National Interstate Gives Positive 4Q Preview

National Interstate Corporation announced higher preliminary earnings estimates for 2006 and a 65 percent jump in fourth-quarter premiums, sending shares of the transportation insurance specialist’s stock up nearly 25 percent this afternoon.

The Richfield, Ohio-based specialty insurer of trucks and personal recreational vehicles said that gross premiums for the fourth quarter soared to $61.5 million from $37.3 million for the comparable quarter in 2005. For the full year, the company said gross premiums were $305.5 million–up 13.1 percent over full-year 2005.