NU Online News Service, June 1, 11:59 a.m. EDT

Nineteen reinsurers belonging to the Reinsurance Association of America (RAA) saw a combined 2011 first-quarter net loss of $100.6 million, compared to 2010 first-quarter net income of $2.4 billion.

The reinsurers saw a combined underwriting loss of $2.1 billion and a combined ratio of 129.3. These figures compare to a 2010 first-quarter underwriting loss of $328.5 million and a combined ratio of 102.2.

Berkshire Hathaway’s National Indemnity Co. led the way for the group with respect to 2011 first-quarter net income. The company reports income of $236 million for the quarter. However, National Indemnity also posted the largest underwriting loss for the group, at $971.3 million.

Odyssey Reinsurance Group posted the largest net loss out of the group, at $327.3 million.

Policyholders’ surplus was $107.6 billion, down from $108.3 billion at year-end 2010 and up from $101.2 billion for the 2010 first quarter.

The 19 U.S. property and casualty reinsurers wrote $7.1 billion of net premiums during the 2011 first quarter, an increase from the $6.4 billion net premiums written in the first three months of 2010, according to the RAA.