* Markets likely to remain volatile, says CEO
* Full-year pretax operating profit up 9 pct
* Solvency ratio comfortably above minimum requirement
* Shares up 1.2 pct (Recasts, adds share price)
By Carolyn Cohn
LONDON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Clients of British insurer andasset manager Standard Life would gain from continuedaccess to Europe's single market, its CEO said on Friday, addingthat the company is making contingency plans for Britain'spossible EU exit.
Prime Minister David Cameron argued for much of Thursdaynight in Brussels with European Union partners determined tolimit concessions on offer to help to keep Britain in the28-member bloc.
Britain's position in Europe makes it easier to sell fundsto investors across the region.
"It would be in the best interests of customers and clientsthat we continued to benefit from access to the single market,"Chief Executive Keith Skeoch said in a media call.
Skeoch stopped short of expressing a view whether or notBritain should stay in the EU, emphasising that Standard Life isa non-political organisation, but he confirmed that the companyhas been making contingency plans for a possible "Brexit".
"It's deeply, deeply technical stuff that's associated withthe running of our funds," he said.
Standard Life earlier reported a 9 percent rise in 2015pretax operating profit to 665 million pounds ($952.01 million),beating expectations in a company-supplied forecast.
Assets under administration rose 4 percent to 307.4 billionpounds.
'CHOPPY MARKETS'
Edinburgh-headquartered Standard Life has been increasingits focus on flexible drawdown pensions and its asset managementarm, rather than traditional insurance products such asannuities, which give pensioners a fixed income for life.
After a volatile few months, markets are likely to remaindifficult, Skeoch said.
"Markets are driven by geopolitics. That probably means theywill remain choppy for a while yet," he said, adding that whilesome equity markets look good value on a three to five-yearbasis, none are a "screaming buy".
Standard Life said it had a solvency capital ratio of 162percent of the minum requirement under new European rules andthat the company would pay a total dividend of 18.36 pence pershare, up nearly 8 percent on the previous year.
A solvency ratio of 100 percent means that an insurer hasset aside enough capital to meet underwriting, investment andoperational risks.
Standard Life shares were up 1.2 percent at 343 pence at0929 GMT and JP Morgan Cazenove reiterated its overweight ratingon the stock after what it described as a strong set of results.($1 = 0.6985 pounds)
(Editing by Rachel Armstrong and David Goodman)