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Annual Report 2016

2 Information on business segments

The Group provides reinsurance and insurance throughout the world through its business segments. The business segments are determined by the organisational structure and by the way in which management reviews the operating performance of the Group.

The Group presents four core operating business segments: Property & Casualty Reinsurance, Life & Health Reinsurance, Corporate Solutions and Life Capital (which includes the former Business Unit Admin Re®). The presentation of each segment’s balance sheet is closely aligned to the segment legal entity structure. The assignment of assets and liabilities for entities that span more than one segment is determined by considering local statutory requirements, legal and other constraints, the economic view of duration and currency requirements of the reinsurance business written, and the capacity of the segments to absorb risks. Interest expense is based on the segment’s capital funding position. The tax impact of a segment is derived from the legal entity tax obligations and the segmentation of the pre-tax result. While most of the tax items can be directly attributed to individual segments, the tax which impacts two or more segments is allocated to the segments on a reasonable basis. Property & Casualty Reinsurance and Life & Health Reinsurance share the same year-to-date effective tax rate as both business segments belong to the Reinsurance Business Unit.

As of 1 January 2016, the primary life and health insurance business (individual and group) is reported in the Life Capital segment instead of the Life & Health Reinsurance segment. Comparative information for 2015 has been adjusted accordingly.

Accounting policies applied by the business segments are in line with those described in the summary of significant accounting policies (please refer to Note 1).

The Group operating segments are outlined below.

Property & Casualty Reinsurance and Life & Health Reinsurance

Reinsurance consists of two segments, Property & Casualty and Life & Health. The Reinsurance Business Unit operates globally, both through brokers and directly with clients, and provides a large range of solutions for risk and capital management. Clients include stock and mutual insurance companies as well as public sector and governmental entities. In addition to traditional reinsurance solutions, Reinsurance offers insurance-linked securities and other insurance-related capital market products in both Property & Casualty and Life & Health.

Property & Casualty includes the business lines property, casualty (including motor), and specialty. Life & Health includes the life and health lines of business.

Corporate Solutions

Corporate Solutions offers innovative insurance capacity to mid-sized and large multinational corporations across the globe. Offerings range from standard risk transfer covers and multi-line programmes, to customised solutions tailored to the needs of clients. Corporate Solutions serves customers from over 50 offices worldwide.

Life Capital

Life Capital was created on 1 January 2016 to manage Swiss Re’s primary life and health business. It comprises the closed and open life and health insurance books, including the existing ReAssure business and the existing primary life and health insurance business formerly conducted by Life & Health Reinsurance. Through ReAssure, Swiss Re acquires closed blocks of inforce life and health insurance business, either through reinsurance or corporate acquisition, and typically assumes responsibility for administering the underlying policies. The administration of the business may be managed directly or, where appropriate, in partnership with a third party.

Group items

Items not allocated to the business segments are included in the “Group items” column, which encompasses Swiss Re Ltd, the Groups’ ultimate parent company, the former Legacy business in run-off, Principal Investments and certain Treasury units. Swiss Re Ltd charges trademark licence fees to the business segments which are reported as other revenues. Certain administrative expenses of the corporate centre functions that are not recharged to the operating segments are reported as Group items.

Consolidation

Segment information is presented net of external and internal retrocession and other intra-group arrangements. The Group total is obtained after elimination of intra-group transactions in the “Consolidation” column. This includes significant intra-group reinsurance arrangements, recharge of trademark licence fees, and intersegmental funding.

a) Business segments – income statement

For the year ended 31 December

Download

2015
USD millions

Property & Casualty Reinsurance

Life & Health Reinsurance1

Corporate Solutions

Life Capital1

Group items

Consoli­dation

Total

1

As of 1 January 2016, the primary life and health insurance business (individual and group) is reported in the Life Capital segment instead of the Life & Health Reinsurance segment. Comparative information for 2015 has been adjusted accordingly.

2

Letter of credit fees of USD 45 million in Life & Health Reinsurance and USD 10 million in Property & Casualty Reinsurance have been reclassified from “Operating expenses” to “Interest expenses”.

3

The Group’s new internal service cost framework resulted in a reallocation of operating expenses to Group items from the business segments. Comparative information for 2015 has been adjusted accordingly.

Revenues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross premiums written

16 099

11 942

3 942

1 346

 

–1 080

32 249

Net premiums written

15 703

10 529

3 494

716

 

 

30 442

Change in unearned premiums

–613

38

–115

–1

 

 

–691

Premiums earned

15 090

10 567

3 379

715

 

 

29 751

Fee income from policyholders

 

49

 

414

 

 

463

Net investment income – non-participating business

1 097

1 330

135

939

–70

5

3 436

Net realised investment gains/losses – non-participating business

445

311

142

274

34

 

1 206

Net investment result – unit-linked and with-profit business

 

42

 

772

 

 

814

Other revenues

45

4

9

1

332

–347

44

Total revenues

16 677

12 303

3 665

3 115

296

–342

35 714

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Claims and claim adjustment expenses

–7 892

 

–1 955

 

–1

 

–9 848

Life and health benefits

 

–8 012

 

–1 068

 

 

–9 080

Return credited to policyholders

 

–60

 

–1 106

 

 

–1 166

Acquisition costs

–3 836

–1 965

–459

–159

 

 

–6 419

Operating expenses2,3

–1 198

–774

–734

–365

–495

318

–3 248

Total expenses before interest expenses

–12 926

–10 811

–3 148

–2 698

–496

318

–29 761

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income/loss before interest and income tax expense

3 751

1 492

517

417

–200

–24

5 953

Interest expenses2

–272

–323

–24

–16

–23

24

–634

Income/loss before income tax expense/benefit

3 479

1 169

493

401

–223

0

5 319

Income tax expense/benefit

–451

–152

–134

23

63

 

–651

Net income/loss before attribution of non-controlling interests

3 028

1 017

359

424

–160

0

4 668

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income/loss attributable to non-controlling interests

–1

 

–2

 

 

 

–3

Net income/loss after attribution of non-controlling interests

3 027

1 017

357

424

–160

0

4 665

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest on contingent capital instruments

–19

–49

 

 

 

 

–68

Net income/loss attributable to common shareholders

3 008

968

357

424

–160

0

4 597

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Claims ratio in %

52.3

 

57.9

 

 

 

53.3

Expense ratio in %

33.4

 

35.3

 

 

 

33.7

Combined ratio in %

85.7

 

93.2

 

 

 

87.0

Management expense ratio in %

 

6.5

 

 

 

 

 

Net operating margin in %

22.5

12.2

14.1

17.8

-67.6

 

17.1

Download

2016
USD millions

Property & Casualty Reinsurance

Life & Health Reinsurance

Corporate Solutions

Life Capital

Group items

Consoli­dation

Total

Revenues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross premiums written

18 149

12 801

4 155

1 489

 

–972

35 622

Net premiums written

17 768

11 459

3 662

681

 

 

33 570

Change in unearned premiums

–760

27

–159

13

 

 

–879

Premiums earned

17 008

11 486

3 503

694

 

 

32 691

Fee income from policyholders

 

41

 

499

 

 

540

Net investment income – non-participating business

985

1 279

138

1 256

101

–98

3 661

Net realised investment gains/losses – non-participating business

770

232

51

503

–72

 

1 484

Net investment result – unit-linked and with-profit business

 

15

 

5 367

 

 

5 382

Other revenues

37

5

5

1

346

–366

28

Total revenues

18 800

13 058

3 697

8 320

375

–464

43 786

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Claims and claim adjustment expenses

–10 301

 

–2 263

 

 

 

–12 564

Life and health benefits

 

–8 963

 

–1 896

 

 

–10 859

Return credited to policyholders

 

–39

 

–5 060

 

 

–5 099

Acquisition costs

–4 405

–1 943

–517

–63

 

 

–6 928

Operating expenses

–1 204

–763

–760

–503

–473

345

–3 358

Total expenses before interest expenses

–15 910

–11 708

–3 540

–7 522

–473

345

–38 808

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income/loss before interest and income tax expense

2 890

1 350

157

798

–98

–119

4 978

Interest expenses

–293

–301

–23

–29

–79

119

–606

Income/loss before income tax expense/benefit

2 597

1 049

134

769

–177

0

4 372

Income tax expense/benefit

–479

–193

–1

–131

55

 

–749

Net income/loss before attribution of non-controlling interests

2 118

856

133

638

–122

0

3 623

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income/loss attributable to non-controlling interests

1

 

2

 

 

 

3

Net income/loss after attribution of non-controlling interests

2 119

856

135

638

–122

0

3 626

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest on contingent capital instruments

–19

–49

 

 

 

 

–68

Net income/loss attributable to common shareholders

2 100

807

135

638

–122

0

3 558

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Claims ratio in %

60.5

 

64.6

 

 

 

61.2

Expense ratio in %

33.0

 

36.5

 

 

 

33.6

Combined ratio in %

93.5

 

101.1

 

 

 

94.8

Management expense ratio in %

 

6.0

 

 

 

 

 

Net operating margin in %

15.4

10.4

4.2

27.0

–26.1

 

13.0

Business segments – balance sheet

As of 31 December

Download

2015
USD millions

Property & Casualty Rein­surance

Life & Health Rein­surance1

Corporate Solutions

Life Capital1

Group items

Consoli­dation

Total

1

As of 1 January 2016, the primary life and health insurance business (individual and group) is reported in the Life Capital segment instead of the Life & Health Reinsurance segment. Comparative information for 2015 has been adjusted accordingly.

2

The Group’s new internal service cost framework resulted in a reallocation of operating expenses to Group items from the business segments. The resulted impact on the balance sheet has been adjusted accordingly for the comparative information 2015.

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fixed income securities

32 146

28 850

5 888

15 429

18

 

82 331

Equity securities

2 231

921

935

 

700

 

4 787

Other investments

12 105

1 976

162

1 524

6 077

–6 798

15 046

Short-term investments

3 458

1 052

1 256

588

1 051

 

7 405

Investments for unit-linked and with-profit business

 

818

 

27 423

 

 

28 241

Cash and cash equivalents

4 282

280

680

1 586

1 376

 

8 204

Deferred acquisition costs

2 051

3 020

387

13

 

 

5 471

Acquired present value of future profits

 

1 134

 

1 830

 

 

2 964

Reinsurance recoverable

2 872

1 652

6 438

1 069

 

–5 453

6 578

Other reinsurance assets

8 879

7 876

2 296

3 766

3

–1 241

21 579

Goodwill

1 873

1 883

106

 

 

 

3 862

Other2

8 310

5 875

934

1 213

397

–7 062

9 667

Total assets

78 207

55 337

19 082

54 441

9 622

–20 554

196 135

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unpaid claims and claim adjustment expenses

39 366

9 468

10 619

1 380

 

–5 315

55 518

Liabilities for life and health policy benefits

 

15 472

257

14 409

 

–7

30 131

Policyholder account balances

 

1 368

 

30 187

 

–133

31 422

Other reinsurance liabilities

10 597

2 202

4 178

785

3

–1 648

16 117

Short-term debt

1 001

2 612

 

 

515

–2 294

1 834

Long-term debt

4 074

8 770

496

808

 

–3 170

10 978

Other2

9 799

8 871

1 187

1 925

2 731

–7 984

16 529

Total liabilities

64 837

48 763

16 737

49 494

3 249

–20 551

162 529

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shareholders’ equity2

13 347

6 574

2 279

4 947

6 373

–3

33 517

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-controlling interests

23

 

66

 

 

 

89

Total equity

13 370

6 574

2 345

4 947

6 373

–3

33 606

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total liabilities and equity

78 207

55 337

19 082

54 441

9 622

–20 554

196 135

Download

2016
USD millions

Property & Casualty Rein­surance

Life & Health Rein­surance

Corporate Solutions

Life Capital

Group items

Consoli­dation

Total

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fixed income securities

31 574

29 980

6 361

25 350

11

 

93 276

Equity securities

1 292

867

539

 

737

 

3 435

Other investments

11 962

3 355

141

2 421

4 785

–7 446

15 218

Short-term investments

4 672

2 558

1 272

1 456

951

 

10 909

Investments for unit-linked and with-profit business

 

548

 

31 630

 

 

32 178

Cash and cash equivalents

4 922

410

472

2 636

571

 

9 011

Deferred acquisition costs

2 280

3 465

444

11

 

 

6 200

Acquired present value of future profits

 

966

 

1 037

 

 

2 003

Reinsurance recoverable

2 449

1 580

5 698

2 210

 

–4 476

7 461

Other reinsurance assets

9 620

6 369

2 616

3 949

4

–1 104

21 454

Goodwill

1 852

1 810

173

130

 

 

3 965

Other

8 640

4 049

1 279

1 470

1 181

–6 664

9 955

Total assets

79 263

55 957

18 995

72 300

8 240

–19 690

215 065

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unpaid claims and claim adjustment expenses

39 753

10 288

10 271

1 498

 

–4 455

57 355

Liabilities for life and health policy benefits

 

15 431

268

25 499

 

–22

41 176

Policyholder account balances

 

1 566

 

32 788

 

 

34 354

Other reinsurance liabilities

10 816

1 709

4 310

684

2

–1 435

16 086

Short-term debt

1 202

5 221

 

80

431

–5 370

1 564

Long-term debt

3 307

5 074

497

1 465

80

–636

9 787

Other

11 124

9 106

1 370

3 014

2 183

–7 770

19 027

Total liabilities

66 202

48 395

16 716

65 028

2 696

–19 688

179 349

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shareholders’ equity

13 040

7 562

2 218

7 272

5 544

–2

35 634

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-controlling interests

21

 

61

 

 

 

82

Total equity

13 061

7 562

2 279

7 272

5 544

–2

35 716

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total liabilities and equity

79 263

55 957

18 995

72 300

8 240

–19 690

215 065

b) Property & Casualty Reinsurance business segment – by line of business

For the year ended 31 December

Download

2015
USD millions

Property

Casualty

Specialty

Unallocated

Total

1

Letter of credit fees of USD 10 million in Property & Casualty Reinsurance have been reclassified from “Operating expenses” to “Interest expenses”.

2

The Group’s new internal service cost framework resulted in a reallocation of operating expenses to Group Items from the Property & Casualty Reinsurance segment. Comparative information for 2015 has been adjusted accordingly.

Revenues

 

 

 

 

 

Gross premiums written

6 733

6 802

2 564

 

16 099

Net premiums written

6 436

6 767

2 500

 

15 703

Change in unearned premiums

–344

–165

–104

 

–613

Premiums earned

6 092

6 602

2 396

 

15 090

Net investment income

 

 

 

1 097

1 097

Net realised investment gains/losses

 

 

 

445

445

Other revenues

 

 

 

45

45

Total revenues

6 092

6 602

2 396

1 587

16 677

 

 

 

 

 

 

Expenses

 

 

 

 

 

Claims and claim adjustment expenses

–2 567

–4 139

–1 186

 

–7 892

Acquisition costs

–1 198

–2 053

–585

 

–3 836

Operating expenses1,2

–664

–385

–149

 

–1 198

Total expenses before interest expenses

–4 429

–6 577

–1 920

0

–12 926

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income before interest and income tax expense

1 663

25

476

1 587

3 751

Interest expenses1

 

 

 

–272

–272

Income before income tax expense

1 663

25

476

1 315

3 479

 

 

 

 

 

 

Claims ratio in %

42.1

62.7

49.5

 

52.3

Expense ratio in %

30.6

36.9

30.6

 

33.4

Combined ratio in %

72.7

99.6

80.1

 

85.7

Download

2016
USD millions

Property

Casualty

Specialty

Unallocated

Total

Revenues

 

 

 

 

 

Gross premiums written

6 794

8 874

2 481

 

18 149

Net premiums written

6 499

8 833

2 436

 

17 768

Change in unearned premiums

153

–830

–83

 

–760

Premiums earned

6 652

8 003

2 353

 

17 008

Net investment income

 

 

 

985

985

Net realised investment gains/losses

 

 

 

770

770

Other revenues

 

 

 

37

37

Total revenues

6 652

8 003

2 353

1 792

18 800

 

 

 

 

 

 

Expenses

 

 

 

 

 

Claims and claim adjustment expenses

–3 745

–5 466

–1 090

 

–10 301

Acquisition costs

–1 351

–2 468

–586

 

–4 405

Operating expenses

–665

–385

–154

 

–1 204

Total expenses before interest expenses

–5 761

–8 319

–1 830

0

–15 910

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income/loss before interest and income tax expense

891

–316

523

1 792

2 890

Interest expenses

 

 

 

–293

–293

Income/loss before income tax expense

891

–316

523

1 499

2 597

 

 

 

 

 

 

Claims ratio in %

56.3

68.3

46.4

 

60.5

Expense ratio in %

30.3

35.6

31.4

 

33.0

Combined ratio in %

86.6

103.9

77.8

 

93.5

c) Life & Health Reinsurance business segment – by line of business

For the year ended 31 December

Download

2015
USD millions

Life

Health

Unallocated

Total1

1

As of 1 January 2016, the primary life and health insurance business (individual and group) is reported in the Life Capital segment instead of the Life & Health Reinsurance segment. Comparative information for 2015 has been adjusted accordingly.

2

Letter of credit fees of USD 45 million in Life & Health Reinsurance have been reclassified from “Operating expenses” to “Interest expenses”.

3

The Group’s new internal service cost framework resulted in a reallocation of operating expenses to Group items from the Life & Health Reinsurance segment. Comparative information for 2015 has been adjusted accordingly.

4

Net operating margin is calculated as “Income before interest and income tax expense” divided by “Total revenues” excluding “Net investment result – unit-linked and with-profit business”.

Revenues

 

 

 

 

Gross premiums written

8 333

3 609

 

11 942

Net premiums written

7 048

3 481

 

10 529

Change in unearned premiums

36

2

 

38

Premiums earned

7 084

3 483

 

10 567

Fee income from policyholders

49

 

 

49

Net investment income – non-participating business

865

465

 

1 330

Net realised investment gains/losses – non-participating business

89

42

180

311

Net investment result – unit-linked and with-profit business

42

 

 

42

Other revenues

2

2

 

4

Total revenues

8 131

3 992

180

12 303

 

 

 

 

 

Expenses

 

 

 

 

Life and health benefits

–5 539

–2 473

 

–8 012

Return credited to policyholders

–60

 

 

–60

Acquisition costs

–1 260

–705

 

–1 965

Operating expenses2,3

–547

–227

 

–774

Total expenses before interest expenses

–7 406

–3 405

0

–10 811

 

 

 

 

 

Income before interest and income tax expense

725

587

180

1 492

Interest expenses2

 

 

–323

–323

Income/loss before income tax expense

725

587

–143

1 169

 

 

 

 

 

Management expense ratio in %

6.8

5.7

 

6.5

Net operating margin4 in %

9.0

14.7

 

12.2

Download

2016
USD millions

Life

Health

Unallocated

Total

1

Net operating margin is calculated as “Income before interest and income tax expense” divided by “Total revenues” excluding “Net investment result – unit-linked and with-profit business”.

Revenues

 

 

 

 

Gross premiums written

9 026

3 775

 

12 801

Net premiums written

7 773

3 686

 

11 459

Change in unearned premiums

5

22

 

27

Premiums earned

7 778

3 708

 

11 486

Fee income from policyholders

41

 

 

41

Net investment income – non-participating business

828

451

 

1 279

Net realised investment gains/losses – non-participating business

21

–4

215

232

Net investment result – unit-linked and with-profit business

15

 

 

15

Other revenues

5

 

 

5

Total revenues

8 688

4 155

215

13 058

 

 

 

 

 

Expenses

 

 

 

 

Life and health benefits

–6 093

–2 870

 

–8 963

Return credited to policyholders

–39

 

 

–39

Acquisition costs

–1 237

–706

 

–1 943

Operating expenses

–536

–227

 

–763

Total expenses before interest expenses

–7 905

–3 803

0

–11 708

 

 

 

 

 

Income before interest and income tax expense

783

352

215

1 350

Interest expenses

 

 

–301

–301

Income/loss before income tax expense

783

352

–86

1 049

 

 

 

 

 

Management expense ratio in %

6.2

5.5

 

6.0

Net operating margin1 in %

9.0

8.5

 

10.4

d) Net premiums earned and fee income from policyholders by geography

Net premiums earned and fee income from policyholders by regions for the years ended 31 December

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USD millions

2015

2016

Americas

13 230

15 102

Europe (including Middle East and Africa)

10 333

10 928

Asia-Pacific

6 651

7 201

Total

30 214

33 231

Net premiums earned and fee income from policyholders by country for the years ended 31 December

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USD millions

2015

2016

United States

10 259

12 401

United Kingdom

3 516

3 759

China

2 516

2 425

Australia

1 639

1 919

Germany

1 217

1 200

Canada

1 190

1 107

Japan

960

1 105

Switzerland

745

902

Ireland

782

754

France

755

733

Republic of Korea

466

498

Other

6 169

6 428

Total

30 214

33 231

Net premiums earned and fee income from policyholders are allocated by country based on the underlying contract.