Czech Republic: Aviva written premiums increased last year by a record 35%

• Aviva životní pojišťovna, as results for 2005

2005 was the most successful year ever in the history of Aviva Life Insurance in the Czech Republic. Gross written premiums during the year reached 745.3 million crowns, a growth of 35% against 2004.

The British life insurance company Aviva, which specializes in the Czech Republic in investment life insurance products - much sought-after throughout the world - managed last year to outstrip the growth of the entire domestic life insurance market many times over. According to preliminary figures the Czech life insurance market rose by just 1.5% in 2005 in terms of gross written premiums.

Pavel Matoušek, general manager and chairman of the board of Aviva životní pojišťovna, says: "Aviva životní pojišťovna ranks among the fastest growing insurance companies in the Czech market. Last year, Aviva's best in its nine years of operations in the Czech Republic, was a great challenge for us. We still see a great potential in the life insurance market in the Czech Republic."

As of 31 December 2005 the total assets of Aviva životní pojišťovna amounted to 1,990.6 million CZK. Year-on-year growth of this indicator was 36.5%.

Prestigious awards for Aviva životní pojišťovna products in 2005
The variability and flexibility of investment life insurance was also praised by the specialist public. Two key Aviva investment life insurance products, "Personal Life Plan" and "Talisman", won prestigious awards in the Golden Crown competition last year. The Personal Life Plan was voted the best financial product in the Czech Republic by the public.

Aviva's strategic investment programme last year yielded 23.1% Clients of Aviva životní pojišťovna have a choice of five investment funds. Those who in 2005 selected the "Strategic Investment Programme", designed primarily for variable-yield equities and securities, saw their investment rise by 23.1%. Thanks to professional asset management, this investment programme grew by more than 20% per annum for the third year in a row, placing it among the most successful on the market.

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For more information contact:
Aviva životní pojišťovna, as
Michaela Jandová
Telephone: 221 416 171

Notes for Editors:
The origins of Aviva date back to the end of the 17th century, more than 300 years ago. Aviva plc is currently the fifth biggest insurance group in the world, one of the three foremost insurance companies in Europe and the biggest insurer in Great Britain. The company's core business is the provision of life and property insurance services and fund management. Assets managed by the company exceed £290 billion sterling. The company employs over 60,000 people worldwide and provides services to 30 million clients.

Aviva plc has been active in the Czech Republic since 1997 via its 100% owned subsidiary company Aviva životní pojišťovna, as (until 2002 under the name of Commercial Union životní pojišťovna, as). It is the first and only British life insurance company in the Czech Republic and specializes in investment life insurance products (Personal Life Plan, Talisman, Aviva benefit). The company's head office in Prague was the second branch of the Aviva group to open in Central and Eastern Europe. Aviva regional offices are now to be found at 21 sites in all regions of the Czech Republic. Aviva's top-selling product, the Personal Life Plan, won the Golden Crown awards Silver Crown 2004 and Golden Crown 2005 in the category of Most Popular Financial Product of the Year. In the same competition the children's insurance Talisman was awarded the Bronze Crown 2005 in the category Capital and Life Insurance.