Argo Group suffers wider half-year loss

Argo Group suffers wider half-year loss | Insurance Business America

Insurance News

Argo Group suffers wider half-year loss

Sale still awaiting completion

Insurance News

By
Terry Gangcuangco

International underwriter Argo Group has announced its financial results for the quarter and half year ended June 30, 2023.

The company, whose merger with Brookfield Reinsurance is still awaiting completion, reported the following numbers:

Period

Net loss attributable to common shareholders

Operating (loss)/income earnings

Second quarter 2023

$(0.5 million)

$(0.8 million)

Second quarter 2022

$(18.9 million)

$31 million

First half 2023

$(36.9 million)

$(11.6 million)

First half 2022

$(22.5 million)

$74.4 million

During the quarter, Argo’s underwriting loss amounted to $22.4 million, while the underwriting loss for the six-month span stood at $54.1 million. A year ago, the group enjoyed positive underwriting results in both periods.

Commenting on the quarterly results, Argo executive chair and chief executive Thomas A. Bradley said: “Our second quarter performance further reflects the proactive steps we are taking to prioritize improving profitability. Our top line results reflect our deliberate and disciplined actions in certain lines of business.

“However, we continue to achieve growth across the rest of the portfolio, notably in our environmental, inland marine, and casualty segments. This is a testament to the importance of a diversified book of specialty businesses.

“We have remained focused on lowering expenses and reducing earnings volatility. The success of these efforts was demonstrated in the second quarter by further improvement in the expense ratio, and a low level of catastrophe losses, despite elevated industry catastrophe losses during the period.”

Argo, which agreed to be sold to Brookfield Reinsurance for approximately $1.1 billion, is waiting for the required regulatory approvals to make the sale official.

What do you think about this story? Share your thoughts in the comments below.