Allstate Dips as Return to Roads Lifts Accident Frequency

(Bloomberg) -- Allstate Corp.’s shares fell Thursday after the economic reopening prompted a jump in car accidents that sent insurance claims soaring.

The Northbrook, Illinois-based insurance company said auto property damage gross claim frequency in the second quarter was up 47% compared to the same quarter last year. The stock fell as much as 3.2% intraday even as second-quarter earnings per share topped Wall Street expectations, and is essentially unchanged from early May when the company reported first-quarter results.

People eager to roadtrip and return to the office have led to the increase in claims, said Piper Sandler analyst Paul Newsome. He added that inflation -- which pushes up the price of fixing cars -- has also pressured the company’s margins. Allstate plans to implement targeted price increases, according to the company’s earnings presentation.

Fellow auto-insurance provider Progressive Corp. also saw its share prices plunge last month after it reported an increase in car insurance claims. Progressive’s share price dipped just over 1% on Thursday.

“The world won’t look exactly the same after the pandemic than before,” Glenn Shapiro, president of Allstate’s personal property-liability operations, said on an earnings call. “And that will mean that people drive and move differently.”

Read more: Icahn’s Allstate Investment Welcomed by CEO Amid Overhaul

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