OHRA is negotiating a possible merger with Delta Lloyd, the Dutch arm of CGU.
According to OHRA the talks are a result of “developments in the overall market for financial services, inside and outside the Netherlands”.
If the merger goes ahead, it would be the third largest insurer, and the second largest private health insurer, in Holland.
OHRA is currently responsible for 80% of healthcare sales in Holland, with 1997 premiums totalling £900m.
Delta Lloyd is the fifth largest life and general insurer in Holland.
Hazel Berill, head of marketing at OHRA, which has a strong presence among intermediaries in the UK, says that it is not expecting job losses.
She described the recent news as “exciting”.
OHRA has reported growth in the UK over recent years.
“We have continued to grow from strength to strength,” said Berill. “We saw seven per cent growth last year and are looking to bust that this year.”
In the UK healthcare market, CGU has products in the protection market but not in PMI It is a large player in the European insurance market, and saw a worldwide premium income of El 5.7bn in 1988.