Listed

CNA Financial Corp: Form 10-Q for the period ended Mar 31, 2026

Filed with the SEC on May 4, 2026 and accepted by EDGAR at May 4, 2026, 06:22 ET.

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Management's discussion and analysis

As filed, 45,694 characters, with its headings, lists and tables. Extracted from the main document; charts and exhibits are in the original on sec.gov.

OVERVIEW

The following discussion highlights significant factors affecting the Company. References to “we,” “our,” “us” or like terms refer to the business of CNA.

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included under Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-Q, and Item 1A Risk Factors and Item 7 Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, which are included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the year ended December 31, 2025.

We utilize the core income (loss) financial measure to monitor our operations. Core income (loss) is calculated by excluding from net income (loss) the after-tax effects of net investment gains or losses and gains or losses resulting from pension settlement transactions. Net investment gains or losses are excluded from the calculation of core income (loss) because they are generally driven by economic factors that are not necessarily reflective of our primary operations. The calculation of core income (loss) excludes gains or losses resulting from pension settlement transactions as they result from decisions regarding our defined benefit pension plans which are unrelated to our primary operations. Presentation of consolidated core income (loss) is deemed to be a non-GAAP financial measure and management believes some investors may find this measure useful to evaluate our primary operations. See further discussion regarding how we manage our business in Note J to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included under Part I, Item 1. For reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP measures and other information, please refer herein and/or to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In evaluating the results of our Specialty, Commercial and International segments, we utilize the loss ratio, the underlying loss ratio, the expense ratio, the dividend ratio, the combined ratio and the underlying combined ratio. These ratios are calculated using GAAP financial results. The loss ratio is the percentage of net incurred claim and claim adjustment expenses to net earned premiums. The underlying loss ratio excludes the impact of catastrophe-related reinstatement premiums, catastrophe losses and development-related items from the loss ratio. Development-related items represents net prior year loss reserve and premium development, and includes the effects of interest accretion and change in allowance for uncollectible reinsurance. The expense ratio is the percentage of insurance underwriting and acquisition expenses, including the amortization of deferred acquisition costs, to net earned premiums. The dividend ratio is the ratio of policyholders' dividends incurred to net earned premiums. The combined ratio is the sum of the loss ratio, the expense ratio and the dividend ratio. The underlying combined ratio is the sum of the underlying loss ratio, the expense ratio and the dividend ratio. The underlying loss ratio and the underlying combined ratio are deemed to be non-GAAP financial measures, and management believes some investors may find these ratios useful to evaluate our underwriting performance since they remove the impact of catastrophes which are unpredictable as to timing and amount, and development-related items as they are not indicative of our current year underwriting performance.

Changes in estimates of claim and claim adjustment expense reserves, net of reinsurance, for prior years are defined as net prior year loss reserve development within this MD&A. These changes can be favorable or unfavorable. Net prior year loss reserve development does not include the effect of any related acquisition expenses. Further information on our reserves is provided in Note E and Note F to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included under Part I, Item 1.

In addition, we also utilize renewal premium change, rate, retention and new business in evaluating operating trends. Renewal premium change represents the estimated change in average premium on policies that renew, including rate and exposure changes. Rate represents the average change in price on policies that renew excluding exposure change. Exposure represents the measure of risk used in the pricing of the insurance product. The change in exposure represents the change in premium dollars on policies that renew as a result of the change in risk of the policy. Retention represents the percentage of premium dollars renewed, excluding rate and exposure changes, in comparison to the expiring premium dollars from policies available to renew. New business represents premiums from policies written with new customers and additional policies written with existing customers.

We use underwriting gain (loss) and underlying underwriting gain (loss), calculated using GAAP financial results, to monitor our insurance operations. Underwriting gain (loss) is deemed to be a non-GAAP financial measure and is calculated pretax as net earned premiums less total insurance expenses, which includes insurance claims and policyholders' benefits, amortization of deferred acquisition costs and insurance related administrative expenses. Net income (loss) is the most directly comparable GAAP measure. Management believes some investors may find this measure useful to evaluate the profitability, before tax, derived from our underwriting activities, which are managed separately from our investing activities. Underlying underwriting gain (loss) is also deemed to be a non-GAAP financial measure, and represents pretax underwriting gain (loss) excluding catastrophe-related reinstatement premiums, catastrophe losses and development-related items. Management believes some investors may find this measure useful to evaluate the profitability, before tax, derived from our underwriting activities, excluding the impact of catastrophes, which are unpredictable as to timing and amount, and development-related items as they are not indicative of our current year underwriting performance.

The following tables present reconciliations of net income to core income, underwriting (loss) gain and underlying underwriting gain for our Property & Casualty Operations:

(In millions)

Three months ended March 31, 2026 Specialty Commercial International Property & Casualty
Net income $95 $105 $36 $236
Net investment losses, after tax 4 7 1 12
Core income $99 $112 $37 $248
Less:
Net investment income 142 190 43 375
Non-insurance warranty revenue (expense) 18 — — 18
Other revenue (expense), including interest expense (11) (2) (2) (15)
Income tax expense on core income (26) (27) (18) (71)
Underwriting (loss) gain (24) (49) 14 (59)
Catastrophe-related reinstatement premiums — 9 — 9
Catastrophe losses — 84 4 88
Effect of unfavorable development-related items 50 56 — 106
Underlying underwriting gain $26 $100 $18 $144

(In millions)

Three months ended March 31, 2025 Specialty Commercial International Property & Casualty
Net income $149 $124 $38 $311
Net investment losses (gains), after tax 1 — (1) —
Core income $150 $124 $37 $311
Less:
Net investment income 151 177 34 362
Non-insurance warranty revenue (expense) 12 — — 12
Other revenue (expense), including interest expense (14) (2) 1 (15)
Income tax expense on core income (41) (34) (13) (88)
Underwriting gain (loss) 42 (17) 15 40
Catastrophe-related reinstatement premiums — — — —
Catastrophe losses — 86 11 97
Effect of unfavorable development-related items 10 53 — 63
Underlying underwriting gain $52 $122 $26 $200

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The following table presents a reconciliation of net loss to core (loss) income for our Life & Group segment:

(In millions)

Three months ended March 31 2026 2025
Net loss $(11) $(1)
Net investment losses, after tax 2 7
Core (loss) income $(9) $6

The following table presents a reconciliation of net loss to core loss for our Corporate & Other segment:

(In millions)

Three months ended March 31 2026 2025
Net loss $(14) $(36)
Net investment losses (gains), after tax — —
Core loss $(14) $(36)

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES

The preparation of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and the amount of revenues and expenses reported during the period. Actual results may differ from those estimates.

Our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes have been prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis. We continually evaluate the accounting policies and estimates used to prepare the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. In general, our estimates are based on historical experience, evaluation of current trends, information from third-party professionals and various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the known facts and circumstances.

The accounting estimates set forth below are considered by us to be critical to an understanding of our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements as their application places the most significant demands on our judgment:

  • Insurance Reserves
  • Long-Term Care Reserves
  • Valuation of Investments and Impairment of Securities

Due to the inherent uncertainties involved with these types of judgments, actual results could differ significantly from our estimates and may have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition, equity, business, and insurer financial strength and corporate debt ratings. See the Critical Accounting Estimates section of our Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included under Item 7 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 for further information.

CONSOLIDATED OPERATIONS

Results of Operations

The following table includes the consolidated results of our operations including our financial measure, core income (loss). For more detailed components of our business operations and a discussion of the core income (loss) financial measure, see the Segment Results section within this MD&A. For further discussion of Net investment income and Net investment gains or losses, see the Investments section of this MD&A.

(In millions)

Three months ended March 31 Operating Revenues 2026 2025
Net earned premiums $2,701 $2,626
Net investment income 610 604
Non-insurance warranty revenue 374 397
Other revenues 10 9
Total operating revenues 3,695 3,636
Claims, Benefits and Expenses
Net incurred claims and benefits (re-measurement loss of $19 and $8) 2,163 2,017
Policyholders' dividends 12 10
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs 476 471
Non-insurance warranty expense 356 385
Insurance related administrative expenses 332 321
Interest expense 33 32
Other expenses 38 42
Total claims, benefits and expenses 3,410 3,278
Income tax expense on core income (60) (77)
Core income 225 281
Net investment losses (18) (9)
Income tax benefit on net investment losses 4 2
Net investment losses, after tax (14) (7)
Net income $211 $274

Core income decreased $56 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 as compared with the same period in 2025. Core income for our Property & Casualty Operations decreased $63 million primarily driven by lower underlying underwriting results and unfavorable net prior year loss reserve development partially offset by higher net investment income. Core results for our Life & Group segment decreased $15 million, while core loss for our Corporate & Other segment improved $22 million.

Catastrophe losses were $88 million and catastrophe-related reinsurance reinstatement premiums were $9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 driven by severe weather related events. Catastrophe losses were $97 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 driven by severe weather related events, including $53 million for the California wildfires. There were no catastrophe-related reinsurance reinstatement premiums for the three months ended March 31, 2025. Unfavorable net prior year loss reserve development of $100 million and $83 million was recorded for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 related to our Specialty, Commercial and Corporate & Other segments. Further information on net prior year loss reserve development is in Note E to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included under Part I, Item 1.

SEGMENT RESULTS

The following discusses the results of operations for our business segments. Our property and casualty commercial insurance operations are managed and reported in three business segments: Specialty, Commercial and International, which we refer to collectively as Property & Casualty Operations. Our operations outside of Property & Casualty Operations are managed and reported in two segments: Life & Group and Corporate & Other.

Specialty

The following table details the results of operations for Specialty and provides the components to reconcile the combined ratio and loss ratio to the underlying combined ratio and underlying loss ratio.

(In millions, except ratios, rate, renewal premium change and retention)

Three months ended March 31 2026 2025
Net written premiums $834 $842
Net earned premiums 852 830
Underwriting (loss) gain (24) 42
Net investment income 142 151
Core income 99 150
Other performance metrics:
Loss ratio 68.7% 61.4%
Expense ratio 33.6 33.4
Dividend ratio 0.4 0.3
Combined ratio 102.7% 95.1%
Less: Effect of catastrophe impacts — —
Less: Effect of unfavorable development-related items 5.9 1.3
Underlying combined ratio 96.8% 93.8%
Underlying loss ratio 62.8% 60.1%
Rate 3% 3%
Renewal premium change 5 4
Retention 86 89
New business $127 $112

Net written premiums for Specialty decreased $8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 as compared with the same period in 2025 driven by lower retention partially offset by rate and new business. The increase in net earned premiums was consistent with the trend in net written premiums in recent quarters.

Core income decreased $51 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 as compared with the same period in 2025 primarily due to higher unfavorable net prior year loss reserve development and lower underlying underwriting results.

The combined ratio of 102.7% increased 7.6 points for the three months ended March 31, 2026 as compared with the same period in 2025 primarily due to a 7.3 point increase in the loss ratio. The increase in the loss ratio was due to higher unfavorable net prior year loss reserve development driven by our professional errors & omissions (E&O) business in recent accident years and an increase in the underlying loss ratio driven by loss cost trends exceeding rate for certain lines in recent quarters. The expense ratio was generally consistent with the same period in 2025. There were no catastrophe losses for the three months ended March 31, 2026 or 2025.

Unfavorable net prior year loss reserve development of $45 million and $10 million was recorded for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025. Further information on net prior year loss reserve development is in Note E to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included under Part I, Item 1.

The following table summarizes the gross and net carried reserves for Specialty.

(In millions)

March 31, 2026 December 31, 2025
Gross case reserves $2,069 $2,166
Gross IBNR reserves 5,716 5,618
Total gross carried claim and claim adjustment expense reserves $7,785 $7,784
Net case reserves $1,732 $1,801
Net IBNR reserves 4,546 4,387
Total net carried claim and claim adjustment expense reserves $6,278 $6,188

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Commercial

The following table details the results of operations for Commercial and provides the components to reconcile the combined ratio and loss ratio to the underlying combined ratio and underlying loss ratio.

(In millions, except ratios, rate, renewal premium change and retention)

Three months ended March 31 2026 2025
Net written premiums $1,480 $1,498
Net earned premiums 1,412 1,380
Underwriting loss (49) (17)
Net investment income 190 177
Core income 112 124
Other performance metrics:
Loss ratio 76.2% 73.0%
Expense ratio 26.7 27.6
Dividend ratio 0.6 0.5
Combined ratio 103.5% 101.1%
Less: Effect of catastrophe impacts 6.4 6.3
Less: Effect of unfavorable development-related items 4.0 3.8
Underlying combined ratio 93.1% 91.0%
Underlying loss ratio 65.8% 62.9%
Rate 2% 6%
Renewal premium change 3 7
Retention 81 84
New business $369 $370

Net written premiums for Commercial decreased $18 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 as compared with the same period in 2025 driven by lower retention. The increase in net earned premiums was consistent with the trend in net written premiums in recent quarters.

Core income decreased $12 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 as compared with the same period in 2025, driven by lower underlying underwriting results partially offset by higher net investment income.

The combined ratio of 103.5% increased 2.4 points for the three months ended March 31, 2026 as compared with the same period in 2025 primarily due to a 3.2 point increase in the loss ratio partially offset by a 0.9 point improvement in the expense ratio. The increase in the loss ratio was driven by a higher underlying loss ratio in excess casualty and workers' compensation. The improvement in the expense ratio was primarily driven by a lower acquisition ratio. Catastrophe losses were $84 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 as compared with $86 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025. The current quarter also includes $9 million of catastrophe-related reinsurance reinstatement premiums. The effect of catastrophe impacts on the loss ratio was 6.4 points for the three months ended March 31, 2026 as compared with 6.3 points for the three months ended March 31, 2025.

Unfavorable net prior year loss reserve development of $55 million and $51 million was recorded for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025. Further information on net prior year loss reserve development is in Note E to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included under Part I, Item 1.

The following table summarizes the gross and net carried reserves for Commercial.

(In millions)

March 31, 2026 December 31, 2025
Gross case reserves $4,014 $4,093
Gross IBNR reserves 8,654 8,156
Total gross carried claim and claim adjustment expense reserves $12,668 $12,249
Net case reserves $3,479 $3,508
Net IBNR reserves 7,506 7,188
Total net carried claim and claim adjustment expense reserves $10,985 $10,696

46

International

The following table details the results of operations for International and provides the components to reconcile the combined ratio and loss ratio to the underlying combined ratio and underlying loss ratio.

(In millions, except ratios, rate, renewal premium change and retention)

Three months ended March 31 2026 2025
Net written premiums $308 $266
Net earned premiums 334 310
Underwriting gain 14 15
Net investment income 43 34
Core income 37 37
Other performance metrics:
Loss ratio 61.0% 62.1%
Expense ratio 34.9 33.3
Combined ratio 95.9% 95.4%
Less: Effect of catastrophe impacts 1.2 3.6
Less: Effect of (favorable) unfavorable development-related items — —
Underlying combined ratio 94.7% 91.8%
Underlying loss ratio 59.8% 58.5%
Rate (4)% (2)%
Renewal premium change (2) 1
Retention 85 85
New business $85 $83

Net written premiums for International increased $42 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 as compared with the same period in 2025. Excluding the effect of foreign currency exchange rates, net written premiums increased $19 million as compared with the same period in 2025 driven by timing of reinsurance costs, partially offset by lower rate. The increase in net earned premiums was consistent with the trend in net written premiums.

Core income for the three months ended March 31, 2026 was consistent with the same period in 2025.

The combined ratio of 95.9% increased 0.5 points for the three months ended March 31, 2026 as compared with the same period in 2025 due to a 1.6 point increase in the expense ratio, partially offset by a 1.1 point improvement in the loss ratio. The increase in the expense ratio was primarily driven by higher employee related costs and acquisition costs partially offset by higher net earned premiums. The improvement in the loss ratio was primarily driven by lower catastrophe losses partially offset by an increase in the underlying loss ratio driven by continued pricing pressure. Catastrophe losses were $4 million, or 1.2 points of the loss ratio, for the three months ended March 31, 2026, as compared with $11 million, or 3.6 points of the loss ratio, for the three months ended March 31, 2025.

There was no net prior year loss reserve development recorded for the three months ended March 31, 2026 or 2025.

The following table summarizes the gross and net carried reserves for International.

(In millions)

March 31, 2026 December 31, 2025
Gross case reserves $1,048 $1,052
Gross IBNR reserves 2,348 2,324
Total gross carried claim and claim adjustment expense reserves $3,396 $3,376
Net case reserves $871 $880
Net IBNR reserves 1,972 1,961
Total net carried claim and claim adjustment expense reserves $2,843 $2,841

48

Life & Group

The following table summarizes the results of operations for Life & Group.

(In millions)

Three months ended March 31 2026 2025
Net earned premiums $103 $106
Claims, benefits and expenses 344 330
Net investment income 224 226
Core (loss) income (9) 6

Core results decreased $15 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 as compared with the same period in 2025. Results for the current period reflect unfavorable morbidity partially offset by favorable persistency. Results for the prior year period reflected favorable persistency.

Corporate & Other

The following table summarizes the results of operations for the Corporate & Other segment, including intersegment eliminations.

(In millions)

Three months ended March 31 2026 2025
Net investment income $11 $16
Insurance claims and policyholders' benefits (17) 9
Interest expense 33 32
Core loss (14) (36)

Core loss improved $22 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 as compared with the same period in 2025. The improvement was primarily due to no net prior year loss reserve development in the current year as compared with a $17 million after-tax charge in the prior year period related to unfavorable prior year loss reserve development largely associated with legacy mass tort abuse reserves. Insurance claims and policyholders' benefits also includes amortization of the deferred gain related to the asbestos and environmental pollution (A&EP) Loss Portfolio Transfer (LPT). Further information on the net prior year loss reserve development and the A&EP LPT is in Note E to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included under Part I, Item 1.

The following table summarizes the gross and net carried reserves for Corporate & Other.

(In millions)

March 31, 2026 December 31, 2025
Gross case reserves $1,272 $1,196
Gross IBNR reserves 1,234 1,403
Total gross carried claim and claim adjustment expense reserves $2,506 $2,599
Net case reserves $114 $119
Net IBNR reserves 222 238
Total net carried claim and claim adjustment expense reserves $336 $357

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INVESTMENTS

Net Investment Income

The significant components of Net investment income are presented in the following table. Fixed income securities, as presented, include both fixed maturity securities and non-redeemable preferred stock.

(In millions)

Three months ended March 31 Fixed income securities: 2026 2025
Taxable fixed income securities $500 $496
Tax-exempt fixed income securities 52 34
Total fixed income securities 552 530
Limited partnership and common stock investments 42 54
Other, net of investment expense 16 20
Net investment income $610 $604
Effective income yield for the fixed income securities portfolio 4.9% 4.8%
Limited partnership and common stock return for the period 1.4% 2.0%

Net investment income increased $6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 as compared with the same period in 2025 driven by higher income from fixed income securities as a result of a larger invested asset base and favorable reinvestment rates partially offset by lower common stock returns.

Net Investment (Losses) Gains

The components of Net investment (losses) gains are presented in the following table.

(In millions)

Three months ended March 31 Fixed maturity securities: 2026 2025
Corporate bonds and other $(7) $(9)
States, municipalities and political subdivisions (1) (1)
Asset-backed (6) 1
Total fixed maturity securities (14) (9)
Non-redeemable preferred stock (4) —
Net investment losses (18) (9)
Income tax benefit on net investment losses 4 2
Net investment losses, after tax $(14) $(7)

Pretax net investment losses increased $9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 as compared with the same period in 2025 driven by higher impairment losses and the unfavorable change in fair value of non-redeemable preferred stock.

Further information on our investment gains and losses is set forth in Note C to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included under Part I, Item 1.

Portfolio Quality

The following table presents the estimated fair value and net unrealized gains (losses) of our fixed maturity securities by rating distribution.

(In millions)

March 31, 2026 Estimated Fair Value Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) December 31, 2025 Estimated Fair Value Net Unrealized Gains (Losses)
U.S. Government, Government agencies and Government-sponsored enterprises $3,241 $(242) $3,274 $(228)
AAA 4,057 (176) 3,997 (136)
AA 7,125 (514) 7,001 (428)
A 11,088 (278) 11,167 (140)
BBB 15,974 (462) 16,249 (223)
Non-investment grade 1,745 (83) 1,714 (42)
Total $43,230 $(1,755) $43,402 $(1,197)

As of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, 1% of our fixed maturity portfolio was rated internally. Additionally, as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, we assigned a AAA rating to $688 million and $661 million of municipal bonds that were either pre-refunded or backed by mortgage loans guaranteed by a U.S. government agency or sponsored enterprise.

The following table presents available-for-sale fixed maturity securities in a gross unrealized loss position by ratings distribution.

(In millions)

March 31, 2026 Estimated Fair Value Gross Unrealized Losses
U.S. Government, Government agencies and Government-sponsored enterprises $2,053 $271
AAA 1,521 256
AA 4,256 678
A 6,408 513
BBB 9,446 749
Non-investment grade 1,017 101
Total $24,701 $2,568

The following table presents the maturity profile for these available-for-sale fixed maturity securities. Securities not due to mature on a single date are allocated based on weighted average life.

(In millions)

March 31, 2026 Estimated Fair Value Gross Unrealized Losses
Due in one year or less $886 $10
Due after one year through five years 6,626 294
Due after five years through ten years 7,157 658
Due after ten years 10,032 1,606
Total $24,701 $2,568

51

Duration

A primary objective in the management of the investment portfolio is to optimize return relative to the corresponding liabilities and respective liquidity needs. Our views on the current interest rate environment, tax regulations, asset class valuations, specific security issuer and broader industry segment conditions as well as domestic and global economic conditions, are some of the factors that enter into an investment decision. We also continually monitor exposure to issuers of securities held and broader industry sector exposures and may from time to time adjust such exposures based on our views of a specific issuer or industry sector.

A further consideration in the management of the investment portfolio is the characteristics of the corresponding liabilities and the ability to align the duration of the portfolio to those liabilities and to meet future liquidity needs, minimize interest rate risk and maintain a level of income sufficient to support the underlying insurance liabilities. For portfolios where future liability cash flows are determinable and typically long term in nature, we segregate investments for asset/liability management purposes. The segregated investments support the long-term care and structured settlement liabilities in the Life & Group segment.

The effective durations of fixed income securities and short-term investments are presented in the following table. Amounts presented are net of payable and receivable amounts for securities purchased and sold, but not yet settled.

(In millions)

March 31, 2026 Estimated Fair Value Effective Duration (In years) December 31, 2025 Estimated Fair Value Effective Duration (In years)
Life & Group $15,271 9.5 $15,584 9.7
Property & Casualty and Corporate & Other 29,884 4.6 30,716 4.5
Total $45,155 6.3 $46,300 6.3

The investment portfolio is periodically analyzed for changes in duration and related price risk. Certain securities have duration characteristics that are variable based on market interest rates, credit spreads and other factors that may drive variability in the amount and timing of cash flows. Additionally, we periodically review the sensitivity of the portfolio to the level of foreign exchange rates and other factors that contribute to market price changes. A summary of these risks and specific analysis on changes is included in the Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk included under Item 7A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Cash Flows

Our primary operating cash flow sources are premiums and investment income. Our primary operating cash flow uses are payments for claims, policy benefits and operating expenses, including interest expense on corporate debt. Additionally, cash may be paid or received for income taxes.

For the three months ended March 31, 2026, net cash provided by operating activities was $393 million as compared with $638 million for the same period in 2025. The decrease in cash provided by operating activities was impacted by payments related to specific reinsurance treaties, which occurred during the first quarter of 2026, with such similar amounts paid in the second quarter of 2025. In addition, the decrease quarter over quarter was attributable to an increase in net claim payments partially offset by increased investment earnings.

Cash flows from investing activities include the purchase and disposition of financial instruments, excluding those held as trading, and may include the purchase and sale of businesses, equipment and other assets not generally held for resale.

For the three months ended March 31, 2026, net cash provided by investing activities was $444 million as compared with $88 million for the same period in 2025. Net cash provided or used by investing activities is primarily driven by cash available from operations and by other factors, such as financing activities.

Cash flows from financing activities may include proceeds from the issuance of debt and equity securities, and outflows for stockholder dividends, repayment of debt and purchases of our common stock.

For the three months ended March 31, 2026, net cash used by financing activities was $736 million as compared with $722 million for the same period in 2025. Financing activities for the periods presented include:

  • In the first quarter of 2026, we paid dividends of $682 million and repurchased 755,000 shares of our common stock at an aggregate cost of $36 million.
  • In the first quarter of 2025, we paid dividends of $673 million and repurchased 700,000 shares of our common stock at an aggregate cost of $34 million.

Common Stock Dividends

Cash dividends of $2.48 per share on our common stock, including a special cash dividend of $2.00 per share, were declared and paid during the three months ended March 31, 2026. On May 1, 2026, our Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.48 per share, payable June 4, 2026 to stockholders of record on May 18, 2026. The declaration and payment of future dividends to holders of our common stock will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend on many factors, including our earnings, financial condition, business needs and regulatory constraints.

Liquidity

We believe that our present cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities are sufficient to fund our current and expected working capital and debt obligation needs and we do not expect this to change in the near term. There are currently no amounts outstanding under our $250 million senior unsecured revolving credit facility and no borrowings outstanding through our membership in the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBC).

Dividends from Continental Casualty Company (CCC) are subject to the insurance holding company laws of the State of Illinois, the domiciliary state of CCC. Under these laws, ordinary dividends, or dividends that do not require prior approval by the Illinois Department of Insurance, are determined based on the greater of the prior year's statutory net income or 10% of statutory surplus as of the end of the prior year, as well as timing and amount of dividends paid in the preceding twelve months. Additionally, ordinary dividends may only be paid from earned surplus, which is calculated by removing unrealized gains from unassigned surplus. As of March 31, 2026, CCC was in a positive earned surplus position. CCC paid dividends of $585 million and $440 million to CNAF during the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025. The actual level of dividends paid in any year is determined after an assessment of available dividend capacity, holding company liquidity and cash needs as well as the impact the dividends will have on the statutory surplus of the applicable insurance company.

We have an effective shelf registration statement on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission under which we may publicly issue an unspecified amount of debt, equity or hybrid securities from time to time.

ACCOUNTING STANDARDS UPDATE

For a discussion of Accounting Standards, see Note A to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included under Part I, Item 1.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This report contains a number of forward-looking statements which relate to anticipated future events rather than actual present conditions or historical events. These statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and generally include words such as “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “estimates” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this report include any and all statements regarding expected developments in our insurance business, including losses and loss reserves (note that loss reserves for long-term care, A&EP and other mass tort claims are more uncertain, and therefore more difficult to estimate than loss reserves respecting traditional property and casualty exposures); the impact of routine ongoing insurance reserve reviews we conduct; our expectations concerning our revenues, earnings, expenses and investment activities; volatility in investment returns; and our proposed actions in response to trends in our business. Forward-looking statements, by their nature, are subject to a variety of inherent risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results projected in the forward-looking statements. We cannot control many of these risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following as well as those risks contained in the Risk Factors section of our 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K:

Company-Specific Factors

  • the risks and uncertainties associated with our insurance reserves, as outlined in the Critical Accounting Estimates sections of our 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K and this report, and the Reserves - Estimates and Uncertainties section of our 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the sufficiency of the reserves and the possibility of future increases, which would be reflected in the results of operations in the period that the need for such adjustment is determined;
  • the risk that the other parties to the transactions in which, subject to certain limitations, we ceded our legacy A&EP and excess workers' compensation (EWC) liabilities, respectively, will not fully perform their respective obligations to CNA, the uncertainty in estimating loss reserves for A&EP and EWC liabilities and the possible continued exposure of CNA to liabilities for A&EP and EWC claims that are not covered under the terms of the respective transactions; and
  • the performance of reinsurance companies under reinsurance contracts with us.

Industry and General Market Factors

  • general economic and business conditions, including potential recessionary conditions that may decrease the size and number of our insurance customers and create losses in our lines of business, and inflationary pressures on medical care costs, construction costs and other economic sectors;
  • the effect of new tariffs and changes in tariffs, as well as significant uncertainty surrounding U.S. tariff policy generally, and any retaliatory tariffs, may adversely impact the economic environment, inflation expectations and certain loss costs, and may result in decreases in the size and number of our insurance customers;
  • geopolitical tensions, including the effects of the conflict in the Middle East, that may adversely impact our operations;
  • the effects of social inflation, including frequency of nuclear verdicts and increased litigation activity, on the severity of claims;
  • the effects on the frequency of claims of reviver statutes that extend, or eliminate, the statute of limitations for the reporting of claims, including statutes passed in certain states with respect to sexual abuse;
  • the impact of competitive products, policies and pricing and the competitive environment in which we operate, including changes in our book of business;
  • product and policy availability and demand and market responses, including the level of ability to obtain rate increases;
  • conditions in the capital and credit markets, including uncertainty and instability in these markets, as well as the overall economy, and their impact on the returns, types, liquidity and valuation of our investments;
  • conditions in the capital and credit markets that may limit our ability to raise significant amounts of capital on favorable terms or at all; and
  • the possibility of changes in our ratings by ratings agencies, including the inability to access certain markets or distribution channels and the required collateralization of future payment obligations as a result of such changes, and changes in rating agency policies and practices.

Regulatory, Legal and Operational Factors

  • regulatory and legal initiatives and compliance with governmental regulations and other legal requirements, which are increasing in complexity and number, change frequently, sometimes conflict, and could expose us to significant monetary damages, regulatory enforcement actions, fines and/or criminal prosecution in one or more jurisdictions, including regulations related to cybersecurity protocols (which continue to evolve in breadth, sophistication and maturity in response to an ever-evolving threat landscape) or utilization of artificial intelligence (AI), legal inquiries by state authorities, judicial interpretations within the regulatory framework, including interpretation of policy provisions, decisions regarding coverage and theories of liability, legislative actions that increase claimant activity, including those revising applicability of statutes of limitations, trends in litigation and the outcome of any litigation involving us and rulings and changes in tax laws and regulations;
  • regulatory limitations, impositions and restrictions upon us, including with respect to our ability to increase premium rates, and the effects of assessments and other surcharges for guaranty funds and second-injury funds, other mandatory pooling arrangements and future assessments levied on insurance companies;
  • regulatory limitations and restrictions, including limitations upon our ability to receive dividends from our insurance subsidiaries, imposed by regulatory authorities, including regulatory capital adequacy standards;
  • additional complexities and greater risk to the effectiveness of controls with the incorporation of AI into our and our third-party service providers' operations, including the possibility of inaccurate or biased outputs, degradation in model performance, unauthorized use or disclosure of data used to train AI models, and the potential for AI to be misused to perpetrate fraud or evade monitoring controls; and
  • breaches of our or our vendors' data security infrastructure resulting in unauthorized access to systems and information, and/or interruption of operations.

Impact of Natural and Man-Made Disasters and Mass Tort Claims

  • weather and other natural physical events, including the severity and frequency of storms, hail, snowfall and other winter conditions, natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornados and earthquakes, as well as climate change, including effects on global weather patterns, greenhouse gases, sea, land and air temperatures, sea levels, wildfires, rain, hail and snow;
  • regulatory requirements imposed by coastal state regulators in the wake of hurricanes or other natural disasters, including limitations on the ability to exit markets or to non-renew, cancel or change terms and conditions in policies, as well as mandatory assessments to fund any shortfalls arising from the inability of quasi-governmental insurers to pay claims;
  • man-made disasters, including the possible occurrence of terrorist attacks, the unpredictability of the nature, targets, severity or frequency of such events, and the effect of the absence or insufficiency of applicable terrorism legislation on coverages;
  • the occurrence of epidemics and pandemics; and
  • mass tort claims, including those related to exposure to potentially harmful products or substances such as glyphosate, lead paint, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and opioids, sexual abuse and molestation claims and claims arising from changes in statutes of limitation and other changes that repeal or weaken tort reforms.

Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of the filing of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of the statement, even if our expectations or any related events or circumstances change.

Market risk

As filed, 500 characters, with its headings, lists and tables. Extracted from the main document; charts and exhibits are in the original on sec.gov.

There were no material changes in our market risk components for the three months ended March 31, 2026. See the Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk included in Item 7A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 for further information. Additional information related to portfolio duration is discussed in the Investments section of our Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in Part I, Item 2.

Controls and procedures

As filed, 1,527 characters, with its headings, lists and tables. Extracted from the main document; charts and exhibits are in the original on sec.gov.

The Company maintains a system of disclosure controls and procedures which are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits to the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), including this report, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported on a timely basis. These disclosure controls and procedures include controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company's management on a timely basis to allow decisions regarding required disclosure.

As of March 31, 2026, the Company's management, including the Company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)). Based on this evaluation, the CEO and CFO have concluded that the Company's disclosure controls and procedures are effective as of March 31, 2026.

There has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the quarter ended March 31, 2026 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

Figures reported in this filing

Standardized line items from the XBRL in this filing, for the period ended 2026-03-31. Comparative periods it repeats are left out.

Figures reported in this filing
Line itemPeriodValueXBRL concept
Revenue3 months2026-01-01 to 2026-03-31$374.0mus-gaap:RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax
Interest expense3 months2026-01-01 to 2026-03-31$33.0mus-gaap:InterestExpense
Income tax3 months2026-01-01 to 2026-03-31$56.0mus-gaap:IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Net income3 months2026-01-01 to 2026-03-31$211.0mus-gaap:NetIncomeLoss
Diluted EPS3 months2026-01-01 to 2026-03-31$0.78us-gaap:EarningsPerShareDiluted
Basic EPS3 months2026-01-01 to 2026-03-31$0.78us-gaap:EarningsPerShareBasic
Diluted shares (weighted)3 months2026-01-01 to 2026-03-31272,300,000 sharesus-gaap:WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding
Operating cash flow3 months2026-01-01 to 2026-03-31$393.0mus-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities
Capital expenditure3 months2026-01-01 to 2026-03-31$13.0mus-gaap:PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment
Dividends paid3 months2026-01-01 to 2026-03-31$682.0mus-gaap:PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock
Share repurchases3 months2026-01-01 to 2026-03-31$36.0mus-gaap:PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock
Cash and equivalentsAt period end2026-03-31$522.0mus-gaap:Cash
Total assetsAt period end2026-03-31$68.56bnus-gaap:Assets
Total liabilitiesAt period end2026-03-31$57.70bnus-gaap:Liabilities
Long-term debtAt period end2026-03-31$2.97bnus-gaap:LongTermDebtNoncurrent
Shareholders' equityAt period end2026-03-31$10.86bnus-gaap:StockholdersEquity

Source: SEC EDGAR, the filing index for accession 0000021175-26-000031. Last ingested by Listed: Nov 4, 2026, 15:59 ET. Listed shows no prices and gives no investment advice.