Commercial Lines

ALIRT Insurance Research provides charts that break down in detail the underwriting results, investment results, reserve development, written-premium changes and surplus changes for the ALIRT P&C Composite.

Reserve releases were higher in 2011 than in 2010 and 2009 for personal- and commercial-lines companies followed by ALIRT Insurance Research, shaving 2.4 points off of those companies 2011 combined ratio, the firm notes.

American International Group Inc.s remaining debt to the U.S. government is about $45 billion after paying an additional $1.5 billion to the U.S. Treasury Department, the company says.

CNA Financial Corp. says it has agreed to buy specialty insurer Hardy Underwriting Bermuda Ltd. for about $227 million.

As a further sign the insurance-pricing cycle is beginning to shift, Moodys Investors Service says some companies are reporting strong growth in excess and surplus lines business, generally a sign that standard-market carriers are tightening underwriting and shedding business.

A duo of hurricane forecasters at Colorado State University says conditions favor a less active Atlantic hurricane season in 2012.