NU Online News Service, July 29, 11:53 a.m. EDT

The first quarterly earnings conference call with new Liberty Mutual Group President and CEO David H. Long involved the reporting of a net loss of $170 million for the 2011 second quarter, driven by nearly $1.3 billion in catastrophe losses.

Long says the Boston-based global insurer’s business model allows it to absorb the financial impact of the significant natural-catastrophe events during the quarter.

Income results are compared to a profit of $220 million during the second quarter last year. The combined ratio was 112.4, a 7.7-point increase over last year during the same period.

Despite the weather-related losses, Long says he “feels good” about the collective business of Liberty Mutual. Policies-in-force are up 2.7 percent in auto and 3.3 percent in homeowners. Personal-lines net premiums written are up 8 percent over last year, he adds.

Long says Liberty Mutual is “getting rate when needed,” especially in the Midwest, “where the industry has been, and remains, significantly underpriced.”

Independent agents via Liberty Mutual’s Safeco brand saw policies-in-force grow 3.1 percent.

Liberty Mutual is seeing growth in personal lines because it allows consumers to access the company “in whatever manner they chose,” whether it be through agents, direct, Internet or affinity groups.

On a consolidated basis, net premiums written increased 6 percent, or $440 million, to $7.7 billion compared to the second quarter last year.

The company is “yet to see traction” in the commercial multiperil market as it continues to “face headwinds” in pricing new business. Premiums are down 3 percent but there are signs exposures are stabilizing, Long adds.

In middle-market accounts, rates are going up, especially in workers’ compensation where middle single-digit increases are seen. Long says the company continues to walk away from inadequately priced business.

When asked if he’d deviate in business strategy from his predecessor, Edmund “Ted” Kelly, Long says he and Kelly shared a similar philosophy of diversified global growth, so there will be “no major deviations.”

Additionally, Liberty Mutual has no plans “as of today” to go public, as it once did, says Long.

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