OLDWICK: The U.S. property/casualty (P/C) industry’s net underwriting income improved in the first nine months of 2019 by 13% compared with the same prior-year period to $4.5 billion, as growth in net earned premiums offset year-over-year increases in incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses, underwriting expenses and policyholder dividends.

This financial review is detailed in a new Best’s Special Report, titled, “First Look: 9-Month 2019 Property/Casualty Financial Results.” The data is derived from companies’ nine-month 2019 interim statutory statements received as of Nov. 19, 2019, representing an estimated 97% of the total P/C industry’s net premiums written.

The nine-month 2019 combined ratio for the P/C industry weakened slightly by 0.5 percentage points from the prior-year period, to 98.0. AM Best estimates that catastrophe losses accounted for 4.4 points on the combined ratio, down from an estimated 5.1 points in the same period in 2018.

A $1.1 billion increase in net investment income during the first nine months of 2019 contributed to a 4.5% increase in pre-tax operating income to $48.5 billion. Due to a $2.1 billion reduction in realized capital gains, industry net income remained unchanged from the prior-year period, at $49.5 billion.