AXIS Capital Comments on Fourth Quarter 2019 Financial Results

AXIS Capital Holdings Limited ("AXIS Capital" or the "Company") (NYSE: AXS) today announced that it anticipates reporting modest operating income for the fourth quarter of 2019.

The Company's results were impacted by a pre-tax loss for catastrophes and other weather-related events of $140 million, net of estimated reinsurance recoveries and reinstatement premiums in the fourth quarter. This amount included a pre-tax loss for Japanese Typhoon Hagibis of $93 million, primarily attributable to the Company's reinsurance segment, consistent with the previously disclosed range. Other weather-related events included Australian wildfires and regional weather events in the United States.

The Company's results also included a pre-tax underwriting loss for its reinsurance agriculture business of approximately $29 million primarily related to poor weather conditions that impacted the Company's United States and India books of business.

In addition, the Company's results included net favorable prior year reserve development of $14 million primarily attributable to motor, credit, surety and political risk, partially offset by loss development attributable to Hurricane Irma, consistent with industry trends.

After consideration of these items, AXIS Capital noted further improvements in pricing and performance in core Insurance lines in the fourth quarter. AXIS Capital's results will be discussed during its conference call on Thursday, January 30, 2020 at 9:30 AM (EST).

The Company’s loss estimates are based on its ground-up assessment of losses from individual contracts and treaties exposed to the affected regions, including preliminary information from clients, brokers and loss adjusters. Industry insured loss estimates, market share analyses and catastrophe modeling analyses were also taken into account where appropriate. Due to the nature of these events, including the complexity of loss assessment and factors contributing to the losses, and the preliminary nature of the information available to prepare these estimates, the actual net ultimate losses for these events may differ materially from these current estimates.

About AXIS Capital

AXIS Capital, through its operating subsidiaries, is a global provider of specialty lines insurance and treaty reinsurance with shareholders' equity at September 30, 2019 of $5.6 billion and locations in Bermuda, the United States, Europe, Singapore, Canada and the Middle East. Its operating subsidiaries have been assigned a rating of "A+" ("Strong") by Standard & Poor's and "A+" ("Superior") by A.M. Best. For more information about AXIS Capital, visit the Company's website at www.axiscapital.com.