SNL Financial's Second Quarter Statutory Data Indicates $4.49 Billion In Underwriting Losses

Bad weather and tough market conditions have personal lines insurers seeing red.

Charlottesville, VA (Vocus/PRWEB ) August 27, 2008 -- According to second quarter 2008 statutory insurance financial results recently made available by SNL Financial, 22 individual property and casualty companies reported underwriting losses of more than $100 million.

Second quarter underwriting losses were driven by continued poor performance of financial lines-focused companies (176% combined ratio) and a deterioration in the combined ratio of personal lines insurers (1,000 basis points to 106%)

Reinsurance and commercial lines companies continue to operate at an underwriting profit, albeit one that is becoming increasingly narrow.

In a quarter that was generally regarded as unusually active for natural catastrophes, the P&C industry posted $4.49 billion in underwriting losses, according to data tabulated by SNL from nearly 97% of expected filers, representing more than 2,700 individual entities. SNL data shows that the loss is the largest for a second quarter since 2002, when the industry absorbed an $8.01 billion underwriting loss. That quarter saw the asbestos liability settlements of both PPG Industries and Pittsburgh Corning.

Tough bond and stock market conditions also provided a headwind to the P&C group in the second quarter as the industry saw substantial realized and unrealized capital losses. However, the industry proved resilient on the bottom line as it overcame underwriting and investment challenges to generate net income of more than $7 billion for the period.

"Second quarter underwriting losses were driven by continued poor performance of financial lines-focused companies (176% combined ratio) and a deterioration in the combined ratio of personal lines insurers (1,000 basis points to 106%)," said Jon Wright, Associate Director of Statutory Insurance Research at SNL. "Reinsurance and commercial lines companies continue to operate at an underwriting profit, albeit one that is becoming increasingly narrow."

Click here to find out which insurers outperformed and underperformed the industry and the markets during the second quarter. SNL's statutory insurance data is available exclusively as part of SNL Unlimited for Financial Institutions. To learn more about SNL Unlimited, contact sales@snl.com or call 866.296.3743.

About SNL Financial
SNL collects, standardizes and disseminates all relevant corporate, financial, market and M&A data - plus news and analysis - for the Energy, Banking, Financial Services, Insurance, Real Estate and Media & Communications industries. For more information, visit www.SNL.com.

Visit the SNL Press Room at www.snl.com/press_room to learn more about resources available to members of the media.

SNL Contact
Monica Jenkins
Marketing Manager
434.951.6951
mjenkins@snl.com

SNL Financial
One SNL Plaza
Charlottesville, VA 22902
434.977.1600

Other office locations:
Ahmedabad, India; Arlington, Va.; Boston, Mass.; Islamabad, Pakistan; Jersey City, N.J.; London; Monterey, Calif.; New York.

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statutory insurance statutory insurance data insurance snl financial 2nd quarter 2008 financial data underwriting losses personal and casualty personal lines insurer

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