P/C Industry Profitability Surges Amid Lower Cat Losses

The property/casualty insurance industry is on track for what will assuredly be its best year in the post-crisis era, after a sharp improvement in profitability in the first nine months of 2013, according to I.I.I. president Dr. Robert Hartwig. In his commentary on the industry’s 2013 – First Nine Month Results, Dr. Hartwig notes that the industry’s strong performance was propelled chiefly by lower catastrophe losses, favorable prior year reserve development and growth in premiums. The effect: the industry combined ratio fell to 95.8 in the first nine months of 2013 from 100.7 in the first nine months of 2012—leading to an underwriting profit of $10.5 billion—much needed in an era of persistent, ultra-low interest rates.