Record Full-Year Profit and ROE
Net earnings increased almost 8% to EUR 6.1 billion for FY2025. Return on equity rose to 18.3%, outperforming peers and above cost of capital; management expects ROE above 18% entering Ambition 2030.
Ambition 2025 Delivered — Strong Capital Returns
Ambition 2025 targets were overdelivered; dividend per share increased by 20% to EUR 24 for 2025 and share buybacks raised to EUR 2.25 billion (program through AGM next year). Management will return almost 90% of earnings (payout ratio above 80% and announced distributions ~87% of IFRS earnings).
Very Strong Solvency and Capital Position
Solvency II ratio increased to ~298–300%, well above 200% target; distributable HGB earnings stock > EUR 10 billion and HGB result EUR 5.5 billion, providing flexibility for capital repatriation and strategic optionality.
Excellent P&C Reinsurance Underwriting Performance
Headline combined ratio for P&C reinsurance improved to an all-time low of 73.5% supported by benign major losses; normalized combined ratio (after added prudence) was 80.1% for the year, slightly above guidance but reflecting deliberate conservative actions.
Global Specialty Insurance (GSI) Strong Execution
GSI delivered excellent underlying results with a full-year combined ratio of 85.9% and Q4 combined ratio of 86.4%; GSI net income ~EUR 560 million and management reiterated 5%–9% organic CAGR target to 2030 (target excludes M&A).
Life & Health Reinsurance Momentum and CSM Growth
Total technical result for Life & Health Re reached EUR 1.7 billion (FY2025) meeting guidance; contractual service margin (CSM) above EUR 15 billion (≈40% increase since end-2022) with ~7% release to earnings annually; management expects total technical result to rise >10% to EUR 1.9 billion in 2026.
ERGO Performance and International Expansion
ERGO met guidance with strong net earnings; German P&C combined ratio improved to 89% (technical focus) and ERGO International now ~30% of revenue with growth aided by the acquisition of NEXT Insurance and portfolio expansion in Poland, Belgium and Thailand.
Investment Performance and Active Management
Full-year group return on investment was 3.2% (versus guidance ≥3%); Q4 ROI 2.8%. Active management added >30 basis points to group ROI. Management deliberately realized ~EUR 0.8 billion disposal losses in fixed income to shift into higher-yielding assets and reinvest at higher running yields (reinvestment yield reported ~3.8%).
Sustainability and Diversity Targets Achieved
Non-financial Ambition 2025 targets were met and exceeded: greenhouse gas reduction roadmaps across investments, insurance and operations outperformed, and 40.5% of leadership positions filled by women (target was 40%).
Forward Guidance and Growth Ambitions
2026 financial targets confirmed: projected net income EUR 6.3 billion and expected EPS CAGR of >8% (driven by less cyclical segments — Life & Health Re, GSI, ERGO — with muted P&C reinsurance contribution).