European reinsurers outshine others in dividend yield generation

Reinsurance saw the highest median dividend yield among all European insurance sectors for the 12 months ending June 30.

The median yield for public European reinsurers was 6.71% during the period, according to an S&P Global Market Intelligence analysis, based on June 30 closing stock prices.

The life and health sector had the second-highest median yield at 3.81%, followed by the property and casualty and multiline sectors' combined median dividend yield of 3.33%.

A few big companies in the life and health space stood out with dividend yields well above the median. CNP Assurances SA, NN Group NV, and Legal & General Group PLC produced some of the highest yields among the largest companies in that sector.

Alm. Brand A/S, which is the 25th-largest P&C European insurer by market cap, offered the highest return to shareholders among all large P&C companies, recording a dividend yield of more than 33% for the 12 months ended June 30.