Business
Safety Insurance Group, Inc. Announces First Quarter 2023 Results and Declares Second Quarter 2023 Dividend
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Safety Insurance Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:SAFT) (“the Company” or “Safety”) today reported first quarter 2023 results. George M. Murphy,

About this update from Safety Insurance Group, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":" BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nSafety Insurance Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:SAFT) (“the Company” or “Safety”) today reported first quarter 2023 results.\n\n\nGeorge M. Murphy, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented: “The first quarter results were significantly impacted by a thirty-six hour period in February when temperatures plunged below zero across the Northeast region and Boston reached a low of -10 degrees Fahrenheit, the first double digit negative temperature in the region since 1957. This weather resulted in 783 burst pipe claims causing incurred water damage of $32.1 million, which contributed 17.0 percentage points to our combined ratio of 118.5%. In addition to this weather event, our underlying business is impacted by the increased cost of catastrophe reinsurance and continuing inflationary pressure on private passenger auto severity. Offsetting these losses is continued favorable loss reserve development. Despite the challenges in the quarter, we remain focused on the appropriate pricing of our products and anticipate continued rate increases in 2023.”\n\n\n“As always, Safety is focused on the strong relationships we have with our independent agent partners and our shared customers. This focus, coupled with current market conditions resulted in double-digit growth of 13.9% in net written premium from the prior year due to the result of new business production, specifically in the private passenger auto line, improved retention, and rate increases.”\n\n\n“We have also seen increases in our other revenue line items including finance service income, commission income and investment income. Specifically, investment income increased 28.9% primarily driven by our bond portfolio. We continue to manage a well-diversified investment portfolio that generates cash and income to the business.”\n\n\nNet loss for the quarter ended March 31, 2023 was $12.3 million, or $0.84 per diluted share, compared to net income of $7.8 million, or $0.53 per diluted share, for the comparable 2022 period. Non-generally accepted accounting principles (“non-GAAP”) operating loss, as defined below, for the quarter ended March 31, 2023 was $0.87 per diluted share, compared to non-GAAP operating income of $0.99 per diluted share, for the comparable 2022 period.\n\n\nSafety’s book value per share decreased to $54.01 at March 31, 2023 from $54.88 at De...