Insurance update....

[Guest guest]

Surprise surprise.

J. Pedersen DC

To attribute the high cost of premiums only to people who don't take

care of themselves is myopic and naive:

Insurance company Q1 profits

highest in 10 years

San Francisco Business Times -

September 22, 2004

Profits

for the nation's life and health insurers jumped $5.9 billion to $8.7

billion in the first three months of 2004, Weiss Ratings said.

Newport

Beach-based Pacific Life Insurance Co., with a $523 million profit in

the first quarter, up from $99 million from the same period the year

before -- a $424 million increase -- was among the insurers Weiss

Ratings identified as reporting the largest year-over-year earnings

increases.

The

financial analysis firm said life and health insurance industry

profitability for the first quarter reached its highest level in 10

years. Weiss Ratings attributed the rise primarily to a $3.1 billion

improvement in capital gains and a $1.5 billion increase in investment

income.

The firm also identified two

other insurers as reporting the largest year-over-year earnings

increases:

*Chicago-based

Continental Assurance Co., with a $303.1 million profit in the first

quarter, up from a $91.2 million loss from the same period the year

before -- a $394.3 million increase.

*New

York-based Insurance & Annuity Association of America, with a

$247.2 million profit in the first quarter, up from a $113.2 million

loss from the same period the year before -- a $360.5 million increase.

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2004/09/20/daily32.html?t=printable