The Zurich-based company is “continuing to look at those areas we can grow,” he said in a television interview on Thursday with Bloomberg at the the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "We want to grow in personal lines in the U.S. and we have seen a big flurry of submissions for new business."
Zurich Financial pulled out of the bidding for Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc’s insurance unit last year and bought a 50 percent stake in Banco Sabadell SA’s insurance units. The insurer continues to look at opportunities for acquisitions, Chief Financial Officer Dieter Wemmer said in a separate interview at Davos today.
"The underlying core business is doing very well," Schiro said. The biggest impact from the recession is “from the financial markets on our investments,” he added.
Schiro, 63, will help the insurer’s board find his successor before stepping down when his contract expires.
"Right now my focus is on running Zurich Financial Services," Schiro said.