NU Online News Service, July 30, 2:42 p.m.EDT

CNA Financial Corp.'s chief executive says the commercialinsurer is seeing rate increases in every line it writes, and itremains optimistic despite some reports from other insurersindicating rates could be flattening.

“We continue to push [rate increases],” says Thomas F. Motamed,chairman and chief executive officer of CNA, during an earningsconference call.

“July was a very good month for us, relative to rates,” hecontinues. “So we are not prepared to accept flattening at thistime.”

The Chicago-based insurer says it saw average rate increases inthe second quarter of 6 percent, up from the 4 percentincreases reported in the first quarter. CNA received 1percent rate increases during 2011's second quarter, Motamedsays.

The insurer's specialty business reports average rate increasesof 5 percent, to go along with a 5 percent increase in secondquarter net written premiums when compared to the same period ayear ago.

In commercial, CNA achieved rate increases of 7 percent duringthe second quarter, Motamed adds. Excluding the company's sale ofFirst Insurance Co. of Hawaii last year, CNA's second-quartercommercial net written premiums increased 5 percent compared tolast year.

Second-quarter net income at CNA was $166 million compared to$124 million during the same time last year. Profit after sixmonths improved to $416 million from $344 at June 30, 2011.

P&C operations at CNA produced a second-quarter combinedratio of 101.7 compared to 106 in 2011 because after-taxcatastrophe losses fell to $44 million from $65 million during2011's second quarter.

At the half-year point, the company's combined ratio was 101.8compared to 104 last year.