THE ECONOMIC CRISIS AND THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY: THE EVIDENCE FROM THE EX-YUGOSLAVIA REGION

Abstract

The paper analyses the impact of the economic crisis on the insurance industries of the ex-Yugoslavia region. The analysis encompasses five countries: Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and FYR Macedonia. We examine insurance industry specifics separately for each country for the period 2004-2008 and for the first six months of 2009. While the impact of the crisis varies between countries, the research results indicate that the global financial crisis has had limited overall impact on the regional insurance industry. However the current recession resulted in negative premium growth in Serbia, Croatia and FYR Macedonia while the growth in Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina declined. At the same time investment returns have declined and claims have risen in all countries. The crisis had more pronounced impact on non-life insurance premium growth in less developed insurance markets. In developed markets, namely Slovenia and Croatia, the crisis had greater impact on life insurance premium growth.