BRIEF-Direct Line Insurance Says To Pay Special Dividend Of 15 Pence

Feb 27 (Reuters) - Direct Line Insurance Group Plc:

* SAYS FINAL DIVIDEND UP 40.2% TO 13.6P AND SPECIAL DIVIDEND OF 15.0P

* FY ESTIMATED SOLVENCY II CAPITAL COVERAGE RATIO POST DIVIDEND IS ‍162​ PERCENT

* FY COMBINED OPERATING RATIO FROM ONGOING OPERATIONS AT ‍91.8​ PERCENT VERSUS 97.7 PERCENT

* FY OPERATING PROFIT FROM ONGOING OPERATIONS AT 610.9 MILLION STG VERSUS 403.5 MILLION STG AS REPORTED A YEAR AGO

* ‍TOTAL DIVIDENDS FOR 2017 OF 35.4 PENCE PER SHARE (2016: 24.6 PENCE)​

* FY GROSS WRITTEN PREMIUM 3,392.1 MILLION STG VERSUS 3,274.1 MILLION STG

* • FY PROFIT BEFORE TAX AT 539.0 MILLION STG VERSUS 353 MILLION STG AS REPORTED A YEAR AGO

* FY RETURN ON TANGIBLE EQUITY OF ‍21.7​ PERCENT

* “‍CONTINUE TO TARGET A COMBINED OPERATING RATIO OF 93% TO 95% OVER MEDIUM TERM”​

* ‍DECLARING A SPECIAL DIVIDEND OF 15.0 PENCE​

* DIRECT LINE INSURANCE GROUP - FOR 2018, GROUP TARGETS NET INVESTMENT INCOME YIELD AROUND 2.1% WITH OVERALL INVESTMENT RETURN IN THE REGION OF £150 MILLION Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (Reuters.Briefs@thomsonreuters.com)