Brown & Brown insurance brokerage's net income rose nearly 16 percent in the third quarter, and the company's chief executive said he sees insurers making nice profits in the soft market.
J. Hyatt Brown, chairman and chief executive officer of the Daytona Beach, Fla.-based brokerage, made his remarks during a conference call discussing the company's results.
Mr. Brown advised that insurance carriers are making a lot of money because there have been no large catastrophic losses and the market is competitive.
Brown & Brown third-quarter net income rose $5.5 million, from $35 million, or 25 cents a share in the period last year, to $40 million, or 29 cents a share. Revenues in the quarter increased 11 percent, or $21 million, from $191 million to $212 million.
For the first nine months of this year, net income is up 17 percent, or $20 million, compared to last year, from $115 million, or 82 cents a share, to $135 million, or 96 cents a share. Revenues rose 13 percent, or $74 million, from $589 million to $663 million.
In his discussion of the current market, Mr. Brown observed that the overall softening is continuing among the majority of lines of business.
Generally, lines of business are down by double-digit percentage figures, as much as 15 percent in some cases, he said, except coastal property accounts in Florida, the Gulf States and Texas.
In Florida, he said, property is beginning to "calm down just a little," but it remains difficult for condominiums and apartments which are going into the state's residual market, Citizens.
New construction in Florida, said Mr. Brown, is standing a better chance of finding an underwriter, primarily because of construction with hard glass and shutters.
Insurers are cherry picking accounts, he added, looking for buildings built after 1995 in the southern half of the state. Anything older, without upgraded construction, is going into Citizens or surplus lines accounts.
When asked by an analyst about what he heard from carriers during a recent meeting of the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, Mr. Brown said carriers say the price they are getting on their retentions is down 3-to-5 percent, but does not reflect business they lost to competition, which could bring that figure down further.
However, "risk bearers are making a lot of money," he said.
In response to a question on the reinsurance market, Mr. Brown said he thought reinsurers would try to raise rates for the Jan. 1 renewal period, but he was not sure if they would get the increases.
Jim Henderson, president and chief operating officer, said despite the improved industry results, he doubted reinsurers would offer any new capacity, and there was no significant change in the attitude of reinsurers to continue to increase rates to make up for past losses.
While Brown & Brown is seeking to continue its upward momentum through acquisition, it reported strong organic growth in the quarter of $11.5 million, up 5 percent from the same period last year. The company's strongest areas were its Florida retail business, specialty programs and wholesale services.
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