Prudential 2001 Annual Report Download - page 61

Prudential Financial, Inc.
Adjusted Operating Income
2001 to 2000 Annual Comparison. Adjusted operating income decreased $55 million, or 37%, from 2000 to 2001.
Results for 2001 reflected a $59 million lower benefit from prior accident-year development. Adjusted operating
income in 2000 reflected the negative impact of $40 million that we provided for premium refunds or credits to
certain New Jersey automobile policyholders under that state’s excess profits regulations. Partially offsetting this
was a $35 million decrease in net investment income in 2001 from 2000.
We released reserves of $106 million in 2001 and $165 million in 2000 because our automobile casualty claims
experience for prior years was more favorable than we previously estimated in establishing reserves for these
accident years. Additionally, we benefited $80 million in each of the years 2001 and 2000 under stop-loss
reinsurance contracts, which are based on current accident-year results. However, we do not expect our 2002
adjusted operating income to include a comparable benefit from prior accident-year development, and any stop-loss
recoveries for that year are contractually limited to less than half of the benefit we realized in 2001. Consequently, if
the accident-year experience of 2001 continues, we would anticipate a continuing decline in results in 2002. As
discussed under “—Benefits and Expenses,” we have commenced re-underwriting and non-renewal of business that
has produced adverse loss experience. While there can be no assurance, we believe that these actions, together with
our cost reduction measures, will contribute to improvement of accident-year experience.
In May 2000, we completed the acquisition of the specialty automobile business of the St. Paul Companies, which
writes in the non-standard automobile insurance business. While, as discussed under “—Revenues” below, this
acquisition had an effect on the comparison of revenues for 2001 to 2000, it did not have a material impact on
adjusted operating income.
2000 to 1999 Annual Comparison. Adjusted operating income was essentially unchanged from 1999 to 2000.
Results in 2000 reflect an $80 million recovery from a stop-loss reinsurance contract based on current accident-year
results during that year and a $15 million greater benefit from prior accident year development. We released
reserves of $165 million in 2000 and $150 million in 1999 because our automobile casualty claims experience for
prior accident years was more favorable than we previously estimated in establishing reserves for these accident
years. However, these favorable developments were largely offset by a $53 million increase in operating expenses,
other than expenses of the specialty automobile business we acquired in 2000 as discussed below. The increase in
operating expenses was primarily due to increases in expenses to expand our distribution capabilities in direct,
affinity group, property and casualty agent and independent agent channels, and a provision for refunds or credits to
certain New Jersey automobile policyholders under insurance regulations based on profits generated from that
business, as noted above.
While, as discussed under “—Revenues” below, our acquisition in May 2000 of a business which writes non-
standard automobile insurance had an effect on the comparison of revenues for 2000 to 1999, it did not have a
material impact on adjusted operating income.
Revenues
The following table sets forth the Property and Casualty Insurance segment’s earned premiums, which are net of
reinsurance ceded, for the periods indicated. Year Ended December 31,
2001 2000 1999
(in millions)
Automobile .................................................................... $1,403 $1,153 $1,069
Homeowners ................................................................... 448 413 447
Other ......................................................................... 33 33 32
Total earned premiums ....................................................... $1,884 $1,599 $1,548
2001 to 2000 Annual Comparison. Revenues, as shown in the table above under “—Operating Results,” increased
$251 million, or 14%, from 2000 to 2001. The $251 million increase included an increase of $96 million in revenues
from the subsidiary we acquired in May 2000 that specializes in non-standard automobile business, which is
included in 2000 results only from the date of acquisition. The remaining revenue increase of $155 million, from
our existing business, came primarily from a $196 million increase in earned premiums from automobile and
homeowners’ insurance, partially offset by a $41 million decline in investment income.
Total earned premiums, as shown in the immediately preceding table, increased by $285 million, or 18%, from 2000
to 2001. Excluding the impact of the acquisition mentioned above, earned premiums increased by $196 million,
Prudential Financial 2001 Annual Report 59