SAFT Safety Insurance Group Inc

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

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FORM 8-K

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CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

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February 27, 2024

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

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SAFETY INSURANCE GROUP, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

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20 Custom House Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110

(Address of principal executive offices including zip code)

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(617) 951-0600

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

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Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

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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:

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☐ 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 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

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Emerging growth company ☐

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If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

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Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

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In a press release dated February 27, 2024, Safety Insurance Group, Inc. (the “Registrant”) announced its fourth quarter 2023 results. The Registrant’s press release dated February 27, 2024 is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1.

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Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

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(b) On February 27, 2024, Ann M. McKeown, 56, the Company’s Vice President of Insurance Operations, communicated her intention to retire, to which the Board of Directors accepted, effective March 1, 2024.  Ms. McKeown has been employed by the Registrant’s insurance subsidiaries for over 34 years.

(c) On February 27, 2024, Brian S. Lam, 44, was appointed the Company’s Vice President of Insurance Operations, effective March 1, 2024.  Mr. Lam has held the Director of Insurance Operations and Customer Engagement position with the Company since 2014 and began his career with the Registrant’s insurance subsidiaries in 2002. Mr. Lam and the Company executed a one-year employment contract, to be renewed annually on approval from the Board of Directors, at an annual compensation of $235,000 with benefits comparable to other officers of the Company. The foregoing is a summary only and does not purport to be a complete description of all of the terms, provisions, covenants and agreements contained in the employment contract.

There are no family relationships between Mr. Lam and any director, executive officer or person nominated or chosen by the Company to become a director or executive officer. Additionally, there have been no transactions involving Mr. Lam that would require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

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Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

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(d)  Exhibits. The following exhibit is furnished herewith:

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104The cover page from this Current Report on form 8-K, formatted in Inline XBRL

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SIGNATURES

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.

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Exhibit 99.1

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SAFETY INSURANCE GROUP, INC. ANNOUNCES FOURTH QUARTER AND YEAR ENDED 2023 RESULTS

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Boston, Massachusetts, February 27, 2024. Safety Insurance Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:SAFT) (“Safety” or the “Company”) today reported fourth quarter and year ended 2023 results.

George M. Murphy, Chairman of the Board of Directors, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented: “2023 saw Safety Insurance post record top-line growth as Direct Written Premiums increased by 20.4% as a result of a 10.2% increase in overall policy counts and a 10.9% increase in average premium per policy, blended across all lines of business. While Safety achieved positive trends in all major revenue streams, ongoing inflationary impacts contributed to an elevated loss ratio specific to our Private Passenger Automobile book of business. For the year ended December 31, 2023, Safety Insurance posted a 107.7% combined ratio, resulting from these inflationary impacts and several weather events. For the fourth quarter 2023, Safety posted a 106.5% combined ratio resulting from a December 18^th wind event that added $12.0M in Loss and Loss Adjustment Expenses as well as the continued elevated Private Passenger Auto loss ratio.”

“As I have previously mentioned, Safety continues to file for rate increases across all major lines and is seeing these rate increases begin to impact earned premiums. Safety remains committed to maintaining underwriting discipline, while leveraging investments in our pricing and risk management areas to ensure rate adequacy.”

Fourth Quarter and Year Ended 2023 Results and Recent Development

Net income for the quarter ended December 31, 2023 was $12.3 million, or $0.83 per diluted share, compared to net income of $24.6 million, or $1.67 per diluted share, for the comparable 2022 period. Net income for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $18.9 million, or $1.28 per diluted share, compared to net income of $46.6 million, or $3.15 per diluted share, for the comparable 2022 period. Non-generally accepted accounting principles (“non-GAAP”) operating income, as defined below, for the quarter ended December 31, 2023 was $0.30 per diluted share, compared to $0.98 per diluted share, for the comparable 2022 period. Non-GAAP operating income for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $0.84 per diluted share, compared to Non-GAAP operating income of $5.05 per diluted share, for the comparable 2022 period.

Safety’s book value per share decreased to $54.37 at December 31, 2023 from $54.88 at December 31, 2022 resulting from net income offset by capital stock activities, specifically share repurchases and dividends paid. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company purchased 74,213 shares at a cost of $5.2 million. Safety paid $0.90 per share in dividends to investors during the quarters ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Safety paid $3.60 per share in dividends to investors during the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

On February 15, 2024, our Board of Directors approved a $0.90 per share quarterly cash dividend on our issued and outstanding common stock payable on March 15, 2024 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 1, 2024.

Direct written premiums for the quarter ended December 31, 2023 increased by $44.7 million, or 22.2%, to $246.1 million from $201.4 million for the comparable 2022 period. Direct written premiums for the year ended December 31, 2023 increased by $167.9 million, or 20.4% to $991.2 million from $823.3 million for the comparable 2022 period. Net written premiums for the quarter ended December 30, 2023 increased by $38.9

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million, or 20.7%, to $226.4 million from $187.5 million for the comparable 2022 period. Net written premiums for the year ended December 31, 2023 increased by $151.6 million, or 19.6%, to $925.3 million from $773.7 million for the comparable 2022 period.

The increases in direct written premiums and net written premiums are a result of new business production, improved retention, and rate increases. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company achieved exposure count growth across all lines of business, including 14.7%, 5.4% and 11.2% in Private Passenger Automobile, Commercial Automobile and Homeowners lines, respectively, compared to the same period in 2022. Additionally, for the year ended December 31, 2023, average written premium per exposure increased 10.8%, 3.8% and 4.5% in Private Passenger Automobile, Commercial Automobile and Homeowners lines, respectively, compared to the same period in 2022.

Net earned premiums for the quarter ended December 31, 2023 increased by $32.8 million, or 17.0%, to $226.0 million from $193.2 million for the comparable 2022 period. Net earned premiums for the year ended December 31, 2023 increased by $75.9 million, or 10.0%, to $834.4 million from $758.5 million for the comparable 2022 period.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2023, losses and loss adjustment expenses incurred increased by $40.1 million, or 30.4%, to $172.1 million from $132.0 million for the comparable 2022 period. For the year ended December 31, 2023, losses and loss adjustment expenses incurred increased by $150.3 million, or 30.6%, to $642.3 million from $492.0 million for the comparable 2022 period. The increase in losses is driven by current market conditions, specifically inflation, as well as weather events including multiple flood events, a high wind event that occurred in December, and a severe winter weather event that occurred in February.

Loss, expense, and combined ratios calculated for the quarter ended December 31, 2023, were 76.1%, 30.4%, and 106.5%, respectively, compared to 68.4%, 32.3%, and 100.7%, respectively, for the comparable 2022 period. Loss, expense, and combined ratios calculated for the year ended December 31, 2023 were 77.0%, 30.7%, and 107.7%, respectively, compared to 64.9%, 32.3%, and 97.2%, respectively, for the comparable 2022 period. The decrease in the expense ratio is primarily driven by a decrease in contingent commission expenses.

Total prior year favorable development included in the pre-tax results for the quarter ended December 31, 2023 was $12.4 million compared to $14.1 million for the comparable 2022 period. Total prior year favorable development included pre-tax results for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $47.4 million compared to $57.3 million for the comparable 2022 period, which included the reversal of a $6.5 million accrued reserve for legal defense costs associated with business interruption claims resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Net investment income for the quarter ended December 31, 2023 increased by $1.5 million, or 11.2% to $14.9 million from $13.4 million for the comparable 2022 period. Net investment income for the year ended December 31, 2023 increased by $9.7 million, or 20.7%, to $56.4 million from $46.7 million for the comparable 2022 period. The increase is a result of increases in interest rates on our fixed maturity portfolio compared to the prior year. Net effective annualized yield on the investment portfolio was 4.2% for the quarter ended December 31, 2023 compared to 3.7% for the comparable 2022 period. Net effective annualized yield on the investment portfolio for the year ended December 31, 2023 was 4.0% compared to 3.2% for the comparable 2022 period. Our duration on fixed maturities was 3.6 years at December 31, 2023 compared to 3.8 years at December 31, 2022.

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Non-GAAP Measures

Management has included certain non-GAAP financial measures in presenting the Company’s results. Management believes that these non-GAAP measures are useful to explain the Company’s results of operations and allow for a more complete understanding of the underlying trends in the Company’s business. These measures should not be viewed as a substitute for those determined in accordance with generally

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accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). In addition, our definitions of these items may not be comparable to the definitions used by other companies.

Non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating income per diluted share consist of our GAAP net income adjusted by the net realized gains on investments, change in net unrealized gains on equity securities, credit loss benefit (expense) and taxes related thereto. For the quarter ended December 31, 2023, an increase of $9.7 million for the change in unrealized gains on equity securities was recognized within income before income taxes, compared to an increase of $11.9 million recognized in the comparable 2022 period. For the year ended December 31, 2023, an increase of $7.5 million for the change in unrealized gains on equity securities was recognized in income before income taxes, compared to a decrease of $44.4 million recognized in the comparable 2022 period. Net income and earnings per diluted share are the GAAP financial measures that are most directly comparable to non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating income per diluted share, respectively. A reconciliation of the GAAP financial measures to these non-GAAP measures is included in the financial highlights below.

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About Safety: Safety Insurance Group, Inc., based in Boston, MA, is the parent of Safety Insurance Company, Safety Indemnity Insurance Company, Safety Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Safety Northeast Insurance Company, and Safety Northeast Insurance Agency. Operating exclusively in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, Safety is a leading writer of property and casualty insurance products, including private passenger automobile, commercial automobile, homeowners, dwelling fire, umbrella and business owner policies.

Additional Information: Press releases, announcements, U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Filings and investor information are available under “About Safety,” “Investor Information” on our Company website located at www.SafetyInsurance.com. Safety filed its December 31, 2022 Form 10-K with the SEC on February 28, 2023 and urges shareholders to refer to this document for more complete information concerning Safety’s financial results.

Contacts:

Safety Insurance Group, Inc.

Office of Investor Relations

877-951-2522

InvestorRelations@SafetyInsurance.com

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Cautionary Statement under "Safe Harbor" Provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:

This press release contains, and Safety may from time to time make, written or oral "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate,” “aim,” “projects,” or words of similar meaning and expressions that indicate future events and trends, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” or “may”. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the Company’s strategy for growth, product development, market position, expenditures and financial results, are forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. There are a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control, that could cause actual future conditions, events, results or trends to differ significantly and/or materially from historical results or those projected in the forward-looking statements. These factors include but are not limited to:

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We are not under any obligation (and expressly disclaim any such obligation) to update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. You should carefully consider the possibility that actual results may differ materially from our forward-looking statements.

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Safety Insurance Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Dollars in thousands, except share data)

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Safety Insurance Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)

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Safety Insurance Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Additional Premium Information

(Unaudited)

(Dollars in thousands)

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