Hiscox Ltd full year results
For the year ended 31 December 2022
"Delivering on our strategic priorities"
| 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross premiums written | $4,424.9m | $4,269.2m |
| Net premiums earned | $2,928.2m | $2,919.9m |
| Underwriting profit | $269.5m | $215.6m |
| Profit before tax | $44.7m | $190.8m |
| Earnings per share | 12.1¢ | 55.3¢ |
| Total ordinary dividend per share for the year | 36.0¢ | 34.5¢ |
| Net asset value per share | 701.2¢ | 739.8¢ |
| Group combined ratio | 90.6% | 93.2% |
| Return on equity | 1.7% | 8.1% |
| Investment return | (2.6)% | 0.7% |
| Positive prior year development | $239.1m | $148.9m |
Highlights
- Gross premiums written increased by 3.6% to $4,424.9 million (2021: $4,269.2 million), helped by an attractive rate environment across the Group, despite FX headwinds from a strengthening US Dollar.
- Strong underwriting profit of $269.5 million (2021: $215.6 million), the highest since 2015, up 25.0% on prior period, notwithstanding another year of elevated large natural catastrophe and man-made losses. Group combined ratio of 90.6% achieved.
- Hiscox Retail achieved a combined ratio of 94.8%, which returns the segment to the 90%-95% combined ratio range, a year ahead of the stated target, and we expect to operate within this range going forward[1].
- Hiscox Retail gross premiums written increased 5.1% in constant currency to $2,272.1 million (2021: $2,290.0 million), driven by strong growth in our commercial business. On a go-forward basis[2], Hiscox Retail grew 6.6% in constant currency.
- Europe continued to grow strongly, up 13.6% year-on-year in constant currency, now passing the €500 million milestone.
- A year of transition for Hiscox USA, as the business delivered two major change initiatives – repositioning of the broker portfolio which completed in the first half of the year and re-platforming of the digital partnerships and direct (DPD) business, which is now substantially complete. Excluding the impact of the former, Hiscox USA grew 5.6% year-on-year.
- As a result of platform migration the US DPD business grew 9.7%, as previously guided. As the partnership business embeds on the new technology, growth will continue to be temporarily moderated with a subdued first quarter before building momentum towards the middle of the 5% to 15% range in 2023. Once the embedding of the partnership business is complete, growth is expected to accelerate, with no change to longer-term growth expectations.
- The completion of the two change initiatives in the US combined with ongoing good growth in Europe and improving momentum in Hiscox UK means Hiscox Retail growth is expected to trend towards the middle of the 5% to 15% range in 2023.
- In Hiscox London Market, our focus continues to be on disciplined growth and building balanced portfolios at attractive returns.
- Gross premiums written declined 4.8% to $1,114.9 million (2021: $1,171.4 million), mainly due to the underwriting actions taken on the property binder portfolio. The attractive rating environment means London Market is expected to grow gross premiums written in 2023.
- A strong combined ratio of 84.8% (2021: 89.1%) represents a 4.3 percentage points improvement on the prior year, after absorbing net losses from Hurricane Ian ($40 million) and Ukraine ($34 million). The business is building a strong track record of profitability with a third consecutive year of delivering a combined ratio in the 80% range.
- In Hiscox Re & ILS strong top-line growth is underpinned by ILS inflows in H1 2022 and an improving underwriting and rating environment.
- Gross premiums written up 28.5% to $1,037.9 million, crossing the $1 billion milestone for the first time (2021: $807.8 million).
- Combined ratio of 81.6% (2021: 68.0%) after absorbing Hurricane Ian ($90 million) net losses.
- As a result of deploying organic capital at 1/1 2023 renewals, Re & ILS’s January 2023 net premiums written were up 49% year-on-year.
- No material change to previously announced Group net losses from Hurricane Ian ($135 million) and the Russia/Ukraine conflict ($48 million).
- Conservatively reserved with a 8.9% margin above actuarial best estimate (2021: 11.7%). As uncertainty on prior-period losses reduced, we have moderated the margin to be at the upper end of the 5% - 10% range.
- Completed two legacy portfolio transactions (LPT) in 2022. Overall 23% of 2019 and prior years’ gross reserves are reinsured up to a 1-in-200 downside risk through a total of four LPTs executed over the last two years.
- Deploying additional organically generated capital into the highly attractive reinsurance market, while remaining strongly capitalised with estimated Bermuda Solvency Capital Requirement (BSCR) of 197%.
- Investment result loss of $187.3 million (2021: profit of $51.2 million), primarily due to unrealised mark-to-market losses in our bond portfolio which are expected to unwind as the bonds mature. Bond reinvestment yield of 5.1% at 31 December 2022 (up from 1.0% at 31 December 2021) represents significant upside for 2023. The investment portfolio remains defensively positioned with short duration and 93% of fixed income portfolio in investment grade bonds.
- Final dividend of 24.0¢ per share.
[1] Under IFRS 4.
[2] Adjusted for the reduction in gross premiums written in the US broker channel business over the course of 2021 and in the first half of 2022 to strategically reshape the portfolio towards smaller business customers with revenues below $100 million.
Aki Hussain, Group Chief Executive Officer, Hiscox Ltd, commented:
“I am very pleased with the progress made across the Group during 2022, as we delivered the strongest underwriting result in seven years. We have a refined strategy, a new experienced and energetic leadership team, we have made significant progress in rolling out new-generation technology in the USA and Europe and we are enjoying our highest employee engagement scores in ten years.
“The outlook for 2023 is very positive. We are facing favourable market conditions in all of our key markets; our talented teams supported by a strong balance sheet and financial flexibility are set to make the most of the significant opportunities ahead.
ENDS
A conference call for investors and analysts will be held at 10:00 GMT on Wednesday, 8 March 2023.
Participant dial-in numbers:
United Kingdom (Local): 020 3936 2999
All other locations: +44 20 3936 2999
Participant access code: 864230
Inside information
This announcement contains inside information.
The person responsible for arranging and authorising the release of this announcement on behalf of the Company is Marc Wetherhill, Group Company Secretary and General Counsel.
For further information
Investors and analysts
Yana O’Sullivan, Director of Investor Relations, London +44 (0)20 3321 5598
Marc Wetherhill, Group Company Secretary, Bermuda +1 441 278 8300
Media
Kylie O’Connor, Director of Communications, London +44 (0)20 7448 6656
Tom Burns, Brunswick +44 (0)20 7404 5959
Simone Selzer, Brunswick +44 (0)20 7404 5959
Notes to editors
About The Hiscox Group
Hiscox is a global specialist insurer, headquartered in Bermuda and listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE:HSX). Our ambition is to be a respected specialist insurer with a diverse portfolio by product and geography. We believe that building balance between catastrophe-exposed business and less volatile local specialty business gives us opportunities for profitable growth throughout the insurance cycle.
The Hiscox Group employs over 3,000 people in 14 countries, and has customers worldwide. Through the retail businesses in the UK, Europe, Asia and the USA, we offer a range of specialist insurance for professionals and business customers as well as homeowners. Internationally traded, bigger ticket business and reinsurance is underwritten through Hiscox London Market and Hiscox Re & ILS.
Our values define our business, with a focus on people, courage, ownership and integrity. We pride ourselves on being true to our word and our award-winning claims service is testament to that. For more information, visit www.hiscoxgroup.com.
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