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Enterprise

Countrywide Assured owner on the acquisition trail as revenue nears £300m

Countrywide Assured is owned by Preston-based Chesnara

Chesnara is the parent company of Countrywide Assured(Image: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)

The Preston-based owner of Countrywide Assured has said the long road to back to pre-Covid-19 investment conditions will provide it with acquisition opportunities "as the market reacts to changing circumstances".

Chesnara revealed its ambitions in a statement issued to the London Stock Exchange for its financial year to December 31, 2020.

The company has reported insurance premium revenue of £293.3m for the 12 months, up from £268.3m.

However, its pre-tax profits dipped from £96.1m to £24.5m over the same period.

During the year the company completed the acquisition of a portfolio of c.40,000 policies from Argenta in the Netherlands which created c£9m of incremental value and a 40% increase in the policies in force of Waard.

It also agreed a further small portfolio acquisition, expected to complete in the first half of 2021.

Chesnara said the combined impact of these deals, together with the Monuta portfolio in 2019, result in a total value gain of c.£13m for Waard.

Chief executive John Deane said: "I am pleased to report that even after paying the increased 2020 final dividend, Chesnara's cash reserves and solvency surplus remain largely unchanged compared to the pre-pandemic position.