(Bloomberg) -- Allstate Corp., the largest publicly traded U.S.seller of car and home insurance, said it’s raising rates fordrivers after profitability declined at its namesake auto unit.

Allstate joins Berkshire Hathaway Inc.’s Geico in lifting rates after marginsworsened. First-quarter underwriting income for Allstate autofell 48% to $144 million, the insurer said on a spreadsheet postedon its website on Tuesday.

“We didn’t make as much money in auto insurance this quarter, inpart because of weather, in part because we have to adjust prices,reflecting economic activity,” Allstate Chief Executive Officer TomWilson said in a conference call on Wednesday. He said customershave been driving more miles as the economy improves, increasingthe number of claims.

Allstate declined 4.1% to $67.15 at 10:40 a.m. in New York,extending its loss to 4.4% this year.

The average premiums paid by customers have been “steadilyincreasing,” Matt Winter, Allstate’s president, said on thecall.

In addition to the Allstate brand, Wilson’s company also sellscoverage through the Esurance and Encompass units.

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