Financial year 2016: Helsana achieves a good result

Helsana looks back on a solid 2016 financial year, with a clearly positive profit of CHF 98 million. The good result in the insurance business was boosted by an excellent investment result, which outperformed the benchmark. After the planned underwriting loss posted for the basic insurance area in the previous year to return excess reserves to the customers, the combined ratio has significantly improved and returned to profitability. Despite rising benefit costs and a slight premium adjustment for two hospital products, the situation in the supplementary insurance area for 2016 also looks favourable.

Benefit costs continue to increase

The benefit costs of the Helsana Group rose further in 2016 to CHF 6,101 billion at the end of 2016. At CHF 6,370 billion, premium income also exceeded the 6-billion mark for the first time.

Cost growth of the prior year corresponded to the long-term trend of slightly over four per cent, with costs rising in all categories. In KVG business, medical costs, the costs for physiotherapy and home care, and medication costs saw a significant rise in the previous year. The increase for outpatient treatment was especially high and accelerated against 2015. For medical costs the increase was greater for specialists than for general practitioners, while medication costs showed a roughly six per cent increase for the third consecutive year. The main cost driver in supplementary insurance continues to be the hospital sector.

Improved underwriting result

Compared with the clear underwriting loss reported for 2015, the result for 2016 was considerably improved at CHF 55 million. At 99.1 per cent (2015: 102.3 per cent), the combined ratio is practically balanced.

In KVG business, the combined ratio for 2016 was 100.4 per cent, which corresponds to a stark improvement against the 103.7 per cent of the previous year. This figure is now in the targeted range.

The combined ratio in the VVG business also improved at 95.8 per cent (2015: 98.9 per cent). Although benefit costs increased in 2016, the slight premium and discount adjustments in the supplementary hospital insurance area cushioned the result.

The result for the accident division was slightly down on the previous year and had a combined ratio of 98.6 per cent (2015: 97.2 per cent).

Helsana is well positioned for the big challenges ahead

The Helsana Group merged the Avanex brand with Helsana and Sansan with Progrès as at 1 January 2017. This step was taken to provide greater stability in future premium development and is a response to the new legal framework such as the refinement of risk compensation.

All companies of the Helsana Group continue to meet the legal requirements regarding solvency. The market position remains solid and Helsana is well equipped for the future.

Achievement of the strategic NPS target remains demanding. In the latest measurement in December 2016, Helsana was still ranked eighth, but was able to reduce the distance to the top three. In the business unit, achievement of a sustainably profitable business against the backdrop of continuously rising benefit costs is a major challenge.