6 Mths Business Fig's-Amendmt

CGU PLC 28 July 1999 The headline for the CGU PLC announcement released today should read '6 Months Business Figures'. The full text shown below remains unchanged. CGU plc WORLDWIDE LIFE & SAVINGS NEW BUSINESS FIRST 6 MONTHS OF 1999 * Worldwide new business increased by 29% to £3,741m. * New annual premiums up 17% to £239m. * Single premium sales 28% higher at £3,019m. * PEP, ISA, unit trust and UCITS sales up 44% to £483m. * Exceptional pensions success in Poland. Bob Scott, Group Chief Executive, commented: 'The group's UK and Continental European life and savings businesses produced another excellent performance with new business sales 29% higher at £3.7bn. In the UK, total sales rose by 36%. CGU Life has one of the strongest financial positions in the market, is among the lowest cost operators and is well placed for the introduction of stakeholder pensions. ISA sales have made a good start and were ahead of PEP sales in the month of June of last year. In Poland, we expect to achieve a market share in excess of 25% in the new pensions market, which will boost annual premium sales by over £250m as contributions are re-directed from the state scheme over the next year. We are well placed to capitalise on the growing awareness among consumers in the UK and Continental Europe of the need to save for their retirement.' Enquiries: Peter Foster, Group Finance Director Telephone 0171 662 2007 Robbie Graham, Director of Life Development Telephone 0171 662 2050 UK Press: Ian Harper, Public Relations Manager Telephone 01904 452 172 Mobile 0410 011 428 New single New annual PEPs/ISAs premiums premiums unit trusts TOTAL /UCITS (ii) Local Local Local Local 6 mths currency 6 mths currency 6 mths currency currency 1999 growth 1999 growth 1999 growth growth £m % £m % £m % % United Kingdom 1,335 32 82 (6) 427 62 36 France 652 17 7 11 17 Netherlands 167 11 38 19 13 Other Europe - Italy 615 23 36 23 23 - Poland 6 119 34 24 32 - Germany 67 n/a 15 n/a n/a - Other 74 148 5 29 56 (21) 29 Rest of World 103 1 22 21 4 ----- --- --- --- --- --- --- TOTAL 3,019 28 239 17 483 44 29 ----- --- --- --- --- --- --- Notes: (i) Average exchange rates used and premiums are gross of reassurance. (ii) UCITS are collective investments sold throughout Europe and Asia. (iii) 1998 figures exclude sales from discontinued business. UK : CGU Life's total sales of new life, pensions and investment business rose by 36% to £1.8bn in the first half of 1999, with strong and profitable growth through our multi-distribution network. In terms of NAPI (new annual premiums plus a tenth of new single premiums and investment products), new business increased by 21% to £258m. CGU Life has wide distribution capability, with a strong presence in the IFA market, 18 tied building society partners, a 375 strong estate agency network and a direct marketing channel. NAPI sales through IFAs were 14% higher and sales through our other channels increased by 37%. We were recently awarded 'Best Life Sales Force of the Year' at the British Insurance Industry awards. New life single premiums were 32% higher at £1,335m, boosted by strong sales of our flagship investment product, the Portfolio Bond, which achieved sales of £921m in the first half, up 46% on 1998. New single premium pension sales were 23% higher at £384m, including a 24% increase in individual pensions business to £202m and increased sales of group pensions business, 22% higher at £182m. Annual premium pension sales rose by 6% to £55m in the first half of the year, with individual pension business 14% higher at £33m, while group pensions sales of £22m were at a similar level. This was against a background of lower personal pension sales for the industry as a whole in the first quarter and reflects the positive response from our customers to our clear 'no penalty transfer' stance on stakeholder pensions. Overall, new annual premiums were 6% lower, with reduced sales of mortgage endowment products. Sales of mortgage protection products improved in the second quarter, following the repricing of the product range. New investments into PEPs, unit trusts and the new ISAs rose 62% to £427m. ISA sales have increased steadily since their launch in April, with over £83m invested to date. Sales of £38m in June 1999 were ahead of PEP sales in June last year. The majority of ISA investment, some £79m, has been in the maxi-ISA. France : The strong improvement in performance continued, with single premium sales up 17% to £652m, ahead of the market growth of around 10%. These sales were boosted by a 66% increase in AFER sales to £351m (excluding £56m in unit-linked AFER sales), underpinned by the product's strong performance record. Total sales of unit-linked (including unit-linked AFER sales) and other savings products improved in the discrete second quarter, following a reduction in the first quarter due to a strong performance in 1998. Abeille vie is continuing its focus on the important areas of retirement planning and protection, and will be launching new products to target these markets later this year. Netherlands : New annual premiums were 19% higher at £38m, reflecting good growth in pensions business and a 36% increase to £8m in sales of Delta Life, our unit-linked universal life policy. Single premiums were up 11% to £167m, following the acquisition of a new group pension scheme in the first quarter. Italy : Annual premium new business was up 23% at £36m, reflecting strong sales of our unit-linked product range. Single premiums were also 23% higher at £615m, following buoyant sales in the second quarter. Excellent sales from our bancassurance arrangement with Credito Italiano continued through to the end of our distribution agreement in June 1999. We are rolling out another bancassurance arrangement with Banca Popolare di Lodi through its 250 strong branch network and sales have just commenced through our latest bancassurance partner, Banca delle Marche, which has a 220 branch network. Together, they provide national coverage. Backed by a good brand and an excellent reputation for bancassurance, we are actively looking at opportunities to further develop our distribution in Italy. Poland : CU Polska, Poland's second largest life company, has captured in excess of 25% of the new privatised pensions market and is the leading pensions player, with over 1.3m pension applications received to date. £2m of annual premium pensions were included in the second quarter, with substantial volumes expected in the second half, as pension payments are re-directed from the state scheme. New annual pension premiums will increase by over £250m over the next year. We have capitalised on the cross-selling opportunities provided by the new private pensions, with annual premium life sales up 18% to £32m and single premium sales doubled to £6m. Germany : New business is gaining momentum at Berlinische Leben since we acquired the company in July 1998. Annual premium sales of £8m in the second quarter, making £15m for the first six months, were well ahead of last year. Single premium sales of £67m have more than doubled over the same period, benefiting from strong pension and annuity sales in the first quarter. The development of Berlinische is focused on increasing unit-linked and group pensions business. In Ireland, strong sales continued with single premium investment bond new business of £63m in the first half of 1999. UCITS sales from our cross- border marketing business in Luxembourg added £56m. Annual premiums more than doubled to £7m in Turkey, reflecting strong sales from our growing direct salesforce, and annual premium increased by 66% to £2m in Greece. In the United States, new annual premiums were 10% lower at £11m, following the exiting of certain group health business, due to limited growth and profit potential. Single premium sales were similar to last year at £89m, with good sales of a new deferred annuity product being offset by reduced demand for immediate annuities. In Canada, new annual premiums were up 19% to £4m following good sales of protection products and single premiums were 7% higher at £14m, reflecting good annuity sales. ASSET MANAGEMENT CGU manages worldwide assets of around £125bn, making us one of the top 20 fund managers in Europe. Strong investment performance supports the growth of funds under management and in the UK, pension fund performance puts us in the top five best performers over the last 5 years. NOTES TO EDITORS * CGU is Europe's 5th largest insurance group and the largest in the UK (based on worldwide sales). * Life and savings represents around half of CGU's total business. * The geographical split of total life, pensions and retail investment sales for the 12 months to 30 June 1999 was: % United Kingdom 50 France 20 Netherlands 6 Italy 13 Poland 1 Germany 2 Other Europe 4 Rest of World 4 --- 100 --- * Distribution of UK life and savings products using NAPI (new annual premiums plus a tenth of new single premiums and investment products) for the first half of 1999 was: % IFAs 67 Partnership/Direct 33 --- 100 --- * All growth rates are quoted in local currency. * CGU's 6 months 1999 results will be reported on 11 August 1999. * Results and corporate news releases are available on the Internet: www.cgugroup.com Worldwide life & savings new business - 6 months 1999 New single premiums New annual premiums PEPs/ISAs unit trusts /UCITS (ii) Local Local Local 6 months currency 6 months currency 6 months currency 1999 1998 growth 1999 1998 growth 1999 1998 growth £m £m % £m £m % £m £m % United Kingdom Individual pensions 202 163 24 33 29 14 Group pensions 182 149 22 22 23 (4) Mortgage - - - 18 24 (25) Other life 951 697 36 9 11 (18) PEPs/ISAs/ unit trusts - - - - - - 427 264 62 ----- ----- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 1,335 1,009 32 82 87 (6) 427 264 62 France AFER (excl. unit-linked) 351 207 66 - - - Unit-linked & other savings 226 266 (17) 6 5 13 Group protection business 75 70 5 1 1 - --- --- --- --- -- -- 652 543 17 7 6 11 Netherlands Individual pensions 41 51 (21) - - - Group pensions 88 41 114 9 6 49 Universal life 8 8 2 8 6 36 Other individual life 24 42 (46) 18 17 (2) Group life 6 5 19 3 2 46 --- --- --- --- --- --- 167 147 11 38 31 19 Italy Unit-linked 538 456 15 15 6 155 Savings, protection & other 77 32 134 21 23 (11) --- --- --- --- --- --- 615 488 23 36 29 23 Poland Life & savings 6 3 119 32 30 18 Pensions - - - 2 - n/a --- --- --- --- --- --- 6 3 119 34 30 24 Germany Life & savings 17 - n/a 7 1 n/a Pensions & annuities 50 - n/a 8 - n/a --- --- --- --- --- --- 67 - n/a 15 1 n/a Other Europe Life & pensions 74 29 148 5 4 29 UCITS - - - - - - 56 68 (21) --- --- --- -- -- -- -- -- ---- 74 29 148 5 4 29 56 68 (21) United States Life assurance 4 4 (3) 5 7 (30) Pensions & annuities 85 83 - 6 5 - --- --- -- -- -- -- 89 87 - 11 12 (10) Other 14 13 7 11 6 88 ----- ----- -- --- --- --- --- --- --- TOTAL 3,019 2,319 28 239 206 17 483 332 44 ===== ===== == === === === === === === Notes: (i) Average exchange rates used and premiums are gross of reassurance. (ii) UCITS are collective investments sold throughout Europe and Asia. (iii) 1998 figures exclude sales from discontinued business.

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