Kingstone Sees Growth Potential Amid Concentration Risks

Kingstone Companies (KINS) is the 12th largest homeowner insurer in New York, as accredited by the S&P, with a market share of 2.1% in 2024. It has a market capitalization of $206 million. It expects to generate approximately $0.5 billion in written premium through organic initiatives and strategic inorganic opportunities over the next five years, effectively doubling the company's size.  KINS estimates the bottom line to be between $1.95 and $2.35 in 2025.

KINS underperformed its industry in the first six months, gaining just 1.5% compared with the industry’s rise of 7.5%. However, its shares are trading above the 50-day moving average, indicating a bullish trend.

Factors to Consider for KINS

Kingstone Companies is well-positioned to benefit from favorable industry dynamics, particularly with the Northeastern U.S. commercial insurance market projected to grow 12.3% through 2025. The exit of several national competitors from the personal property segment has created a timely opening for Kingstone to expand its footprint and capture displaced market share. It plans to go live in two states next year and in another two the year after. 

While these developments offer scope for upside, the company remains exposed to concentration risks, given its limited product range and heavy geographic reliance. To mitigate this, Kingstone has sharpened its strategy by boosting its core business while divesting underperforming, non-core operations. The insurer adheres to strict underwriting standards, ensuring that only policies aligned with its risk and profitability targets are written.

Kingstone has also adjusted to inflationary pressures by recalibrating pricing to more accurately reflect risk. Its partnership with Earnix has enhanced pricing sophistication, supporting its broader growth objectives. In 2025, management anticipates direct written premiums from its core business to rise 15% to 25%. Meanwhile, operational efficiency has improved through higher average premiums, lower commissions and streamlined staffing.

Financially, the insurer stands on firmer ground, supported by a robust reinsurance program, improved liquidity and a debt-free balance sheet. For 2025, Kingstone projects a significantly stronger combined ratio of 79% to 83%. After three straight years of losses, profitability returned in 2024, with net margins improving 2,910 basis points over two years—underscoring the impact of disciplined underwriting, enhanced risk management and supportive market conditions.

Some Key Industry Players

Other players from the property and casualty insurance industry include The Progressive Corporation PGR, Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc. HRTG and Mercury General Corporation MCY.

Being a leading auto insurer, Progressive has a compelling product portfolio, which, coupled with prudent underwriting, helps it maintain healthy policies in force and a solid retention ratio. As part of its growth strategy, Progressive is prioritizing auto bundles, lowering exposure to risky properties and increasing segmentation through product rollouts. The company remains focused on increasing the share of auto and home-bundled households, investing in mobile applications, and rolling out products in a larger number of states. Earnings surpassed estimates in three of the last four reported quarters, while missing in one.

Heritage Insurance is sharpening its focus on profitability through rate adequacy, profit-oriented underwriting standards and a cautious approach to new business in saturated or underperforming markets. For 2025, the insurer’s plan centers on selectively re-entering profitable markets while allocating capital in a disciplined way to safeguard margins. The excess and surplus (E&S) segment remains a key growth engine, with the company pursuing expansion into additional states. Earnings surpassed estimates in each of the last four reported quarters. 

Mercury General has been gaining ground by relying on a set of core organic strengths. Premiums have trended steadily higher, supported by rate increases across insurance lines and a growing base of policies.  California remains a key driver, with higher rates in the homeowner’s line and a growing number of auto policies strengthening the company’s premium base.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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