Craig Kliethermes
Analyst · B. Riley
Thank you, Todd, and good morning, everyone. As Todd mentioned, we were able to grow top line 9% and still deliver a small underwriting profit for the quarter despite significant headwinds. 2020 has been an unprecedented year to say the least, with 10 named storms making landfall in the continental U.S., wildfires across a large portion of the West, a derecho in the Midwest civil unrest in many cities and an ongoing global pandemic. The market was hardening prior to these events as a result of prolonged competition and rising loss costs. We are seeing some acceleration of discipline into the market with a greater focus on limit and attachment point management, tighter terms and conditions, increased rates and more refined appetites where the pain is greatest. The market continues to improve more broadly, but still not everywhere. Improving conditions and increased submission flow are most pronounced in low-frequency, high-severity products where we often find the less regimented underwriting occurs. Despite all the tragedies associated with this year, RLI continues to be steadfast in helping and supporting our customers, while also delivering underwriting profit and double-digit book value growth to our shareholders. Our financial strength, diversified portfolio of products and relentless focus on disciplined underwriting and customer service have served us well. Our underwriters have narrow and deep knowledge in their space and know when we are being appropriately compensated for the risks we take. We will continue to take advantage of opportunities where we have expertise and where we choose to compete. I'll provide a little more color by operating segment. In Casualty, we were able to grow 11% while reporting a 90 combined ratio. Rates are up 10% across the segment, driven by excess liability coverages and automobile exposures. On commercial and executive product excess liability, we are seeing shorter limits being deployed, higher attachments and tighter terms required and significantly higher rates. Our commercial excess liability rates were up about 11% for the quarter, while our executive product rates were up more than 35%. We continue to see double-digit revenue growth out of these products, which has largely been driven by rate. Our personal umbrella business also continues to grow with more than a 50% increase for the quarter and year-to-date from investments made in technology, new and existing distribution partners as well as market disruption. Our transportation business continues to be challenged on the top line, shrinking 8% for the quarter and off more than 40% year-to-date, largely driven by the negative impact that COVID-19 has had on the charter, transit and school bus sector. On a brighter note, rates continue to exceed loss costs. The business remains profitable for us, and we are starting to see signs of resiliency in the public auto business. Casualty market dynamics do appear bifurcated in that primary casualty products with limits of $1 million or less, many construction risks and workers' compensation still remain very competitive. For RLI, this includes about 35% of our casualty portfolio, represented by products like small professional liability, admitted and nonadmitted general liability and package policies. In Property, we achieved 8% growth but reported a sizable underwriting loss as a result of the 4 named storms we experienced during the quarter. We have very few reported losses from the derecho and wildfires. The most significant storm for us was Hurricane Laura that hit Southwest Louisiana in late August. Given the frequency and severity of these events, the losses have fallen within our expectations. The time is now to deliver on our promise and differentiate ourselves, and we are doing just that. We had claim representatives on the ground shortly after each event, assessing damage and writing checks to our policyholders for covered property and time element exposures. These catastrophes, along with a tighter reinsurance market will continue to drive further hardening of rates. For the entire Property segment, rates were up about 14% for the quarter and 12% year-to-date. Wind-only rates are up over 40% in the quarter, which is the fifth consecutive quarter we have achieved increasing price momentum. There have also been spillover effects in other property perils, including earthquake, which achieved its third consecutive quarter of double-digit rate increases. Despite the rate increases, we continue to see steady competition from MGAs offering capacity in the catastrophe space. Our overall exposures have remained relatively flat while growing our property premium about 10% year-to-date. Other products in the property worth noting include our Hawaii homeowners business, which continues to grow at a double-digit pace and deliver underwriting profits despite the challenges to the island's economy. Marine also continues to be a disruptive market as a result of fallout from Lloyd's. We have achieved more moderate growth here, but rate continues to outpace loss trends. All in all, we are pleased with the underlying positioning of this segment. The Surety segment was able to grow 1% and reported an impressive 75 combined ratio for the quarter. All the major segments within this business remain profitable. Our focus on the most financially secure and well-run companies has typically mitigated the fallout associated with economic downturns. We suspect there are some carriers wrestling with distressed accounts and underlying profitability as a result of less disciplined underwriting that occurred pre pandemic. We will continue to focus on making investments in our sales teams, technology and smaller transactional businesses, which will serve us well in the long term. Overall, a pretty good quarter in light of events that occurred and the challenges we continue to tackle. Rates are continuing to move in the right direction and more broadly, and top line growth is better than expected. We continue to remain connected to our customers and producers through technology, phone and video calls and even in person whenever possible. We believe that online connectivity can supplement, but never replace experiences, trust, problem-solving and relationships that are only forged in person. People are the difference. Our talented associates provide the personal service and consistent appetite that have always been differentiators and continue to serve us well through the times of both turmoil and tranquility. Although many can't wait to move on to 2021, we believe the events of 2020 have helped highlight why RLI is different. That difference has served all of our stakeholders well and distinguishes us. I'd like to thank all of our RLI associates for going the extra mile to deliver to our customers and producers in a most challenging time. Being different, still works. Thank you. And I'll now turn it back to the moderator to open up for questions.