Talanx chairman Herbert Haas has said that, with persistent low interest rates likely over the medium term, the company was compensating for the shrinking yields on government bonds by supplementing them with corporate bonds and infrastructure investments.
As the German insurer revealed its 2014 results, Haas added that the company was increasing investment in countries outside the Eurozone as part of its internationalisation strategy.
Talanx's 2014 operating profit rose 7% to €1.89bn ($2.05bn) from €1.76bn in 2013.
Net investment income rose 9.3% from €3.79bn to €4.1bn. The Hannover-based company said that this rise was largely down to the sale of the remaining shares in Swiss Life and the realisation of unrealised gains in German life insurance.
Total investments rose from €100.9bn to €112.9bn, while assets under own management increased from €86.3bn to €96.4bn.
"2015 will be one of the most challenging 12 months in recent years. Alongside the shrinking returns from the major capital markets, competitive pressure is increasing considerably, especially in reinsurance and industrial insurance," said Haas.
