01-08-2018 Italian insurer Generali has launched a $1.4 billion cash offer to buy all of the shares of Cattolica Assicurazioniit does not already own. It said the move would consolidate its position in Italy in property/casualty and life and reinforce its position amongst the biggest European insurers. Generali said the offer is expected to build on the momentum of the strategic partnership it entered into with Cattolica in June 2020, when it acquired 24 percent of the business. It said the deal should allow customers of both organisations to benefit from the breadth of the combined product offering, the expanded reach of distribution channels and the integration of key digital technologies.