Unipol, 2020 profit of 864 million, maxi-dividend to shareholders

(ANSA) - MILAN, 12 FEB - The Unipol group closes 2020 with a profit of 864 million euros, down 20.5% on 2019, a year that benefited from an item of 421 million linked to the recognition of the stake in Bper.

The normalized result marks an increase of 23.6% to 905 million.

The board of directors, a note reads, has proposed a coupon of 0.28 euros per share, 55% higher than the 18 cents of 2019, after last year the company had not distributed alcundividendo, as requested by IVASS.

The result for the current year "is expected to be positive and in line with the objectives" of the plan for 2021.

    The profitability of the group was boosted by the sharp decline in claims, which allowed the non-life sector to close with a normalized pre-tax profit of 1,124 million, from 810 million in 2019, and thus offset the result for life, which achieved pre-tax profits which fell from 236 to 71 million, and the other assets (real estate, hotels, holding companies) whose pre-tax loss rose from 84 to 128 million.

    The results of the insurance subsidiary UnipolSai also did well, which closed 2020 with a net profit of 853 million, up 18.3% on 2019, and offered shareholders a dividend coupon of 0.19 euro per share, up 18.7 % In the year, premiums written fell by 12.9% to 12.2 billion, due to the decline in both non-life (-3.5% to 7.9 billion) and life (-26% to 4.3 billion) .

The health sector did well, with UniSalute which saw premiums grow by 7.7% over 2019.

   The solvency index rose sharply, rising at the end of last year to 214%, from 187% in 2019. (ANSA).