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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) October 11, 2004
CINCINNATI FINANCIAL CORPORATION
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Ohio 0-4604 31-0746871
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(State or other jurisdiction (Commission (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation) File Number) Identification No.)
6200 S. Gilmore Road, Fairfield, Ohio 45014-5141
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code (513) 870-2000
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(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:
|_| Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
CFR 230.425)
|_| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
|_| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
|_| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13a-4(c))
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.
On September 30, 2004, Cincinnati Financial Corporation issued the attached news
release "Cincinnati Financial Corporation Summarizes Estimates of Third-Quarter
Hurricane Losses." The news release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and is
incorporated herein by reference. This report should not be deemed an admission
as to the materiality of any information contained in the news release. The
information furnished in this report shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of
Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise
subject to the liabilities of that Section, nor shall such information be deemed
incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(c) Exhibits
Exhibit 99.1 - News release dated October 11, 2004, titled "Cincinnati
Financial Corporation Summarizes Estimates of Third-Quarter Hurricane
Losses."
Signature
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
CINCINNATI FINANCIAL CORPORATION
Date October 11, 2004
/s/ Kenneth W. Stecher
----------------------------------------
Kenneth W. Stecher
Chief Financial Officer,
Senior Vice President, Secretary and
Treasurer (Principal Accounting Officer)
Exhibit 99.1
Cincinnati Financial Corporation Summarizes Estimates
of Third-Quarter Hurricane Losses
- Hurricane Jeanne catastrophe losses at approximately $8 million
- Total third-quarter pretax catastrophe losses in range of $94 million, net
of reinsurance
CINCINNATI, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cincinnati Financial
Corporation (Nasdaq: CINF) today announced an estimate of $8 million for
pretax catastrophe losses resulting from Hurricane Jeanne and updated
estimates for prior storms. Including Jeanne, third-quarter pretax catastrophe
losses, net of reinsurance, now are estimated at $94 million. The impact of
these claims on the third-quarter property casualty combined ratio, after an
$11 million reinsurance reinstatement premium, would be approximately 13
percentage points. Earnings per share (after tax) would be reduced by
approximately 40 cents.
Reported Loss Estimate
Claims (pretax,
Third-Quarter States Primarily (through net of
Event Dates Affected October 8) reinsurance)
Hurricane Jeanne September 25-27 Florida, Georgia <800 $8 million
Hurricane Ivan September 15-21 Alabama, Florida, <4,100 $37 million
Georgia,
Pennsylvania
Hurricane Frances September 3-8 Florida <800 $12 million
Tropical Storm August 29-30 Virginia <100 $1 million
Gaston
Hurricane Charley August 13-14 Florida, Georgia <900 $23 million
Wind Storm July 12-14 Illinois <1,100 $13 million
The loss estimate for each event includes losses from claims received as
well as updated estimates of claims that have not yet been reported. The
company now anticipates losses before reinsurance from Hurricane Ivan of more
than $90 million.
The company's reinsurance coverage protects against catastrophic events
such as wind and hail, hurricanes or earthquakes. Under the 2004 reinsurance
program, the company retains the first $25 million in losses arising from a
single event and 43 percent of losses from $25 million to $45 million. The
company retains only 5 percent of losses between $45 million and $500 million.
To restore affected layers of the property catastrophe reinsurance program
following Ivan, the company incurred a reinsurance reinstatement premium in
the third quarter. While the company participates in wind pools in Florida and
other affected states, it has received no information on which to develop
estimates of any potential assessments.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John J. Schiff, Jr., CPCU, commented,
"Without question, storms have had a significant impact on third-quarter
results for The Cincinnati Insurance Companies and the insurance industry in
general. The bigger impact, however, has been on the lives of policyholders
throughout the Southeast. Our associates have been working diligently to serve
these policyholders and to help them move forward. Our policyholders can take
comfort in the financial strength that allows us to pay claims promptly and
fairly. Reinsurance is one element of that financial strength and we are
comfortable that the programs we have in place are appropriate for our
organization."
Schiff noted, "Our estimate of total year-to-date catastrophe losses has
risen to $141 million, net of reinsurance. This estimate is above the $90
million to $100 million range we had assumed when developing our target
full-year 2004 GAAP combined ratio of 92 percent. Preliminary indications are
that strong profitability from our underlying business continued in the third
quarter. We will update our combined ratio guidance based on more complete
third-quarter information when we announce final results later this month."
The effect of catastrophe losses on recent periods has been:
(Dollars in millions,
except per share) Q204 Q104 1H04 Q403 Q303 Q203 Q103 FY2003
Total catastrophe
losses (pretax,
net of reinsurance) $46 $1 $47 $7 $41 $47 $2 $97
Combined ratio
impact 6.5% 0.1% 3.3% 1.0% 6.1% 7.1% 0.4% 3.6%
Catastrophe losses
per share (after
tax) $0.18 $0.00 $0.18 $0.03 $0.16 $0.18 $0.01 $0.37
(Per share amounts have been adjusted for the 5 percent stock dividend
paid June 15, 2004. The sum of the quarterly reported amounts may not
equal the full year as each is computed independently.)
Cincinnati Financial plans to report third-quarter results on Thursday,
October 21. A conference call to discuss the results will be held at 2:30 p.m.
EDT on that day. Details regarding the Internet broadcast of the conference
call are available on the Investors page of http://www.cinfin.com .
Cincinnati Financial Corporation offers property and casualty insurance,
its main business, through The Cincinnati Insurance Company, The Cincinnati
Indemnity Company and The Cincinnati Casualty Company. The Cincinnati Life
Insurance Company markets life and disability income insurance and annuities.
CFC Investment Company supports the insurance subsidiaries and their
independent agent representatives through commercial leasing and financing
activities. CinFin Capital Management Company provides asset management
services to institutions, corporations and individuals. For additional
information, please visit the company's Web site at http://www.cinfin.com .
This is a "Safe Harbor" statement under the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Certain forward-looking statements contained herein
involve potential risks and uncertainties. The company's future results could
differ materially from those discussed. Factors that could cause or contribute
to such differences include, but are not limited to:
- unusually high levels of catastrophe losses due to changes in weather
patterns, environmental events, terrorism incidents or other causes
- ability to obtain adequate reinsurance on acceptable terms, amount of
reinsurance purchased and financial strength of reinsurers
- increased frequency and/or severity of claims
- events or conditions that could weaken or harm the company's
relationships with its independent agencies and hamper opportunities to
add new agencies, resulting in limitations on the company's
opportunities for growth, such as:
- downgrade of the company's financial strength ratings,
- concerns that doing business with the company is too difficult or
- perceptions that the company's level of service is no longer a
distinguishing characteristic in the marketplace
- delays in the development, implementation, performance and benefits of
technology projects and enhancements
- inaccurate estimates or assumptions used for critical accounting
estimates, including loss reserves
- results and timely completion of assessment and remediation of internal
controls for financial reporting under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
- recession or other economic conditions or regulatory, accounting or tax
changes resulting in lower demand for insurance products
- sustained decline in overall stock market values negatively affecting
the company's equity portfolio, in particular a sustained decline in
the market value of Fifth Third Bancorp (Fifth Third) shares, a
significant equity holding
- events that lead to a significant decline in the market value of a
particular security and impairment of the asset
- prolonged low interest rate environment or other factors that limit the
company's ability to generate growth in investment income
- insurance regulatory actions, legislation or court decisions that
increase expenses or place the company at a disadvantage in the
marketplace
- adverse outcomes from litigation or administrative proceedings
- not receiving an exemptive order pursuant to the Investment Company Act
of 1940 from the SEC, and the resulting changes that would be required
in the company's operations
Further, the company's insurance businesses are subject to the effects of
changing social, economic and regulatory environments. Public and regulatory
initiatives have included efforts to adversely influence and restrict premium
rates, restrict the ability to cancel policies, impose underwriting standards
and expand overall regulation. The company also is subject to public and
regulatory initiatives that can affect the market value for its common stock,
such as recent measures affecting corporate financial reporting and
governance. The ultimate changes and eventual effects, if any, of these
initiatives are uncertain.
Readers are cautioned that the company undertakes no obligation to review
or update the forward-looking statements included in this material.
SOURCE Cincinnati Financial Corporation
-0- 10/11/2004
/CONTACT: Investors, Heather J. Wietzel, +1-513-603-5950, or Media, Joan
O. Shevchik, +1-513-603-5323, both of Cincinnati Financial Corporation/
/Web site: http://www.cinfin.com /
(CINF)
CO: Cincinnati Financial Corporation
ST: Ohio
IN: FIN INS
SU: ERP
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