NU Online News Service, April 13, 11:17 a.m.EST

State Auto Financial Corp. says results for the first quarterwill include pre-tax catastrophe losses of between $19 million and$21 million.

The Columbus, Ohio-based super-regional holding company says 85percent of the losses came from Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee andare primarily related to early March tornadoes, and wind and hailin the southern United States that moved into the Ohio Valley.

State Auto is scheduled to release results for the first quarteron May 3.

Last year State Auto turned to the reinsurance market for ahomeowners' quota-share treaty in order to deal with historic loss trends,because price increases of 30 percent over the last three yearshaven't helped.

State Auto's group of insurance companies turned in a combinedratio of 116.3 in 2011 while posting a net loss of $146.8 million on more than $230 million incatastrophe losses.

Cincinnati Financial Corp. also gave a look at first-quarter catlosses.

Cincinnati Financial says it expects pre-tax catastrophe lossesfrom its group of insurance companies of between $85 million and$95 million—mostly from two storms that happened in the Midwest andSoutheast in late February and early march.

These losses will likely add about 10.5 to 11.5 points to thequarterly combined ratio, expected to be between 98 and 101, saysCincinnati Financial.

In a statement, Steven J. Johnston, president and chiefexecutive officer, says new business and renewal price increasesdrove an 8 percent net written premium growth in the firstquarter.

The personal- and commercial-lines insurer didn't turn anunderwriting profit until the fourth quarter last year when it posted $98 million in pre-taxearnings on underwriting—which was also its best quarterlyunderwriting profit since 2007.