HSB GROUP INC
8-K, 1999-07-27
FIRE, MARINE & CASUALTY INSURANCE
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                              WASHINGTON, DC 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) - July 26, 1999

                                 HSB Group, Inc.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

        Connecticut                   001-13135             06-1475343
     (State or other                  (Commission           (IRS Employer
    jurisdiction of incorporation)    File Number)           Identification
                                                             No.)

       One State Street, Hartford, Connecticut            06102-5024
      (Address of principal executive offices)            (Zip Code)

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code - (860-722-1866)




<PAGE>



Item 5.  Other Events

On July 26,  1999,  HSB  Group,  Inc.  (the  "Company")  issued a press  release
reporting  its second  quarter  earnings and  announcing  the  declaration  of a
dividend of 44 cents per share. Included herewith as Exhibit 99 is the Company's
press release related to this  announcement and such information is incorporated
herein by reference.


Item 7.  Exhibits.

99(i)Press release dated July 26, 1999 announcing second quarter results.

99(ii)Press  release  dated  July  25,  1999  announcing  the  declaration  of a
     dividend.



<PAGE>



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, thereunto duly authorized.


                                             HSB Group, Inc.


Dated:  July 27, 1999                        /s/ R. Kevin Price
                                             R. Kevin Price
                                             Senior Vice President
                                             and Corporate Secretary





                                                  Exhibit 99(i)

                                             CONTACT:
                                             James C. Rowan Jr.
                                             Office:  (860) 722-5180

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                 HSB GROUP, INC. REPORTS GAINS IN SECOND QUARTER

HARTFORD,  Conn.,  July 26, 1999 -- HSB Group, Inc.  (NYSE-HSB),  today reported
that second quarter net income per share on a fully diluted basis, was 76 cents.
This  represents an increase of 11.8 percent,  compared to 68 cents per share in
the second quarter of 1998.

HSB Group's gross earned  insurance  premiums  grew 17.7  percent.  The combined
ratio -- the sum of losses and expenses as a percentage of insurance  revenue --
was 89.1 percent for the quarter,  down from 89.3 percent in the second  quarter
of 1998.  The  year-to-date  combined  ratio is 88.5  percent  compared  to 89.3
percent last year.

HSB's Engineering  Services net revenues  increased 22.5 percent over the second
quarter of 1998. The margin was 8.2 percent.

"I am  pleased  with the  continued  double-digit  growth in our  insurance  and
engineering  services businesses in a competitive  operating  environment," said
Gordon W. Kreh, chairman,  president and chief executive officer. "These results
confirm that we have a strong growth strategy in place."

Investment income,  net of related interest expense,  was $16.6 million compared
to $15.9 million in the second quarter of 1998. Realized gains,  reflecting,  in
significant  measure,  a rebalancing of the equity portfolio in consideration of
recent  market  movements,  were $10.2  million  compared to $7.3 million in the
second quarter of last year.


<PAGE>



HSB  Group,  Inc.  is  a  global  provider  of  specialty   insurance  products,
engineering  services,  and  management  consulting  services.  HSB Group is the
parent  company of The Hartford Steam Boiler  Inspection and Insurance  Company,
founded in 1866 and the largest provider of equipment breakdown insurance in the
world. For more information about HSB, visit its website at www.hsb.com.



<PAGE>


<TABLE>

     Summary of Operations
     In millions, except per share amounts

<CAPTION>
                                                             Quarter                         Year-To-Date
                                                           Ended June 30      Percent          June 30          Percent
                                                          1999       1998     Change        1999        1998    Change
                                                        --------   -------    -------    --------     -------   -------
<S>                                                    <C>          <C>         <C>      <C>          <C>         <C>

     Gross earned premiums..........................   $  206.8     $ 175.7     17.7%    $  415.7     $ 355.4     17.0%
     Ceded premiums.................................      113.1        85.3                 225.5       165.6
                                                          -----        ----               -------       -----
       Insurance premiums...........................       93.7        90.4                 190.2       189.8
     Claims and adjustment expenses.................       37.9        40.4                  76.2        85.0
     Policy acquisition expenses....................       21.3        12.8                  43.9        27.4
     Underwriting and inspection expenses...........       24.2        27.5                  48.2        57.2
                                                       --------     -------                  ----     -------
       Insurance operating gain.....................   $   10.3     $   9.7              $   21.9     $  20.2
                                                       --------     -------              --------     -------

         Loss ratio*................................       40.5%       44.7%                 40.1%       44.8%
         Expense ratio*.............................       48.6%       44.6%                 48.4%       44.5%
         Combined ratio*............................       89.1%       89.3%                 88.5%       89.3%

     Engineering services revenues..................   $   27.8     $  22.7     22.5%    $   55.4     $  42.4     30.7%
     Engineering services expenses..................       25.6        20.7                  50.8        38.6
                                                           ----        ----                  ----      ------
       Engineering services operating gain..........   $    2.2     $   2.0              $    4.6     $   3.8
                                                       --------     -------              --------     -------

         Engineering services operating margin*.....        8.2%        8.9%                  8.3%        8.9%

     Investment income, net of related
       interest expense.............................   $   16.6     $  15.9      4.4%    $   32.3     $  31.1      3.9%
     Realized investment gains......................       10.2         7.3                  17.3        10.5
                                                           ----         ---                  ----      ------
       Income from investment operations............   $   26.8     $  23.2              $   49.6     $  41.6

     Interest expense...............................        0.6         0.1                   1.0         0.2
     Gain on sale of IRI............................        -            -                     -         39.0

     Income from continuing operations
       before income taxes and distributions
       on capital securities........................   $   38.7     $  34.8              $   75.1     $ 104.4

     Income taxes...................................       11.4         9.3                  22.3        31.8

     Distribution on capital securities
       of subsidiary trusts, net of tax ............        4.5         4.7                   9.0         9.2
                                                            ---         ---                   ---         ---

     Income from continuing operations..............   $   22.8     $  20.8              $   43.8     $  63.4

     Discontinued operations:
     After tax gain on disposal of Radian
       International LLC, net of deferred loss. ....        -           -                     -          30.3

                                                       --------     -------              --------     -------
     Net income.....................................   $   22.8     $  20.8              $   43.8     $  93.7
                                                       ========     =======              ========     =======

     Earnings per common share-assuming dilution:
       Income from continuing operations............   $    0.76    $   0.68             $    1.47    $   1.99    **
       Net income...................................   $    0.76    $   0.68             $    1.47    $   2.85   ***

     Dividends declared per common share............   $    0.42    $   0.40             $    0.84    $   0.80

     Average common shares outstanding and
      common stock equivalents......................       34.8        35.4                  34.6        35.3
</TABLE>

       * Computation excludes rounding
      ** Includes $0.71 from Gain on sale of IRI
     *** Includes  $0.71 from Gain on sale of IRI and $0.86 from Gain on sale of
         Radian.



<PAGE>


     Summary of Financial Position
     In millions, except per share amounts


                                                       June 30,     December 31,
                                                         1999          1998
                                                       ---------    -----------
     Assets
       Cash and short-term investments................  $   96.9     $    80.6
       Fixed maturities, at fair value................     544.9         577.1
       Equity securities, at fair value...............     441.6         437.1
                                                           -----         -----
           Cash and invested assets...................   1,083.4       1,094.8

       Reinsurance assets.............................     660.8         630.4
       Insurance premiums receivable..................     121.7         146.7
       Engineering services receivable................      29.4          26.1
       Fixed assets...................................      56.3          54.9
       Other assets...................................     211.2         191.1
                                                           -----         -----
           Total assets...............................  $2,162.8     $ 2,144.0
                                                        ========     =========

     Liabilities
       Unearned insurance premiums and
         ceding commissions...........................  $  426.8     $   477.9
       Claims and adjustment expenses.................     592.1         550.3
       Total borrowings...............................      80.1          46.1
       Other liabilities..............................     232.1         241.5
                                                           -----         -----
           Total liabilities..........................   1,331.1       1,315.8

     Company obligated  mandatorily  redeemable
       capital securities of subsidiary
       Trust I holding solely junior subordinated
       deferrable interest debentures
       of the Company, net of unamortized discount....     108.9         108.9

     Company obligated mandatorily  redeemable
       convertible capital securities of
       subsidiary  Trust  II  holding  solely
       junior  subordinated   deferrable
       interest debentures of the Company.............     300.0         300.0
     Shareholders' equity.............................     422.8         419.3
                                                        --------     ---------
       Total..........................................  $2,162.8     $ 2,144.0
                                                        ========     =========


     Shareholders' equity per common share............  $   14.52    $    14.53

     Based on common shares outstanding of............      29.1          28.9

     Pro forma  shareholders'  equity per common
       share  assuming  conversion  of
       Trust II capital securities and
       net exercise of in the money HSB stock options.  $   20.68    $    20.77

     Based on pro forma common shares outstanding.....      35.0          34.6


                                                  -###-




                                                            Exhibit 99(ii)


 CONTACT:
                                             James C. Rowan Jr.
                                             Office:  (860) 722-5180

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                       HSB GROUP, INC. DECLARES DIVIDEND

HARTFORD,  Conn.,  July 26,  1999 - The Board of  Directors  of HSB Group,  Inc.
(NYSE-HSB) today voted to increase the regular quarterly  dividend from 42 cents
to 44 cents per share.  The  increased  dividend  will be payable on October 28,
1999,  to  shareholders  of record at the close of business on October 11, 1999.
This marks the 34th  consecutive year that  shareholders  have received a higher
dividend  payment and the 129th  consecutive year in which Hartford Steam Boiler
has paid a dividend, one of the longest records of the New York Stock Exchange.



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