Cattolica says tax police search headquarters in probe into shareholders' meetings

MILAN (Reuters) - Tax police searched the headquarters of Italy's Cattolica Assicurazioni <CASS.MI> on Friday and took documents as part of an investigation by market regulator Consob into alleged undue influence over three shareholders' meetings, the company said.

The meetings under investigation include one held on Friday, where investors approved Cattolica's conversion into a joint-stock company, it said, paving the way to a tie-up with larger rival Generali <GASI.MI>.

Cattolica said in a statement on Saturday that tax police had also notified some of its representatives that they were under investigation.

The company said all three of the shareholders' meetings under investigation had been held correctly, and that it was ready to fully cooperate with authorities.

Cattolica added that resolutions approved by Friday's shareholders' meeting were "valid for all intents and purposes".

"The important operation with Generali will continue as planned," it said.

The Verona tax police were not immediately available for comment.

(Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari; Editing by Jan Harvey)