Travelers Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income Of $304 Million Or $0.78 Per Diluted Share After Catastrophe Losses Of $689 Million After-tax, Including Storm Sandy, Or $1.78 Per Diluted Share
The underwriting results in the current quarter reflected a GAAP combined ratio of 115.2 percent, as compared to 99.8 percent in the prior year quarter. This increase of 15.4 points in the combined ratio was primarily due to higher catastrophe losses (26.4 points), partially offset by higher underlying underwriting margins (9.5 points) and higher net favorable prior year reserve development (1.5 points). The net favorable prior year reserve development in the current quarter primarily resulted from better than expected loss experience in Homeowners & Other attributable to catastrophe and non-catastrophe losses incurred in 2011 and in the umbrella line of business for accident years 2008-2011.
The current quarter underlying GAAP combined ratio was 86.9 percent, as compared to 96.4 percent in the prior year quarter. This improvement of 9.5 points was primarily due to lower non-weather related property losses, lower non-catastrophe weather-related losses and earned rate increases exceeding loss cost trends.
Personal Insurance net written premiums of $1.793 billion decreased 3 percent from the prior year quarter primarily due to lower new business volumes, largely as a result of the company’s pricing strategy, increasing deductibles and other profitability improvement initiatives.
Agency Automobile and Agency Homeowners & Other, as discussed below, represent business sold through agents, brokers and other intermediaries and exclude direct to consumer.
Agency Automobile- Net written premiums of $822 million decreased 6 percent from the prior year quarter.
- Policies in force decreased 9 percent from the prior year quarter.
- Renewal premium change remained positive and continued to increase from recent quarters.
- Retention rates remained strong and generally consistent with recent quarters.
- New business volumes decreased from the prior year quarter.
- Net written premiums of $934 million decreased 1 percent from the prior year quarter.
- Policies in force decreased 7 percent from the prior year quarter.
- Renewal premium change remained positive and continued to increase from recent quarters.
- Retention rates remained very strong and consistent with recent quarters.
- New business volumes decreased from the prior year quarter.
| ($ in millions) | Twelve Months Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | 2011 | 2012 | 2011 | |||||||||||||||||
| Pre-tax | After-tax | |||||||||||||||||||
| Underwriting gain (loss) | $ | 507 | $ | (1,266 | ) | $ | 296 | $ | (745 | ) | ||||||||||
| Underwriting gain (loss) includes : | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Net favorable prior year reserve development | 940 | 715 | 622 | 473 | ||||||||||||||||
| Catastrophes, net of reinsurance | (1,862 | ) | (2,562 | ) | (1,214 | ) | (1,669 | ) | ||||||||||||
| Resolution of prior year tax matters | 100 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net investment income | 2,889 | 2,879 | 2,316 | 2,330 | ||||||||||||||||
| Other, including interest expense | (281 | ) | (316 | ) | (171 | ) | (195 | ) | ||||||||||||
| Other also includes : | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Resolution of prior year tax matters | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Operating income | 3,115 | 1,297 | 2,441 | 1,390 | ||||||||||||||||
| Net realized investment gains | 51 | 55 | 32 | 36 | ||||||||||||||||
| Income before income taxes | $ | 3,166 | $ | 1,352 | ||||||||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 2,473 | $ | 1,426 | ||||||||||||||||
| GAAP combined ratio | 97.1 | % | 105.1 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| GAAP combined ratio excluding incremental impact of direct to consumer initiative | 96.3 | % | 104.2 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Impact on GAAP combined ratio | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Net favorable prior year reserve development | (4.2 | ) | pts | (3.2 | ) | pts | ||||||||||||||
| Catastrophes, net of reinsurance | 8.3 | pts | 11.6 | pts | ||||||||||||||||
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