{"id":974680,"date":"2026-06-23T08:20:05","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T12:20:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/u-s-pc-insurers-post-strong-92-4-combined-ratio-as-premium-growth-slows-sharply\/"},"modified":"2026-06-23T08:20:05","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T12:20:05","slug":"u-s-pc-insurers-post-strong-92-4-combined-ratio-as-premium-growth-slows-sharply","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/u-s-pc-insurers-post-strong-92-4-combined-ratio-as-premium-growth-slows-sharply\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. P&C Insurers Post Strong 92.4 Combined Ratio as Premium Growth Slows Sharply"},"content":{"rendered":"

\nIn the first quarter of 2026, carriers returned $6.2 billion to policyholders; casualty lines remained under pressure, but there was continued momentum in personal auto underwriting
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JERSEY CITY, N.J., June 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Year-over-year, the U.S. property\/casualty (P&C) insurance industry\u2019s financial performance improved through the first three months of 2026, according to\u00a0Verisk<\/a>\u00a0(Nasdaq: VRSK), a leading strategic data analytics and technology partner to the global insurance industry, and the\u00a0American Property Casualty Insurance Association<\/a>\u00a0(APCIA), the primary national trade association for home, auto and business insurers.<\/p>\n

According to key financial indicators for private U.S. P&C insurers, the industry posted an estimated net underwriting gain of approximately $15.8 billion in Q1 2026, a strong rebound from the $864 million underwriting loss in Q1 2025, which was heavily impacted by large-scale catastrophe activity, including the Palisades and Eaton wildfires. Year-over-year industry financial volatility was similar in the first quarters of 2023 and 2024, swinging from a $7.8 billion loss to a $9.5 billion gain, respectively.<\/p>\n

First-quarter results improved largely due to continued momentum in personal auto underwriting, alongside a more stable catastrophe experience relative to the prior year. Some carriers have returned personal auto premiums through elevated policyholder dividends, marking a shift from recent periods of auto rate increases. At the same time, broader market conditions are mixed and other lines of insurance continue to face pressure.<\/p>\n

\u201cIndustry profitability improved in 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, driven largely by moderating inflation and an unusual respite from natural catastrophes over the past 12 months,\u201d said Robert Gordon, senior vice president, policy, research and international, APCIA.\u00a0\u201cIn good news for policyholders, premium increases continued to slow. Net written premium growth slowed sharply to 2.9 percent in Q1 2026, down from 9.6 percent in Q1 2024 and 6.8 percent in Q1 2025. When factoring in inflation and $6.2 billion returned to policyholders through dividends, written premiums have effectively declined in 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNet income bounced back in Q1 2026 following a 50 percent decline in Q1 2025. At the same time, legal system abuse and rising claims severity continue to be among the industry\u2019s most significant headwinds. States such as Florida that have enacted meaningful legal system abuse reforms are beginning to see progress, including stabilization and reductions in auto and homeowners\u2019 insurance rates,\u201d Gordon concluded.<\/p>\n

\n Underwriting Industry Financial Results Through Q1 2026, Post-Policyholder Dividends <\/b>\n <\/p>\n