Amlin made a 2012 pretax profit of 264.2 million pounds, rebounding from a 200 million pound loss the previous year, when insurers worldwide were hit by a near-record claims bill from Japan's Tohoku earthquake and heavy floods in Thailand.

Amlin's catastrophe-related claims last year fell to 152.3 million pounds from 501 million in 2011. The bulk of the 2012 bill was due to Superstorm Sandy, which cost the insurer 141.6 million pounds, little changed from an initial estimate of 145 million published in December.

"We are well positioned to continue to expand into more favourable market conditions," Chief Executive Charles Philipps said in a statement,

Amlin is paying a 2012 dividend of 24 pence per share, up from 23p the previous year.

(Reporting by Myles Neligan; Editing by David Holmes)