation. "ARAG 5➤30 is our response to a new phase of global uncertainty. We have consciously decided against driving by sight – as may be the case with other companies. Particularly in difficult times, it is necessary to set a clear course," emphasized the Speaker of the Board.