Royal & Sun Alliance (RSA) Insurance Group beat analysts expectations today when it revealed a group operating profit of £780 million.
The company also announced it was to set a new dividend policy after the disposal of its US unit.
The group operating profit at Britain's second largest commercial insurer of £780 million was higher than the average forecast of £758.5 million. RSA made a restated profit of £743 million in 2005.
RSA's combined ratio, the benchmark industry performance index which measures costs and claims as a percentage of premiums, improved to 93.3 per cent, from 2005's 94.1 per cent. A figure below 100 means the company made an underwriting profit.
It said it expected the group to have a combined ratio of better than 95 per cent in 2007.
The insurer set a final dividend of 4.12 pence per share, a 35 per cent increase on the previous year, bringing a total 2006 dividend of 5.87 pence.