9/11 Losses Reach $9.3 Billion

September 5, 2003

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U.S. property and casualty insurers' net claims resulting from the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks reached $9.3 billion by December 31, 2002, compared to $8.5 billion reported through December 31, 2001, Weiss Ratings reported.

American consumers are also being hard hit by higher energy prices resulting from heightened instability in the Middle East and the effects of increased government spending on military actions abroad and the new Homeland Security Department at home.

The figure includes include claims from workers compensation, auto damage, commercial multi-peril, other liability, and aircraft. The effects are being felt by consumers and businesses throughout the U.S. in the form of higher insurance premiums.

Weiss said after reviewing more than 2,150 financial statements filed with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), it found that the insurers recording the largest dollar amount of net claims from the September 11 terrorist attacks were:

• General Reinsurance Corp.--$1.4 billion
• Allianz Insurance Company--$625 million
• St Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Co.--$555 million
• National Indemnity Company--$500 million
• American Re-Insurance Co.--$452 million
• Federal Insurance Company--$426 million
• Swiss Reinsurance America Corp.--$346 million
• Factory Mutual Ins Co.--$270 million
• Hartford Fire Insurance Co.--$269 million
• Hartford Accident & Indemnity Co.--$212 million

General Reinsurance Corp. and National Indemnity Co. both owned by Berkshire-Hathaway, had a combined loss from Sept. 11 of nearly $2 billion - 20.6 percent of the total losses.

Measured in terms of their impact on capital and surplus, companies posting the largest net claims from the attacks were:

• Sea Insurance Co. of America--$36.3 million, 40.5 percent of capital and surplus.
• Connecticut Indemnity Co.--$7.3 million, 36.4 percent.
• American & Foreign Insurance Co.--$18.2 million, 35.5 percent.
• Empire Insurance Company--$1.9 million, 35.2 percent.
• General Reinsurance Corp.--$1.4 billion, 34.6 percent.

"Although final claims may not be known for years, domestic insurers were effective at spreading the risk for such a catastrophic event," commented Melissa Gannon, vice president of Weiss Ratings.

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