ING has announced that it has reached an agreement to transfer its US group reinsurance business, ING Reinsurance US, to Reinsurance Group of America, Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"This transaction fits within ING's Back to Basics strategy to simplify our structure and focus our US insurance operations on Retirement Services, Life Insurance, and Rollover Annuities," said Tom McInerney, ceo for ING Insurance Americas. "Although ING Reinsurance is not part of ING's core businesses in the US, it is a solid, well-run, and client-focused business that will complement a company that considers reinsurance its core business. We believe that RGA will be an excellent owner of ING Reinsurance."

The transaction is structured as a reinsurance agreement between RGA and ING. The disposition of ING Reinsurance US will have a limited positive impact on ING's 2010 earnings. In addition, the transaction is expected to release nearly E100m in capital and improve the debt/equity ratio of ING Insurance by around 60 basis points. After the agreement, ING will continue to retain a reinsurance portfolio in the US that has been in run-off since 2002.

NG Reinsurance US is a leading provider of reinsurance programs for group life, accident, and health insurance companies in the US, Guam, Canada, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. It focuses on medium and large providers of group insurance products and operates primarily out of Minneapolis, Minn.

This transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to be closed in the first quarter of 2010.