Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Gross premiums written increased by 1.4% to $183.9 million compared to $181.2 million in the prior year, primarily due to renewal business premium growth [16] - Net premiums earned rose by 3% to $192.1 million from $186.6 million in the previous year, driven by larger levels of 2024 written premium earning in 2025 [16] - Losses and loss adjustment expenses (LAE) were $186.6 million, significantly higher than $117.7 million a year ago, reflecting increased reserves due to cumulative trauma claims [17] - The adjusted net loss was $25.5 million compared to adjusted net income of $20.2 million a year ago [20] - The book value per share increased by 6.1% to $49.70, while adjusted book value per share rose by 5.5% to $51.31 over the last 12 months [22][23] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company increased its accident year 2025 loss and LAE ratio from 69% to 72% due to rising cumulative trauma claims in California [6] - The underwriting expense ratio decreased to 20.6% from 23.5% year-over-year, attributed to lower compensation-related expenses and higher net premiums earned [18] - The commission expense ratio improved to 12% from 13.8%, primarily due to a higher proportion of renewal business [18] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a 4% growth in policies in force, indicating strong retention in the small commercial business despite competitive pressures [13] - The frequency of cumulative trauma claims in California has increased, impacting reserves, while frequency in other states continues to decline [6][10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on underwriting margin over growth in a soft workers' compensation market, implementing targeted pricing actions and enhanced risk selection [12] - A new excess workers' compensation offering is being developed, with plans to start accepting submissions in early 2026 [14] - The company is pursuing legislative reforms in California to align cumulative trauma claims with other states [11][26] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence that the adjustments made to reserves adequately address recent trends and emphasized that these are not indicative of broad deterioration in the business [7][12] - The company is committed to providing best-in-class care to injured workers while managing the impact of cumulative trauma claims [11] - Future growth is expected to be steady, with a focus on maintaining underwriting margins rather than aggressive expansion [33] Other Important Information - The company announced a $125 million debt-funded recapitalization plan and increased its share repurchase authorization to $250 million [15][21] - Net investment income for the quarter was $26.1 million, slightly lower than the previous year, with realized and unrealized gains on investments increasing to $21.2 million [14][19] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on the targeted litigation strategies? - The company is using analytics to manage cumulative trauma claims and has established aggressive targets to reduce litigation costs [25] Question: How predictable are the loss trends going into 2026? - Management believes the trend is stabilizing but acknowledges the difficulty in predicting future outcomes [29] Question: Will there be a traditional fourth-quarter reserve review? - Yes, a full fourth-quarter review will be conducted, including an external actuarial review [36] Question: What commentary have you received from rating agencies regarding cumulative trauma claims? - Rating agencies have been supportive of the company's operational and capital actions [38] Question: How are medical cost trends evolving? - Overall claim severity values have held steady, with no significant concerns regarding medical costs [39] Question: Can you discuss the new excess workers' compensation product? - The new product is part of the company's diversification strategy, leveraging existing expertise and systems [41]