Geico - 1991 Annual Report

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Geico annual report (Lou Simpson)

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  • 12

    6

    8

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    CONTENTS

    Financial Highlights

    Letters to Shareholders

    Insurance Issues

    Selected Financial Data

    Business Segments

    Managements Discussion andAnalysis

    Financial Statements

    Directors and Officers

    GEICO Corporation

    One GEICO Plaza

    Washington,D.C. 20076-0001Telephone (301) 986-3000

    GEICO Corporation (the Corporation

    Iy an insurance organization whos(sidiary, Government Employee

    Company (GEICO), is a mdtiple-linecasualty insurer currently engaged i]

    ferred-risk private passenger automol

    for government employees and militz

    and homeowners and other lines ofall qualified applicants. GEICO Gene

    Company (GGIC), a subsidiary of Cprivate passenger automobile insul

    ferred-risk applicants other than go~

    ployees and military personnel. GEI(Company (GI), also a subsidiary of Cstandard-risk private passenger aumotorcycle insurance with emphasis

    to military personnel. CriteritCompany (Criterion Casualty), a subwrites nonstandard-risk private pa!mobile insurance. Southern Herita

    Company (SHIC), acquired by the C1991, writes preferred-risk auto and c

    lines insurance through indepenMerastar Insurance Company (MIC),

    by the Corporation in 1991, writes Fferred-risk auto insurance and other:

    for individuals who are employeesemployer. Resolute Reinsurance Cor

    sidiary of Resolute Group, Inc., in turof the Corporation, wrote property

    reinsurance in the domestic and interkets until late 1987 when the Compa

    writing new and renewal reinsureState Life Insurance Company (Gal

    subsidiary of GEICO, offers consumeinsurance products. Criterion Li:

    Company, a subsidiary formed by Gwrites structured settlement annuitie

    erty and casualty affiliates.Employees Financial Corporation (G

    sidiary of GEICO, engages in securand business lending, loan servicing i

    banking. The Corporation and its susometimes referred to as the Compaport.

  • IFINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTSPn thousands, except per share data)

    1remiums ......................................................................et investment income (pretax) ................................et investment income (aftertax) ..............................Realized gains (pretm) ................................................Realized gains (afterta.x) .............................................Net income ....................................................................Weighted average shares (fully diluted) ..................

    Net income per share ..................................................

    Dividends paid per common share ...........................

    Asets .............................................................................

    Shareholders' equi~ ............................... ...... ... ..... .... ...

    Common shares outstanding .....................................

    Book value per share .................. .................................

    Return on equity (three-year rolling),,,,., ..................

    $ 1,888,368

    $ 191,226

    $ 161,510

    $ 29,331

    $ 19,389

    $ 196,380

    14,571

    $ 13.48

    $ 2.28

    $ 4,085,839

    $ 1,184,261

    14,209

    $ 83.34

    24.6%

    jHARE RESULTS PROPERTY AND CASUALTY

    n Net Income

    ~ Aftefim Realized Gains

    87 88 89 90 91

    1991 1990 1989 1988 1987

    POLICYHOLDERS SURPLUSAND GEICO CORPORATIONSHAREHOLDERS EQUITY(MILLIoNs OF DOLLARS)

    q Shareholders Equity

    q PolicyholdersSurplus

    900

    ~

    87 88 89 90 91

    $ 1,692,518

    $ 177,087

    $ 152,456

    $ 19,587

    $ 13,002

    $ 208,441

    15,279

    $ 13.64

    $ 2.00

    $ 3,575,940

    $ 970,008

    14,851

    $ 65.32

    27.8%

    $ 1,621,361

    $ 152,422

    $ 134,862

    $ 109,133

    $ 73,754

    $ 213,053

    15,504

    $ 13.74

    $ 1.80

    $ 3,434,372

    $ 898,135

    15,176

    $ 59.18

    29,7%

    VALUE PER SHAREAND RETURN ON EQUITY

    q Book Value Per Share

    q Return on Equity(three-yearrolling)

    $90

    75A

    87 88 89 90 91

    $ 1,548,989

    $ 143,502

    $ 125,441

    $ 82,351

    $ 54,595

    $ 189,038

    15,861

    $ 11.92

    $ 1.64

    $ 3,060,551

    $ 707,390

    15,440

    $ 45.82

    34.1%

    $ 1,429,208

    $ 130,691

    $ 116,200

    $ 42,019

    $ 27,731

    $ 177,914

    16,673

    $ 10.67

    $ 1.36

    $ 3,012,541

    $ 634,678

    16,199

    $ 39.18

    37.7%

    COMBINED Loss ANDEXPENSE RATIOS(AFTER POLICYHOLDER DIVIDENDS)

    q Industry(Source A.M.Best,1991estimated)

    ~ GEICO Corporation(1987and1988adjustedfor theeffectof convertingtosix-monthpremiums)

    110%

    87 88 89 90 91

  • To OUR SHAREHOLDERS

    I usually commence this letter by describing in

    some detail the financial results summarized on

    page 1, This year I will start with something more

    important,

    Over the past several years, we have made

    steady progress in improving customer service, as

    noted in the adjoining charts. But we believe much

    more improvement is possible if we make a total

    commitment to achieve significant and measurable

    gains in the quality of our service as perceived by

    our customers. To accomplish this, we have

    launched a Quality Improvement Process intended

    to develop throughout our organization a total

    commitment to be the best at what we do and

    then find ways to do it better. We believe this total

    commitment to quality is imperative if we are to

    remain competitive.

    Last year I wrote you about the five business

    disciplines which we have followed for many

    years. We will continue to adhere to all of those

    disciplines which include: maintain a disciplined

    balance sheet, manage to an underwriting profit,

    be the low cost provider, and invest for total re-

    turn. But increased emphasis will be on the first,

    which is: be fanatics for good service.

    Some might say that we cant afford to empha-

    size service and quality and also be the low cost

    provider of insurance services. We dont think we

    can afford not to be the best. A total quality ap-

    proach to our business will lead to better satisfied

    policyholders and associates, reduced costs, and an

    improved bottom line. That resdt surely leads to

    greater value for our shareholders. We believe all

    three of these constituent groups will see increas-

    ingly positive restik from our efforts as we make

    progress in our total quality improvement process.

    It is not obvious but 1991 was one of our best

    years ever as we built shareholder value. Net in-

    come per share was $13.48 compared to $13.64 in

    1990 and net income was $196.4 million, down

    from $208.4 million in the prior year. Realized in-

    vestment gaim after tax of $19.4 million were mod-

    estly ahead of 1990 but unrealized appreciation of

    $183.1 million at the end of 1991 was far ahead!Unrealized appreciation, of course, is reflected on-

    ly in shareholders equity, not in the income state-

    ment.

    The comparison of financial results between the

    past two years is further confused by the fact that

    our 1990 results benefited from a one-time fresh

    start tax adjustment. This adjustment cosmet

    ly increased 1990 income by $22.2 million or $

    per share. Also 1991 results include charges fo

    centive compensation that may be paid out ir

    ture years and which fluctuate with the Compa

    Common Stock price or investment performs :

    Those charges, which reflect our conservative

    counting practices, were $1.22 per share in 1

    and $.26 per share in 1990.

    The operating and financial results of ou r

    property and casuaIty companies were outsta

    ing. They include results for the part of the ]

    that we owned Southern Heritage and Mera:

    Insurance Companies, as described on page 11.

    believe both of these companies will become m

    vahrable in the future, Our property and casut

    insurance operations achieved a consolida

    statutory underwriting ratio of 96.4%, after poli

    holder dividends, as they also did in 1990. We

    not routinely pay dividends to policyholders as

    strive for the lowest possible premium rate e

    year, but we chose to decline a policyholder d

    dend for certain states in 1991 because underw

    ing results were more favorable than we had an

    ipated. This shotid result in improved policy ~

    sistency and new sales in these states.

    The Companys auto insurance results benefi

    from the publics improved driving performs

    resulting in little or no growth in auto claims

    quency. Paradoxically, weather-related incur

    losses for property insurance were high beta

    1991 was our second worst year for catastro]

    losses.

    Property and casualty earned premiums w

    up 11.6% over 1990, a result of strong pol

    growth with only modest rate increases. Po]

    growth for all voluntary product lines combil

    (but excluding the policies of the two purcha

    subsidiaries) was 9.0% for the 12 months end

    December, 1991. This was the strongest pol

    growth that we have experienced in recent yea

    Aftertax net investment income was $161.5 I

    lion, up 5.9% from $152,5 million in 1990, Fall

    interest rates and declining yields contribute

    I

    the modest growth in investment income. We m

    sure investment management performce on a

    tal return basis that includes realized and unre

    ized gain or loss over a rolling three-year peri

    Vice Chairman Lou Simpson discusses our o

    standing investment results in his letter.

  • SATISFACTION WITHGEICO POLICYSERVICE

    90

    80

    70

    60

    50

    87 88 89 90 91

    SATISFACTION WITHGEICO CLAIM SERVICE

    87 88 89 90 91

    Return on equity (ROE) was 24.6%, also mea-

    sured over a three-year period. Shareholders equi-

    ty increased 22.1% over 1990, to $1,184.3 million,

    largely because of the significant increase in unre-

    alized appreciation in the portfolio.

    As we reported earlier, GEICO Corporation is-

    sued $100 million of 9.15% Debentures due 2021

    for the purpose of paying off higher-rate long-term

    debt and to pay maturing short-term debt,

    Standard & Poors and Moodys both assigned fa-

    vorable ratings. At the end of 1991, your

    Companys long-term corporate debt to capital ra-

    tio was an acceptable 14.5%, down slightly from

    the 1990 level.

    We negotiated with a prospective buyer for our

    life company, Garden State Life Insurance

    Company, but the letter of intent expired in late

    1991. Negotiations were resumed in February 1992.

    We chartered Criterion Life Insurance Company at

    year-end 1991 to assume the structured settlement

    annuity business of Garden State.

    No prospective buyer has been located for

    GEFCO, our finance company; consequently, we

    continue to shrink that business. GEFCO had a net

    10SSof $748thousand in 1991.

    Each year since 1988 I have found it necessary to

    discuss in this letter the situation in California. We

    have discussed the causes of Proposition 103 and

    the confusing deve~opments since the Proposition

    was passed. An elected insurance commissioner

    took office January 1, 1991. His most recent arbi-

    trary act was to issue orders to individual

    California auto insurers to make policyholder re-

    funds based on 1989 premiums. GEICO received

    an order to refund $56.2 million of premium, or

    39.4% of the total premium earned by GEICO in

    California for 1989. That proposed refund amount

    exceeds the total underwriting profit from

    GEICOS entire U.S. operations in 1989. GEICO

    will pursue all available legal remedies to resist

    this unreasonable order. You may remember that

    the Corporation in 1989 and 1990 took charges

    against earnings totalling $27.7 million for the po-

    tentiaf refund of premium in California. These 1991

    results do not include any additional charge

    against earnings for that purpose.

    On February 26,1992 your Board of Directors in-

    creased the quarterly cash dividend on Common

    Stock to $.75 per share, up 31% over the dividend

    paid in each of the previous four quarters. The

    Board of Directors also proposed an increase in the

    number of authorized shares of Common Stock

    from 60 million to 150 million and a five-for-one

    stock split. The proposed increase in authorized

    shares is subject to shareholder approval at the

    Corporations annual meeting.

    We were deeply saddened by the death on July

    30,1991 of William K. Jacobs, Jr., a member of our

    Board of Directors from 1948 until his retirement in

    1978, and ~ honorary director since then. Bill will

    be greatly missed,

    We discuss on pages 6 and 7 several auto/traffic

    safety and loss reduction issues, We do this to help

    inform as many people as possible about these im-

    portant issues and to let you know about critical

    activities in which we invest both time and money.

    OUTLOOK FOR 1992 AND BEYOND. While the

    outlook for the national economy is less than rosy,

    we believe we can continue to achieve restits gen-

    erally satisfactory to you. We are always subject to

    a long list of uncertainties, such as the economy

    and its impact on driving, accident frequency and

    severity, new car sales and other events such as

    weather-related catastrophes that can affect our re-

    sults. And to the list of uncertainties you can add

    actions or inactions by regulators and legislators

    and demands by consumers. Despite these chal-

    lenges we have set goals to achieve an underwrit-

    ing gain in 1992, modest policy and premium

    growth and a total commitment to improving ser-

    vice to our customers... who support us all.

    William B. Snyder

    Chairman

    February 26,1992

    e

  • INVESTMENTS

    Your Investment portfolio had a good 1991.

    Aftertax total return on the total portfolio was

    14.7%. GEICOS common stocks had an aftertax to-

    tal return of 36.5% compared with the S&Ps 20,3%.

    The fixed income portion also performed well even

    though the bond portfolio has a relatively short

    maturity. Over the last three years GEICOS com-

    mon stocks returned 17.1 % annually after tax, com-

    pared to 12.9% for the S&P 500, while the entire

    portfolio appreciated 10.3% annually after tax. We

    realized $19.4 million after tax in capital gains in

    1991 while the unrealized gain (net of deferred tax-

    es) for the equity portfolio increased $155.7 million.

    Aftertax investment income grew 5.9% to $161.5

    million, although we used $116.3 million to repur-

    chase GEICO Corporation shares. The largest net

    changes in the portfolio during the year were the

    net purchases of $347 million of U.S. Treasuries

    and Agencies and the net sales of $62 million of

    common stocks.

    In the 1986 GEICO annual report, I outlined our

    investment approach toward investing in equities.

    Since 1986, financial markets have been turbulent,

    with stocks particularly volatile as characterimd by

    major one day declines in 1987 and 1989.

    Leveraged buy-out transactions have all but disap-

    peared, the junk bond market has had severe prob-

    lems, corporate bankruptcies have multiplied, and

    real estate values (particularly commercial) have

    declined sharply. Despite these dramatic and pro-

    found changes, this investment team believes those

    1986 principles remain relevant. We have reprint-

    ed them on the opposite page.

    While these guidelines are easy to write about in

    theory, we find it challenging to apply them in

    practice today. Most high return businesses sell at

    a very high price relative to earnings and long term

    growth prospects, and as a resdt there is a shrink-

    ing number of investments which meet our criteria.

    Our response to the current environment has

    been to further emphasize our most basic princi-

    ples of concentration, independent thinking, and

    long-term ownership. GEICOS portfolio now con-

    sists of eight stocks compared to thirty-six stocks

    five years ago. Ordy two of the stocks are part of

    the Dow Jones industries and our largest holding

    was not part of the S&P 500 until year-end 1991.

    Finally, of the eight stocks in the portfolio at year-

    end, weve owned six for at least two years, Since

    we dont see many good investment ideas, we

  • :OMMON STOCK ANNUALIZEDOTAL RATE OF RETURNiI=TER TAXrHIRTY -SIX MONTHS ENDING)

    I

    9 GEICO Comons

    R sar 500

    87 88 89 90 91

    INVESTED ASSETS(MILLIONS OF DOLLARS)

    H Short-term Investments

    q Equity Securities

    n Fixed Maturities

    87 88 89 90 91

    GEICOS EQUITYINVESTMENT APPROACH

    Since the performance of GEICOS common stock

    portfolio has contributed significantly to the in-

    crease in value of your investment in GEICO, I

    thought you might be interested in learning more

    about our investment approach. In an abbreviated

    form, here are some of our guidelines:

    1. ~irzk independerztly, We try to be skeptical of con-

    ventional wisdom and to avoid the waves of irra-

    tional behavior and emotion that periodically en-

    gulf Wall Street. Such behavior often leads to ex-

    cessive prices and, eventually, permanent loss of

    capital. We dont ignore unpopular companies. On

    the contrary, such situations often present the

    greatest opporttities.

    2. Invest in high-return businesses run for the share-

    holders. Over the long run appreciation in share

    prices is most directly related to the return the

    company earns on its shareholders investment.

    Cash flow, which is more difficult to manipulate

    than reported earnings, is a useful additional yard-

    stick. Companies that cannot earn positive free

    cash flow (cash flow after capital expenditures,

    working capital needs and dividends) chew up

    owners equity and are continually forced to raise

    new capital. We try to identify companies that ap-

    pear able to sustain above-average profitability.

    Most companies cannot because competition pre-

    vents it.

    Many executives have priorities other than max-

    imizing the value of their enterprises for owners,

    such as expanding corporate empires. At GEICO

    we ask the following questions in evaluating man-

    agement 1. Does management have a substantial

    stake in the stock of the company? 2. Is manage-

    ment straightforward in dealings with the owners?

    (We look for managers who treat us as partners in

    the business and inform us frankly of problems as

    well m good news.) 3. Is management wi~ing to di-

    vest unprofitable operations? 4. Does management

    use excess cash to repurchase shares?

    The last may be the most important. Managers

    who run a profitable business often use excess cash

    to expand into less profitable endeavors.

    Repurchase of shares is in many cases a much

    more advantageous use of surplus resources. At

    GEICO, we practice what we preach we concen-

    trate on our core business, and over the past eight

    years have reduced shares outstanding from over

    34 million to under 17 million,

    3. Pay only a reasonable price, even for an excellent

    business. We try to be disciplined in the price we

    pay for ownership even in a demonstrably superi-

    or business. Even the worlds greatest business is

    not a good investment if the price is too high. The

    ratio of price to earnings and its inverse, the earn-

    ings yield, are useful gauges in valuing a company,

    as is the ratio of price to free cash flow. A helpful

    comparison is the earnings yield of a company ver-

    sus the return on a risk-free long-term United

    States Government obligation,

    4. Invest for the long-term. Attempting to guess

    short-term swings in individual stocks, the stock

    market or the economy is not likely to produce

    consistently good results. Short-term develop-

    ments are too unpredictable. On the other hand,

    shares of quality companies run for the sharehold-

    ers stand an excellent chance of providing above-

    average returns to investors over the long-term.

    Furthermore, moving in and out of stocks fre-

    quently has two major disadvantages that will sub-

    stantially diminish results: transaction costs and

    taxes. Capital will grow more rapidly if earnings

    compound with as few interruptions for commis-

    sions and tax bites as possible,

    5. Do not diversify excessively. An investor is not like-

    ly to obtain superior results by buying a broad

    cross-section of the market the more diversifica-

    tion, the more performance is likely to be average,

    at best. We concentrate our holdings in a few com-

    panies that meet our investment criteria in the be-

    lief that we have a chance at superior results only

    if we take risks intelligently, when the risk-reward

    ratio is favorable to us. Good investment ideas,

    that is, companies that meet our criteria, are diffi-

    ctit to find. When we think we have found one, we

    make a large commitment. The five largest hold-

    ings at GEICO account for over 50% of your equity

    portfolio.

    (Reprintedflom the 1986 GEICO Corporation Annual

    Report to Shareholders)

  • Insurance IssuEs

    NO-FAULT AUTO INSURANCE. A recent

    study by Rand Corporations Institute for Civil

    Justice confirmed what the insurance industry has

    said for years: a carefully designed no-fault auto

    insurance system can cut auto insurance costs sig-

    nificantly.

    Under no-fault, an insured driver is compensat-

    ed for accident-related injuries by his or her own

    insurance company, regardless of fault in a crash.

    In return for this guaranteed benefit, the insured

    person gives up the right to sue unless there are se-

    rious injuries.

    By keeping accident injury cases out of the

    courts, auto ins urance costs are reduced, premi-

    ums are contained, claims are settled more quickly

    and accident victims are not forced to share 30 per-

    cent or more of their settlements with attorneys

    and pay other significant costs.

    GEICO supports no-fault insurance as the best

    solution to rising auto insurance premiums.

    INSURANCE FRAUD. If you think of insurance

    fraud as a victimless crime, think again. Phoney

    insurance claims cost an estimated $16 billion dol-

    lars annually. Who foots the bill? You and every

    .

    other consumer who must pay higher auto in

    ante premiums to cover the cost.

    GEICO and other insurers have established

    cial investigation units to detect and prevent

    ment of fraudulent claims. But their power tc

    ter criminal activity stops there. Thats 1

    GEICO encourages legislatures to establish f]

    bureaus within their state insurance departm[

    Fraud bureaus have prosecutorial powers, the,

    giving anti-fraud efforts the force of law.

    AIR BAGS. After more than two decade

    prodding by insurers and safety organizations,

    frontal air bags in all vehicles will become a re

    by 1998. The transportation bill passed

    Congress in 1991 mandates driver- and passen

    side air bags in all passenger cars by Septemb

    1997, and in all light trucks and vans by Septen

    1,1998.

    Despite some isolated problems with air ba[

    duced skin abrasions and minor hot gas burrobags combined with seat belts continue to pro

    the best crash protection available, Recent stu

    by the Insurance Institute for Highway Sa

    found that driver deaths in air bag-equipped

    ..~-~~.992 MODELS WITH AIR BAGS

    o~tie~ollowing 1992 model cars have driver-side air bags as standard equipment.~ose w~ti optional driver-side W bags are marked with a cross (~).

    k--

    .c_ma_Legend*-->Acura NSX

    CmLVigortiomeo, all models

    ~~udi.aUmodels*E~, all models

    ==B_~t _~y,all modelsB_uick LeSabre, Park Ave.

    til~ Riviera@ck Roadmaster

    Cadillac, all modelsexcept Brougham

    Chevrolet BerettaChevrolet Camaro~evrolet CapriceChevrolet CorsicaChevrolet CorvetteChrysler 5th AvenueChrysler ImperialChrysler LeBaron

    Chrysler New YorkerChrysler Town & CountryDodge CaravanDodge DaytonaDodge DynastyDodge Grand CaravanDodge ShadowDodge SpiritDodge StealthFord Aerostar

    Ford Crown Vie{Ford MustangFord Taurus*Ford TempoeGeo Metro ConvGeo StormHonda AccordHonda CivicHonda Prelude*Infiniti M30

  • ~28percent lower than in cars equipped only ~[manual lap-harness safety belts.

    31C0 encourages anyone purchasing anew car

    mist on an air bag-equipped model. The chart

    ~w shows which models have air bags for 1992.

    ?UNK DRIVING. Despite years of anti-drunk

    ving campaigns, nearly half of all traffic fatali-

    ;: some 22,000 each year are alcohol-relat-

    But results are better than before.

    One proven way to help get drunks off the road

    d keep them off is administrative license revoca-