OREANDA-NEWS. EMC Insurance Group Inc., today reported net income of $6.1 million ($0.29 per share) for the second quarter ended June 30, 2016, compared to net income of $8.7 million ($0.42 per share) for the second quarter of 2015. For the six months ended June 30, 2016, the Company reported net income of $20.8 million ($0.99 per share), compared to $29.1 million ($1.42 per share) for the same period in 2015.

Operating income, which excludes realized investment gains and losses from net income, totaled $5.1 million ($0.24 per share) for the second quarter of 2016, compared to $6.6 million ($0.32 per share) for the second quarter of 2015. For the six months ended June 30, 2016, the Company reported operating income of $20.4 million ($0.98 per share), compared to $26.4 million ($1.29 per share) for the same period in 2015.

The Company’s GAAP combined ratio was 103.4 percent in the second quarter of 2016, compared to 101.1 percent in the second quarter of 2015. For the first six months of 2016, the Company’s GAAP combined ratio was 98.1 percent, compared to 94.5 percent in 2015.

“Like many in the industry, second quarter results were impacted by higher than anticipated catastrophe and storm losses,” stated President and Chief Executive Officer Bruce G. Kelley. “Our property and casualty insurance segment experienced a few large hail storm losses, while our reinsurance segment had a sizable loss stemming from the Alberta wildfire. Due to these events, we are reducing our earnings guidance for the year.

“Implementation of our personal lines initiative remains on track as we continue to roll out our new personal lines products. Initial feedback from our independent agents has been positive as our new products are competitive in the marketplace. We continue to actively monitor personal lines performance as we transition these new products into the remaining states.

“We remain focused on developing solutions that set our agents apart while creating value for policyholders, which is the mission of EMC’s innovation lab. Our innovation lab is collaborating with independent agents and external vendors to implement new solutions, such as a telematics program for fleet drivers. When coupled with sound underwriting, these enhancements will help us retain our best business and generate profitable growth,” concluded Kelley.

Premiums earned increased 1.3 percent and 2.1 percent for the second quarter and first six months of 2016. In the property and casualty insurance segment, premiums earned increased 0.5 percent and 1.3 percent for the second quarter and first six months of 2016. The new aggregate catastrophe excess of loss intercompany reinsurance program between the Company’s three property and casualty insurance subsidiaries and Employers Mutual Casualty Company (Employers Mutual), the Company’s parent organization, reduced premiums earned by $3.2 million and $6.3 million for the second quarter and first six months of 2016. Excluding this cost, premiums earned would have increased 3.3 percent and 4.1 percent. The majority of these increases are attributed to growth in insured exposures, small rate level increases on commercial lines renewal business, and an increase in new business.

In the reinsurance segment, premiums earned increased 4.0 percent and 4.8 percent for the second quarter and first six months of 2016. These increases reflect reductions in the total cost of the revised excess of loss reinsurance program with Employers Mutual totaling $540,000 and $2.1 million for the second quarter and first six months of 2016. In 2016, the total cost of the reinsurance program includes the premiums paid to Employers Mutual, as well as the cost of Industry Loss Warranties (ILWs) that have been purchased from external parties to provide increased protection in peak exposure territories. During 2015, the premium paid to Employers Mutual (8 percent of total assumed reinsurance premiums written) included the cost of ILWs purchased by Employers Mutual for its benefit. Excluding the reduction in the cost of the reinsurance program, premiums earned increased approximately 2.4 percent and 1.5 percent.

Catastrophe and storm losses totaled $22.3 million ($0.69 per share after tax) in the second quarter of 2016, compared to $18.4 million ($0.58 per share after tax) in the second quarter of 2015. The property and casualty insurance segment recovered $1.6 million of catastrophe and storm losses from Employers Mutual during the second quarter under the new excess of loss reinsurance program. Second quarter 2016 catastrophe and storm losses accounted for 15.2 percentage points of the combined ratio, which was higher than expected, but well below the Company’s most recent 10-year average of 18.9 percentage points for this period. Catastrophe and storm losses accounted for 12.7 percentage points of the combined ratio in the second quarter of 2015. For the first six months of 2016, catastrophe and storm losses totaled $28.5 million ($0.89 per share after tax), compared to $23.0 million ($0.73 per share after tax) in 2015. On a segment basis, catastrophe and storm losses amounted to $16.6 million ($0.51 per share after tax) and $20.0 million ($0.63 per share after tax) in the property and casualty insurance segment, and $5.7 million ($0.18 per share after tax) and $8.5 million ($0.26 per share after tax) in the reinsurance segment, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively.

The Company reported $8.1 million ($0.25 per share after tax) of favorable development on prior years’ reserves during the second quarter of 2016, compared to $3.1 million ($0.10 per share after tax) in the second quarter of 2015. For the first six months of 2016, favorable development totaled $15.9 million ($0.49 per share after tax), compared to $17.7 million ($0.56 per share after tax) in 2015. Development amounts can vary significantly from quarter to quarter and year to year depending on a number of factors, including the number of claims settled and the settlement terms, and should therefore not be considered a reliable factor in assessing the adequacy of the Company’s carried reserves. The most recent actuarial analysis of the Company’s carried reserves indicates that carried reserves remain within the top quartile of the range of reasonable reserves.

As previously disclosed, management of the Company approved the adoption of a new reserving methodology for the determination of direct bulk reserves. The new methodology, which is referred to as the accident year ultimate estimate approach, will better conform to industry practices and will provide increased transparency of the drivers of the Company’s performance. The transition to the new reserving methodology, which will be utilized in the preparation of the September 30, 2016 financial statements, is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s third quarter financial results; however, there will be some movement of direct bulk reserves between loss reserves and settlement expense reserves, and likely some movement of direct bulk reserves between lines of business and accident years.

Large losses (which the Company defines as losses greater than $500,000 for the EMC Insurance Companies pool, excluding catastrophe and storm losses) increased to $10.0 million ($0.31 per share after tax) in the second quarter of 2016 from $6.9 million ($0.22 per share after tax) in the second quarter of 2015, due in part to two large commercial fire losses during the second quarter of 2016. For the first six months of 2016, large losses increased to $13.0 million ($0.41 per share after tax) from $11.1 million ($0.35 per share after tax) in 2015.

Net investment income increased 6.5 percent and 7.8 percent to $12.2 million and $24.4 million for the second quarter and first six months of 2016, from $11.4 million and $22.6 million for the same periods in 2015. These increases reflect an increase in dividend income, which includes the receipt of approximately $480,000 of special dividends during the first quarter, as well as an increase in interest income resulting from a higher average invested balance in fixed maturity securities.

Net realized investment gains totaled $1.6 million ($0.05 per share after tax) and $549,000 ($0.01 per share after tax) for the second quarter and first six months of 2016, compared to $3.3 million ($0.10 per share after tax) and $4.1 million ($0.13 per share after tax) for the same periods in 2015. Included in net realized investment gains reported for the second quarter and first six months of 2016 are $1.4 million and $3.3 million, respectively, of net realized investment losses attributed to declines in the carrying value of a limited partnership that helps to protect the Company from a sudden and significant decline in the value of its equity portfolio, compared to $2.0 million and $3.4 million, respectively, for the same periods in 2015.

At June 30, 2016, consolidated assets totaled $1.6 billion, including $1.5 billion in the investment portfolio, and stockholders’ equity totaled $563.7 million, an increase of 7.4 percent from December 31, 2015. Book value of the Company’s stock increased 6.1 percent to $26.81 per share from $25.26 per share at December 31, 2015. Book value excluding accumulated other comprehensive income increased 2.8 percent to $23.08 per share from $22.45 per share at December 31, 2015.

Based on results for the first six months of 2016 and projections for the remainder of the year, management is lowering its 2016 operating income1 guidance to a range of $1.55 to $1.75 per share from the previous range of $1.70 to $1.90 per share. The revised guidance is based on a projected GAAP combined ratio of 99.4 percent for the year and investment income growth in the low- to mid-single digits. The projected GAAP combined ratio has a load of 10.2 points for catastrophe and storm losses, up from the previous expectation of 9.1 points. Net realized investment gains/losses resulting from the sale of assets are not predictable due to changing market conditions and the discretionary nature of such events. As a result, management is unable to accurately project the Company’s annual net income and therefore utilizes operating income1 in the Company’s projected annual guidance.