Poland’s Insurance Sector 2020 – Growing Profitability and Positive Outlook

Warszawa, Poland, January 01, 2020 –(PR.com)– Poland has a large insurance sector with nearly €15 billion in premium written p.a. and it holds a leading position within the CEE14 region with a nearly 40% share. Premiums in the non-life insurance segment in Poland jumped by 7% and 3% in 2018 and 1H 2019 respectively and it is expected to top PLN 42 billion by year-end 2019. By contrast, the premium in the life segment continued to decline, falling by nearly 12% in 2018 and going down again by another 3% in 1H 2019.

Recent years have been particularly challenging for life insurers as the regulatory developments and disclosure rules have changed the way life insurance products are distributed. This led to significant changes in market shares as less adaptive players lost market share while more flexible players reinforced their position. Increasing regulatory pressure has also triggered market consolidation. After multiple M&A transactions recorded in 2018, there are new deals upcoming with the recently speculated withdrawal of AXA. The ongoing consolidation in the insurance sector is for sure taking out some pressure from the market in terms of pricing and tariffs as well it is helping to increase the scale of operations for survivors.

Both, life and non-life insurers have seen improving profitability in 2018 and the first half of 2019. This has been primarily an effect of increasing automation and better cost control. The combined ratio for non-life insurers (CR) remained below 90% on average while it stood below 96% in both TPL and Casco car insurance. The overall net profit of non-life insurers increased to 4.2 billion as of 2018. Similarly, a favorable trend in profitability could be observed within the life insurance sector. Despite falling premiums, life insurers managed to improve the bottom line to PLN 2.4 billion.

The mid-term outlook for insurers operating in Poland remains positive, although there are challenges ahead. Within the non-life segment, further automation of processes and a more advanced risk assessment will be key to offering attractive prices and staying ahead of the competition. Within the life insurance segment, the premium income is expected to stabilize as insurers will adjust their product and service portfolio to a new regulatory regime.

For more information on recent developments in the Polish insurance sector, please refer to the publication “Insurance Market in Poland, 2019-2021” at:
http://www.inteliace.com/en/00175_Insurance_market_in_Poland_2019_2021.html

About The Report
“Insurance Market in Poland, 2019-2021” is the latest update of our comprehensive publication about the banking sector in Poland. It describes the present market structure and recent trends in the market and also provides short-term estimates of key banking through 2021. When preparing this report, Inteliace Research responded to feedback received from its clients. Compared to the previous edition, it has been fully revised and updated.

About Inteliace Research
Inteliace Research is an independent consulting company that focuses on the financial markets in Central and Eastern Europe. Inteliace Research specializes in management consulting and custom research services, including market-entry strategies, product launches, and performance and benchmarking analyses.

During 2005–2019, Inteliace Research provided its products and services to more than 70 clients, including major CEE insurers and banks. To learn more about the company, visit Inteliace Research’s webpage: www.inteliace.com.