European insurance market picks up. After falling profitability in recent years, the European insurance industry started to pick up in 2014, says consultancy Roland Berger. The 40 biggest European insurance groups saw an average 6% rise in their net premiums, better than in 2011-2013 (when their was an average rise of 3% a year) and 2009-2011 (0%). The increase was driven by acquisitions and expansion in high-growth markets, particularly Asia. Profitability has not increased to such a high extent, however. The average return on equity (RoE) improved in 2013 and 2014 but only by 0.3%. In 2009-2014, the most profitable were general insurers with non-life business, with average RoE of 11%, compared with 9% for 'pure' non-life specialists, explained the consultancy. (Original version in French by Isabelle Lamberty)