E-L Financial Corporation Limited Announces June 30, 2012 Interim Financial Results

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Aug. 9, 2012) - E-L Financial Corporation Limited ("E-L Financial") (TSX:ELF)(TSX:ELF.PR.F)(TSX:ELF.PR.G)(TSX:ELF.PR.H) today reported that for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, consolidated net operating income¹ of $49.2 million or $11.48 per share² compared with $23.1 million or $5.23 per share in 2011.

The $26.1 million increase in net operating income for the second quarter of 2012 versus 2011 is principally attributable to a $23.9 million increase in net operating income for the general insurance operation ("The Dominion"). Better underwriting results driven by favourable prior year claims development recorded in the second quarter of 2012 for automobile accident benefits claims and lower claims expense for catastrophe losses contributed to The Dominion's increase. Net operating income for the life insurance operation ("Empire Life") improved $2.8 million primarily due to the favourable impact of changes made to the asset mix to improve the matching of long term liabilities in the Individual Insurance product line.

Consolidated net operating income for the first six months of 2012 was $94.2 million or $22.28 per share compared with $48.2 million or $10.97 per share for the same period in 2011. The $46.0 million increase in net operating income was primarily due to a $35.9 million increase in The Dominion's net operating income for the reasons noted above, combined with lower weather-related property losses. Empire Life's net operating income increased $6.8 million primarily due to the favourable impact of changes made to the asset mix.

Net income (loss)

E-L Financial earned consolidated net income of $28.5 million or $6.21 per share for the second quarter of 2012 compared with a loss of $11.4 million or $3.53 per share in 2011. Net income was favourably impacted by the increase in net operating income, described above, and a $19.7 million decline in the Company's share of losses from associates, partially offset by a $6.0 million increase in E-L Corporate's fair value through profit or loss ("FVTPL") investment losses.

Consolidated net income for the first six months of 2012 was $184.2 million or $45.20 per share compared with $38.8 million or $8.58 per share in 2011. The $145.4 million increase in net income for the period reflects a $58.2 million increase in net income from E-L Corporate's FVTPL investments resulting from favourable market returns, a $43.9 million increase in the Company's share of income from associates and The Dominion's $35.9 million improvement in net operating income.

Comprehensive income (loss)

E-L Financial earned consolidated comprehensive income of $11.7 million or $1.95 per share for the second quarter of 2012 compared with a loss of $10.8 million or $3.38 per share in 2011. Consolidated other comprehensive loss ("OCL") was $16.7 million for the second quarter of 2012 compared with other comprehensive income ("OCI") of $0.6 million in 2011. The $17.3 million decline in OCI for the quarter reflected a larger decline in the unrealized fair value of available for sale investments compared to the prior period.

Consolidated comprehensive income for the first six months of 2012 was $180.3 million or $44.21 per share compared with $35.0 million or $7.62 per share in 2011. Consolidated OCL was $3.9 million for the first six months of 2012 compared with $3.8 million in 2011.

"Macroeconomic headwinds continue to effect the life insurance business, while our general insurance operation benefits from Ontario auto reforms and this showed through in our underwriting results. Equity markets got off to a strong start early in the year but pulled back during the last quarter and dampened results at the corporate level", said Duncan Jackman, Chairman, President and CEO of E-L Financial.

CONSOLIDATED SUMMARY OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
	Three months ended June 30, 2012
(thousands of dollars)	E-L Corporate			The Dominion			Empire Life			Total
Net operating income	$	3,463		$	33,013		$	12,738		$	49,214
Realized gain on available for sale investments including impairment write downs		1,947			8,521			1,208			11,676
Share of loss of associates		(4,484	)		-			-			(4,484)
E-L Corporate's fair value change in fair value through profit or loss investments		(27,924	)								(27,924	)
Net (loss) income		(26,998	)		41,534			13,946			28,482
Other comprehensive loss		(5,950	)		(9,264	)		(1,530	)		(16,744	)
Comprehensive (loss) income	$	(32,948	)	$	32,270		$	12,416		$	11,738
	Three months ended June 30, 2011
(thousands of dollars)	E-L Corporate			The Dominion			Empire Life			Total
Net operating income	$	4,036		$	9,090		$	9,970		$	23,096
Realized gain on available for sale investments including impairment write downs		3,180			5,113			3,283			11,576
Share of loss of associates		(24,170	)		-			-			(24,170	)
E-L Corporate's fair value change in fair value through profit or loss investments		(21,876	)								(21,876	)
Net (loss) income		(38,830	)		14,203			13,253			(11,374	)
Other comprehensive (loss) income		(20	)		6,738			(6,120	)		598
Comprehensive (loss) income	$	(38,850	)	$	20,941		$	7,133		$	(10,776	)
	Six months ended June 30, 2012
(thousands of dollars)	E-L Corporate			The Dominion			Empire Life			Total
Net operating income	$	10,690		$	58,335		$	25,131		$	94,156
Realized gain on available for sale investments including impairment write downs		2,475			15,620			2,693			20,788
Share of income of associates		26,886			-			-			26,886
E-L Corporate's fair value change in fair value through profit or loss investments		42,380									42,380
Net income		82,431			73,955			27,824			184,210
Other comprehensive income (loss)		2,486			(3,863	)		(2,514	)		(3,891	)
Comprehensive income	$	84,917		$	70,092		$	25,310		$	180,319
	Six months ended June 30, 2011
(thousands of dollars)	E-L Corporate			The Dominion			Empire Life			Total
Net operating income	$	7,344		$	22,479		$	18,357		$	48,180
Realized gain on available for sale investments including impairment write downs		4,305			13,140			6,061			23,506
Share of loss of associates		(17,028	)		-			-			(17,028	)
E-L Corporate's fair value change in fair value through profit or loss investments		(15,858	)		-			-			(15,858	)
Net (loss) income		(21,237	)		35,619			24,418			38,800
Other comprehensive (loss) income		(2,607	)		1,827			(2,998	)		(3,778	)
Comprehensive (loss) income	$	(23,844	)	$	37,446		$	21,420		$	35,022

1 Use of non-GAAP measures:

"net operating income" is net income excluding realized gain on available for sale investments including impairment write downs, the Company's share of income from associates and the fair value change in fair value through profit or loss investments in the E-L Corporate portfolio, all net of tax. The term net operating income does not have any standardized meaning according to GAAP and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies.

2 All earnings per share figures are net of dividends paid on First Preference shares.