ARAG launches operations in Australia

Sydney/Düsseldorf (ots) - The ARAG Group partners with HDI Global
Specialty SE - Australia and continues to pursue its international
expansion. ARAG Services Australia Pty Ltd is a wholly owned
subsidiary of the German ARAG Group and starting operations as an
underwriting agency in Sydney in respect of legal expense insurance
products, underwritten by HDI Global Specialty SE - Australia.

"We're continuously strengthening our international business
activities through new strategic opportunities for the ARAG Group as
our international legal insurance business accounts for 60 percent of
our total legal insurance revenue. In 2018, we recorded a premium
growth of 7 percent in the Group's legal insurance segment from A$
1,487 million to A$ 1,590 million", explains Dr. Dr. h. c. Paul-Otto
Faßbender, CEO and majority shareholder of the ARAG Group. In 2018
the ARAG Group raised gross written premiums by 4.3 percent to A$
2,619 million. "The Australian legal expense insurance market offers
interesting growth opportunities and we are eager to get started on
the continent, which is now the 18th country ARAG is active in", adds
Dr. Dr. h. c. Paul-Otto Faßbender.

ARAG Services Australia has been appointed by the insurer HDI
Global Specialty SE - Australia to act under a delegated authority
agreement allowing it to enter into policies and handle claims for
legal expense insurance on the insurer's behalf. The Australian ARAG
subsidiary offers innovative legal expense insurance products
targeting insurance brokers and other intermediaries. The range of
products comprises both commercial and private legal expense
insurance for families.

Antoinette von Wendt (37) has been appointed CEO of ARAG Services
Australia Pty Ltd. She joined ARAG in 2015 and has been working in
ARAG's corporate development department. Antoinette von Wendt brings
many years of strategy, business development, and digitisation
experience in the insurance and energy industry.

Mark Fleiser, General Manager and Head of Branch for HDI Global
Specialty SE - Australia said: "We are extremely excited to be
working with ARAG Services Australia Pty Ltd to bring a new legal
expense insurance offering to the Australian market. We recognise the
significant value in providing customers with insurance cover during
times when they face unanticipated legal expenses."

ARAG was founded by Heinrich Faßbender in 1935 in Düsseldorf and
has remained in family hands ever since. The initial business idea -
that all citizens should be able to assert their rights, regardless
of their financial standing - is as relevant today as ever.

About ARAG

The ARAG Group is the largest family-owned enterprise in the
German insurance industry and has positioned itself as a versatile
quality insurer. In addition to specializing in legal insurance, ARAG
also offers its customers attractive, needs-based composite, health
and retirement products and services from a single source in Germany.
Active in 18 countries - including the USA, Canada and Australia -
ARAG is also represented by international branches, subsidiaries and
shareholdings in numerous international markets in which it holds a
leading position as a provider of legal insurance and legal services.
With more than 4,100 employees, the Group generates revenue and
premium income totaling around 1.7 billion EUR.

More at: www.arag.com and www.arag.com.au

About HDI Global Speciality

Following approval by the supervisory authorities, HDI Global
Specialty rolled-out operational activities on 1 January 2019. HDI
Global Specialty SE is a joint venture of Hannover Re and HDI Global
SE, both being strong and established players in the insurance and
reinsurance market. Combining the specialty activities of the Talanx
Group into HDI Global Specialty SE, is an excellent platform for
putting together cross-business segment expertise and network reach
writing agency and specialty insurance business in lines including
such as errors & omissions liability insurance, directors' and
officers' liability insurance (D&O), legal expenses insurance, sports
and entertainment, aviation, offshore energy and animal insurance.
Specialist local teams are highly qualified to give quick responses
and informed support to the client's local operations, specifically
their special, unusual or difficult insurance needs.

More at: www.hdi-specialty.com Press contacts:

Contact:
Stéphanie Röhrig
Head of International Communications ARAG SE
Telephone: + 49 (0) 211 963-3240
Email: stephanie.roehrig@arag.de

Emma Heal
HDI Global Specialty SE
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7015 4016
Email: emma.heal@hdi-specialty.com

Original-Content von: ARAG, übermittelt durch news aktuell