The Belgian-Dutch group FORTIS announced the acquisition, through a share swap and a cash payment, of the Dutch insurer ASR (annual turnover of EUR 2 billion with 2,430 employees), valuing it at EUR 4.1 billion. The group will gather the activities of its insurance branch AMEV with ASR VERZEKERINGSGROEP within a new subsidiary named AMEV STAD ROTTERDAM VERZEKERINGSGROEP, an operation enabling FORTIS to become the largest insurer in the Benelux.