NU Online News Service, June 10, 10:57 a.m. EDT

The Travelers Cos. says it expects after-tax catastrophe losses of about $1 billion from numerous weather events in April and May.

The auto, home and business insurer divulges the information in preparation for an investors’ conference today. The estimate is net of reinsurance.

Losses were mainly in the company’s business and personal insurance segments, caused by multiple tornadoes and hail storms primarily in the Midwest and Southeast, Travelers reports.

The largest of the catastrophes was a string of violent storms the last week of April that affected 13 states, Travelers adds.

Catastrophe-risk modelers put industry-wide insured losses from the late-April storms at between $2 billion and $6 billion.

Earlier this month modeler AIR Worldwide put an insured-loss range of between $4 billion and $7 billion from storms in May.

New York-based Travelers says it will limit common-share repurchases due to the catastrophe losses. Repurchases in the second quarter are expected to be less than $250 million.

CNN reports that Travelers’ shares fell 3.5 percent the announcement.

There is good news to report, according to Travelers. CEO Jay S. Fishman says business-insurance renewal-rate change was 2 percent compared to 1 percent, and exposure change was positive compared to the first quarter a year ago. Rate change was 4 percent compared to 2 percent for commercial accounts, he adds.

Meanwhile, educator-focused Horace Mann says catastrophe losses from April and May storms will be between $45 million and $50 million, pretax.

The Springfield, Ill.-based multiline insurer has lowered its full-year net income estimate, before realized net investments gains, to $1.10 to $1.30 per share from $1.75 to $1.95 per share. The estimates assumes that catastrophe losses for the rest of the year will be within expectations, says Peter H. Heckman, president and CEO.

Special Reports /

Travelers Expects $1B In Losses From April, May Storms

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