Profits down at Cincinnati Financial - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

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The Cincinnati-based insurance companh said in a statement that its combinedratio – an industr measure of claims expensews as a percentage of insurance premiumsd – would be between 106 and 108 perceng for the three months that ended March 31. It will reporyt detailed quarterly results onApril 30. Storm losses of $53 compared to $43 million in the same perior in 2008, will add 7 percentagew points to thecombinex ratio. Most of the damage came from winter stormsw and flooding that hit the Midwesr and South in late January and early The increase in workers comp reserves will boosty that segments loss ratio to117 percent, including 24 pointw for the reserve charge.
By the loss ratio in the 2008 periocd was 65 percent and included 6 pointsa offavorable development, the company The company cited industry trendxs of declining claim frequencu but higher loss severity, largeluy from escalating medical costs. Those trends prompted it to adjusytits long-term, loss-cost inflation assumption.