The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) signed an agreement to acquire a minority stake in Bulgaria’s Euroins Insurance Group (EIG), one of the largest independent non-life insurance groups in central, eastern and south-eastern Europe.
The EBRD is investing EUR 30 million through a capital increase, while Еurohold, the insurance group’s parent company, is providing a further equity injection of up to EUR 12 million.
Anca Ioana Ionescu, EBRD Director for Bulgaria, said: “This EBRD investment will play a key role in stabilising the insurance sector, while providing comfort to customers, regulators and suppliers.”
The funds will be used for the development and growth of the largest insurance entity within the group, Euroins Romania Asigurare Reasigurare. The financing will also support the group’s operations and growth in Georgia, Greece, North Macedonia, Poland and Ukraine.
Mark Davis, EBRD Regional Director for Romania and Bulgaria, added: “We are so pleased to be partnering with Euroins to expand high-quality, advanced and dependable insurance in Romania and across the region. We are also pleased to be engaging in parallel with Romania’s Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF) on a direct settlement process for the benefit of consumers and the insurance sector overall in Romania.”
The EBRD is working with ASF to develop new regulations for managing motor claims. Its goal is to help create a fairer system for all parties involved, including customers, workshops and insurance companies, while fostering the interest of larger global insurers and attracting capital to the sector.
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Kiril Boshov, EIG Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Еurohold’s Management Board, stated: “We are glad to welcome the EBRD, one of the major international financial institutions, as a shareholder in EIG. The participation of the Bank will further strengthen EIG’s solvency position and support its growth in markets where both EIG and the EBRD have been focusing. The investment comes at an important moment for EIG’s largest company, Euroins Romania. It marks a strategic milestone in the capitalisation our Romanian subsidiary, in which EIG has invested more than RON 300 million (EUR 60 million equivalent) in the past 12 months. Euroins Romania will therefore be able to look ahead as a well-capitalised, innovative, client-oriented and diversified insurer on the challenging local market.”
The EBRD’s investment will also help Euroins create value through enhanced corporate governance, digitalisation and diversifying products from mandatory motor insurance to those covering health, accidents, fire and property.
The EBRD is a major investor in Bulgaria, where it focuses on making local firms more competitive at home and abroad, financing modern, sustainable infrastructure and developing financial products and capital markets, given the country’s plans to adopt the euro. To date, the EBRD has invested more than EUR 4 billion in Bulgaria’s economy through almost 270 projects.
Source: EBRD
