Arch MI Underwriting Income Up More than 140% in 2015

Arch Capital Group's mortgage insurance segment, which covers both primary and reinsurance operations, had underwriting income of $64.8 million in 2015.

This is an increase of over 140% from the $26.4 million of underwriting income recorded in 2014.

For the fourth quarter, underwriting income of $17.7 million was more than 1,000% above the $1.5 million earned in 2014. The fourth-quarter year-over-year change is because net premiums earned increased by $4.7 million to $56.7 million, while losses and loss adjustment expenses fell by $8.5 million to $7.2 million.

Insurance-in-force at the U.S. MI business is $27.1 billion, up from $22.4 billion at the end of 2014.

For the full year, Arch MI U.S. had $10.3 billion of new insurance written, with $2.5 of that coming in the fourth quarter. Approximately 60% of the most recent period's NIW came from banks, showing that the company's business plan to attract more non-credit union business is working. In 2014, there was $4.9 billion of NIW, with $1.4 billion done in the fourth quarter.

During the quarter, the company introduced a more granular pricing program, but since it came into effect in the middle of the period, it likely did not impact NIW volume.