CGNU plc (“CGNU”) announces that it has reached a bancassurance agreement with Caja España, Spain’s tenth-largest savings bank . This new partnership further enhances CGNU’s strong position in the Spanish long-term savings market where bancassurance accounts for over 80% of new business sales.
CGNU plc (“CGNU”) announces that it has reached a bancassurance agreement with Caja Espańa, Spain’s tenth- largest savings bank*. This new partnership further enhances CGNU’s strong position in the Spanish long-term savings market where bancassurance accounts for over 80% of new business sales.
The alliance with Caja Espańa is part of CGNU’s ambition to create a nationwide bancassurance network in Spain and builds upon CGNU’s existing bancassurance partnerships with leading Spanish savings banks Bancaja, Unicaja, and Caixa Galicia.
CGNU will acquire 50% of the share capital and take management control of Caja Espańa’s life and pensions subsidiary, Caja Espańa Vida. The inclusion of Caja Espańa’s network of 535 branches and 1.3 million customers will build CGNU’s bancassurance network to more than 3,000 branches and provide access to approximately 8 million potential customers, strengthening its position as the fourth-largest banking distribution network. CGNU now has a strong presence in regions that account for approximately 70% of Spanish GDP.
Caja Espańa is the leading financial institution in the region of Castilla y León (central Spain), where it has market shares of 17% and 21% in loans and deposits respectively. Less than 3% of CGNU’s existing network is located in Castilla y León and the partnership provides excellent geographic fit. Caja Espańa has aggressive expansion plans to increase its branch network over the next ten years that will also complement the growth of the other partners.
As with CGNU’s existing bancassurance relationships in Spain, Caja Espańa will utilise CGNU’s manufacturing base, Aseval, one of Spain’s most efficient bancassurance platforms, to secure further economies of scale for CGNU and its partners.
The initial consideration for CGNU’s 50% stake in Caja Espańa Vida is Ł88 million** payable in cash. This will be subject to adjustment depending on the future performance of Caja Espańa Vida. Similar to Unicaja and Caixa Galicia, Caja Espańa’s insurance operations are in an early stage of development. Accordingly, the price paid reflects the potential of the Caja Espańa network for long-term savings.
The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to complete by the end of January 2002.
Tony Wyand, Group Executive Director, with responsibility for CGNU’s continental European operations, said: “CGNU has created a significant bancassurance network in Spain. Through our partnership with Bancaja, in July 2000, we have become the fourth-largest provider in the Spanish life insurance market and this will be reinforced as our partnerships with Caja Espańa, Unicaja and Caixa Galicia develop in 2002.”
Evaristo del Canto, Chief Executive Officer of Caja Espańa, said: “The strategic alliance we have reached will allow both parties to exploit their competitive advantages; on the one hand, the high penetration of Caja Espańa in the Castilla y León region, and on the other hand, CGNU’s experience in the long-term savings business. Caja Espańa will be able to offer high quality and value added products in a key strategic business for us.”
* As measured by total assetscustomer funds as at December 2000 ** Ł1=26870 Ptsas.
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Notes to Editors
CGNU in Spain
Following the merger of CGU and Norwich Union to form CGNU, the operations of both companies in Spain have been merged into Plus Ultra, the former subsidiary of Norwich Union in Spain. Plus Ultra has been operating in the Spanish insurance market for over 100 years, and has nationwide coverage through a network of more than 3,000 agents and 70 branches. Additionally, CGNU is present in the bancassurance market through the acquisition of 50% of Bancaja’s long-term savings business, Aseval, in July 2000 and the recent agreements reached in June and July 2001, to acquire 50% of Unicorp Vida and Bia Galicia, the life and pensions operations of Unicaja and Caixa Galicia, respectively. Total CGNU pro forma life and pensions premiums in Spain in 2000 were Ł601 million (including Aseval for the full 12 months, but excluding the recently announced transactions with Unicaja and Caixa Galicia), of which Ł141 million and Ł460 million were generated by Plus Ultra and Aseval respectively.
Bancaja transaction
In July 2000, CGNU acquired management control and a 50% shareholding in Aseval, the life and pensions subsidiary of Bancaja, the fourth-largest savings bank (“caja”) in Spain by total assets. Bancaja has a strong position in the region of Valencia. Through this partnership, CGNU gained access to the Spanish bancassurance market, the dominant distribution channel in this market, accounting for more than 80% of new business sales.
The consideration paid by CGNU was Ł205 million with further potential payments dependent upon future performance.
Unicaja transaction
In June 2001, CGNU announced its partnership in life insurance and pensions with Unicaja, Spain’s eighth-largest savings bank by total assets which has a strong position in southern Spain (Andalusia). The transaction was similar to the Bancaja partnership, with CGNU gaining management control and a 50% shareholding of Unicaja’s life insurance and pensions subsidiaries, Unicorp Vida and Ahorro Andaluz respectively (referred to jointly as “Unicorp Vida”).
The consideration was Ł92 million with further amounts payable if Unicorp Vida achieves its business performance targets.
Caixa Galicia transaction
In July 2001, CGNU agreed to form a bancassurance partnership with Caixa Galicia, Spain’s fifth-largest savings bank and market leader in its home region Galicia (northwest of Spain). As part of the agreement, and similar to the Bancaja and Unicaja transactions, CGNU gained management control and acquired a 50% stake in Bia Galicia, Caixa Galicia’s long-term savings unit.
Consideration for the 50% stake was Ł89 million with further variable payments dependent upon company performance.
Caja Espańa description
Caja Espańa, Spain’s tenth-largest savings bank and fifteenth- largest banking group by total assets, is the product of the merger in 1990 of five savings banks from Castilla y León region, in Central Spain.
In 1997, Caja Espańa implemented an ambitious five-year strategic plan to further expand its network beyond Castilla y León. As at December 2000, 29% of the branches were outside its home region, including a significant presence in Madrid (81 branches).
While its core activities remain deposit taking and mortgage lending, since 1998, it has increased its treasury and capital markets activities (including government securities intermediation), built up an equities investment book and has increased its participation in syndicated loans.
Caja Espańa offers a basic internet banking service with 35,000 registered accounts as at July 2001. It is also participating in the project spearheaded by the CECA, developing a shared internet portal for Spanish savings banks.
Total life premium income in 2000 was Ł10 million (source: UNESPA).
Geographic fit of Caja Espańa, Caixa Galicia, Unicaja and Bancaja distribution networks
The combined network of 3,025 branches has an excellent geographic fit and nationwide coverage, with a significant presence in the regions of Castilla y León (centre) 444 branches, Galicia (northwest) 476 branches, Valencia (southeast) 846 branches, Andalusia (south) 662 branches, and Madrid 209 branches.
The Spanish life insurance and pensions market
The Spanish life insurance and pensions market is one of the fastest growing in Europe. Recent growth has been driven by declining interest rates, regulatory changes allowing companies to externalise company pension schemes to insurance companies, and the considerable migration from traditional deposits and savings accounts towards investment funds, life insurance and pension schemes. The latter tendency has been driven by the public’s growing awareness of the need to complement State pensions and welfare benefits with individual private provisions.
The Spanish life insurance market grew by 40% in 2000 while the pensions market increased 19% in local currency (Deutsche Bank Research).