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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OLDWICK - MAY 25, 2017 01:42 PM (EDT)
The U.S. life/health (L/H) industry’s pretax net operating income in first-quarter 2017 jumped 130% over the same period a year ago, to $14.5 billion from $6.3 billion, and was the highest first-quarter total since 2013. These preliminary financial results are detailed in a new Best’s Special Report, titled, “A.M. Best First Look—1Qtr 2017 U.S. Life/Health Financial Results,” and the data is derived from companies’ three-month 2017 interim statutory statements that were received by May 22, 2017, representing an estimated 84% of total industry premiums and annuity considerations.
According to the report, the L/H industry posted an increase in realized capital losses of $3.1billion compared with first-quarter 2016, which was primarily driven by a $1.8 billion year-over-year difference at Transamerica Life Insurance Company. This moderated net income growth to $7.7 billion, a 73.5% increase over first-quarter 2016.
Total income in first-quarter 2017 increased year-over-year by 1.6% to $187.2 billion as premiums and annuity considerations grew 2.2% and net investment income rose 6.2%. This offset a 38.1% decline in commissions and expense allowances on reinsurance ceded, which was elevated during first-quarter 2016 with a reinsurance agreement at Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Co. that resulted in $2.3 billion of income not repeated during the current quarter.
The L/H industry saw continued growth in invested assets, reaching a record $3.8 trillion as of March 2017. Although bonds remained the top invested asset class in first-quarter 2017, the proportion held in bonds continued to steadily decline as more money was invested in mortgage loans, which made up more than 11% of invested assets at the end of the first quarter.
To access a copy of this report, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=261927 .
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