Chubb Limited

Ladies and gentlemen, please stand by. Good day and welcome to the Chubb Limited second quarter 2021 earnings conference call. Today's conference is being recorded. All lines will be in a listen-only mode. Following the presentation, the lines will be open for questions. If you would like to ask a question, you can signal by pressing star 1 on your telephone keypad. For opening remarks and introductions, I would like to turn the conference over to Karen Beyer, Senior Vice President of Investor Relations. Please go ahead.

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to our June 30th, 2021 Second Quarter Earnings Conference Call. Our report today will contain forward-looking statements, including statements relating to company performance, pricing, business mix, growth opportunities, and economic and market conditions, which are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. Please see our recent SEC filings, earnings release and financial supplement, which are available on our website at investors.chubb.com for more information on factors that could affect these matters. We will also refer today to non-GAAP financial measures, reconciliations of which to the most direct comparable GAAP measures and related details are provided in our earnings press release and financial supplement. Now I'd like to introduce our speakers. First, we have Evan Greenberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, followed by Peter Enns, our Chief Financial Officer. Then we'll take your questions. Also with us to assist with your questions are several members of our management team. And now it's my pleasure to turn the call over to Evan.

Good morning. As you saw from the numbers, Chubb had an outstanding quarter, highlighted by record operating earnings and underwriting results. expanded margins and double digit premium revenue growth globally. The best in over 15 years, powered by commercial PNC and supported by continued robust commercial PNC rate movement. Chubb was built for these conditions. We have averaged double digit commercial PNC growth over the past 10 quarters. The breadth of our product and reach, combined with our execution-oriented underwriting culture, and our reputation for service and consistency, enable us to fully capitalize on opportunity globally. In conditions such as these, size and scale are our friend. Core operating income in the quarter was $1,620,362 per share. Again, both records. On both a reported and current accident year ex-cat basis, underwriting results in the quarter were simply world-class. The published PNC combined ratio was 85.5, and current accident year was 85.4, compared to 87.4 prior year. The two percentage points of margin improvement were almost entirely loss ratio-related. Current accident year underwriting income of $1.2 billion was up 27%, while on the other side of the balance sheet, adjusted net investment income of $945 million, also a record, was up nearly 9.5% from prior year. Peter will have more to say about CATS and prior period development, investment income, and book value. Turning to growth and the rate environment, P&C premiums were up 15.5% globally, with commercial premiums, excluding agriculture, up nearly 21%. The 15.5% growth for the quarter and 12.6% for the first six months were the strongest growth we have seen since 2004. Growth in the quarter was extremely broad-based, with contributions from virtually all commercial P&C businesses globally. from those serving large companies to mid-sized and small and most regions of the world and distribution channels. We continue to experience a needed and robust commercial PNC pricing environment in most all important regions of the world, with continued year-on-year improvement in rate to exposure on the business we wrote, both new and renewal. Based on what we see today, I'm confident these conditions will continue. In North America, commercial PNC net premiums grew over 16%. New business was up 24%, and renewal retention remained strong at 96.5% on a premium basis. In our North America major accounts and specialty commercial business, net premiums grew over 13%. with each division, major accounts, Westchester and Bermuda, having its largest quarter in history in terms of written business. And the standout was our middle market and small commercial division, which had its biggest quarter in about 20 years, driven by record new business growth and strong retentions. Overall rates increased in North America commercial markets by a strong 13.5%, which is on top of a 14.7 rate increase last year for the same business, making the two-year cumulative increase over 30%. And remember, in North America, rates have been rising for almost four years. However, they have exceeded loss costs for only about two years now. Loss costs are currently trending about 5.5% and vary up or down depending upon line of business. General commercial lines loss costs for short-tail classes are trending around 4%, while long-tail loss costs, excluding comp, are trending about 6%. Let me give you a better sense of the rate increase movement by division and lines. in North America. In major accounts, rates increased in the quarter by about 16% on top of almost 18% prior year for the same business, making the two-year cumulative increase over 36%. Risk management-related primary casualty rates were up almost 9%. General casualty rates were up 27% and varied by category of casualty. Property rates were up nearly 12%, and financial lines rates were up almost 20%. In our ENS wholesale business, the cumulative two-year rate increase was 39%, comprised of an increase of circa 18% this quarter on top of 18% prior year, second quarter. Property rates were up about 16.5%, casualty was up about 21%, and financial lines rates were up over 21%. In our middle market business, rates increased in the quarter over 9.5% on top of over 9% last year, making the two-year cumulative increase 20%. Rates for property were up over 10.5%. Casualty rates were up 11%, excluding workers' comp, and comp rates were down about 0.5%. Financial lines rates were up over 17.5% in our middle market business. Turning to our international general insurance operations, commercial P&C premiums grew an astonishing 33% on a published basis, with 24% in constant dollars. International retail commercial grew 27%, and our London wholesale business grew 60%. Retail commercial P&C growth varied by region. with premiums up 36.5% in our European division, with equally strong growth in both the UK and on the continent. Asia Pacific was up over 29%, while our Latin America commercial lines business grew over 14.5%. Internationally, like in the US, in those markets where we grew, we continued to achieve improved rate-to-exposure growth across our commercial portfolio. In our international retail commercial P&C business, the two-year cumulative rate increase was 35%, comprised of increases this quarter and prior year of 16% each. Two territories in particular, the U.K. and Australia, stand out in terms of rate achievements. In our UK business, rates increased in the quarter by 18%, on top of a 26% rate increase prior year for the same business, making the two-year cumulative increase 48%. In Australia, the two-year cumulative rate was 42%, comprised of an increase of 23% this quarter on top of 16% prior year. In our London wholesale business, rates increased in the quarter by 13, on top of a 20% rate increase prior year, so making the two-year cumulative 36%. International markets began firming later than the U.S., and again, like with the U.S., rates have exceeded loss costs for about two years now. Outside the U.S., loss costs are currently trending 3%, though that varies by class of business and country. Consumer lines growth globally in the quarter continue to recover from the pandemic's effects on consumer-related activities. Our international consumer business grew 13% in the quarter, and that's on a published basis. It grew 5% in constant dollars. Breaking that down for you, International personal lines grew 20% on a published basis, while our international A&H grew 6.5%, but it was essentially flat in constant dollar. Within our A&H book, a nascent recovery in our leisure travel business outside of Asia is beginning to result in growth, although passenger travel activity is still well below pre-pandemic levels. In both our group A&H business, With its employer-based benefits and our consumer-focused direct marketing business, premiums were up mid-single digits, still impacted by the pandemic but beginning to improve. Net premiums in our North America high network personal lines business were up over 2.5%. Non-renewals in California and COVID auto-related renewal credits had almost a point of negative impact on growth in the quarter. Our True9 network client segment, the heart of our business, grew almost 8% in the quarter. Overall retention remained strong at over 94%, and we achieved positive pricing, which includes rate and exposure of 13% in our homeowners portfolio. Loss cost inflation in homeowners is currently running about 11%, Lastly, in our Asia-focused international life insurance business, net premiums plus deposits were up 55% in the quarter, while net premiums in our global re-business grew over 32%. In sum, we continue to capitalize on a hard or firming market for commercial PNC in most areas of the world. Both growth and margin expansion are two trends that I am confident will continue. Our organization is firing on all cylinders. We're growing our business and our exposures, and we continue to expand our margins. Our leadership and employees are energized and driven to win. I couldn't be more proud or humbled by the results they are producing, and I want to thank them all publicly for their efforts. I am confident in our ability to outperform and deliver strong, sustainable shareholder value. I'll now turn the call over to Peter.