Technology giant Misys may be forced to reconsider the sale of its general insurance arm or lower the asking price, experts have warned.

Misys is understood to want £100m for its general insurance division, which some have described as too expensive.

Group chairman Kevin Lomax announced last month: "The board is considering options for realising shareholder value from the company's general insurance business."

But offers from rival software houses are not believed to have been forthcoming, despite reported revenues for Misys of £34m and an operating profit of £16m for the year ending 31 May 2005.

One expert said: "Misys is a profitable but shrinking business.

"Its focus on personal lines and the lack of recent client wins make the price tag unrealistic."

An alternative to an outright sale could be for Misys to purchase a commercial lines specialist such as Acturis, in order to capitalise on the expanding commercial marketplace.

Misys general insurance chief executive Phillip Bell has also refused to rule out the possibility of a management buy-out using private equity.

Misys said it would not be making any announcement on the future of its general insurance arm until its interim results on 20 January.

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