The third-quarter update comes after Zurich dropped its £5.6-billlion bid for RSA in September, saying that it would instead focus on improving the performance of its general insurance business.
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Mr Hester added that he had a legal duty to entertain offers: “It’s part of the task of a public company that you’ll do the right deal if the right deal is there to be done”. “We will behave in shareholders’ interests”.
Mr. Hester declined to comment on whether RSA was now in talks with prospective buyers.
European insurers such as Allianz and AXA have ruled themselves out of the running for RSA, but industry specialists say Chinese or Japanese companies could be interested.
Hester, former boss of Royal Bank of Scotland, was hired to turn RSA around following losses in 2013.
RSA said third-quarter profit trends were “well above” last year’s numbers but did not give exact figures.
British insurer RSA ‘s underlying premium income rose by 1 percent in the first nine months of 2015, it said on Thursday, calling Zurich Insurance’s abandoned bid for the company a “distraction” in the third quarter.
Shares in RSA Insurance (LON:RSA) have climbed about three percent in London this morning after the blue-chip group reassured investors that its turnaround remained on track despite the failed tie-up with Zurich Insurance earlier this year.
Zurich Insurance said at that time that its troubles included expected losses of about $275 million as a result of the deadly explosions at a port in Tianjin, China, in August.
“The strategic refocus is nearing completion with the sale of our Latin America businesses announced in September, the last major element”.
Tangible net asset value rose by 4 percent to 3 billion pounds at Sept 30 from the previous quarter.
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“Really the long-term issue is the earnings track record”, said Lodeiro, who has a “neutral” rating on the stock.
