A group of 19 U.S. property and casualty reinsurers saw itsunderwriting profit for the first nine months of the year improvefrom a loss of over $2 billion in 2011 to a gain of just under $1.4billion in 2012.

Last year at this time, the Reinsurance Association ofAmerican reported that, out of the 19 reinsurers, all but four had reported underwriting losses for the firstnine months of 2011. For the first nine months of this year, 10 ofthe 19 reinsurance groups reported underwriting gains, and justthree reported overall net losses for the period.

The group’s combined ratio improved from an unprofitable 108.8in 2011’s first nine months to 91.8 for the same period this year.

The group of reinsurers reports a combined net income for theperiod of $5.9 billion. Berkshire Hathaway’s National IndemnityCompany represents the lion’s share of the total, recording anine-month net income of $3.7 billion. The next-closest reinsureris Swiss Re America Corp., which reports net income of $382.3million.

Swiss Re America reports the largest underwriting gain for theperiod, at $341.2 million. National Indemnity was second at $336.9million.

American Agricultural Insurance Co., Endurance Reinsurance Corp.of America, and SCOR U.S. Group/SCOR Re were the three companiesreporting net losses for the period.

SCOR U.S. Group/SCOR Re recorded the largest net loss at $88.4million, and also the largest underwriting loss at $58.3million.

The group’s policyholders’ surplus increased to $120.1 billionfrom $104.9 billion in the first nine months of 2011.