2020 - Commentary on first quarter financial results

2020 first-quarter data in comparison to both the previous quarter and the first quarters of prior years, gave little hint of the shock that was to follow in 2020’s second quarter. Indeed, for the property/casualty (P/C) insurance industry, the first quarter of 2020 generally went well. Although there were some bumps in the road—policyholders’ surplus fell by $75 billion, or -9.0 percent, from the 2019 year-end level—most measures of financial results (premiums, underwriting results, investments, surplus level in relation to net written premiums, and profitability) were positive. The industry results were released by ISO, a Verisk Analytics company, and the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA). A discussion of the key drivers of the quarter’s performance follows.