Best Insurance Company To Buy Today

[bengrahamofthenorth]

I was looking at Markel and thought it looked cheap but there are a lot of other insurers that trade at a much lower price to book. I'm somewhat new to the world of insurance so I am eager to hear what the board thinks the best insurance company to buy today is. Thoughts? Cheers.

[BargainValueHunter]

I was looking at Markel and thought it looked cheap but there are a lot of other insurers that trade at a much lower price to book. I'm somewhat new to the world of insurance so I am eager to hear what the board thinks the best insurance company to buy today is. Thoughts? Cheers.

Take a look @ Montpelier Re...

http://finviz.com/quote.ashx?t=mrh

[ShahKhezri]

I own FFH, MKL and Y.  Only Y trades below book currently and should continue to do well. 

[Viking]

I hold a chunk of BRK. At about 1.15 to 1.2xBV I am thinking it is still cheap. May not be the cheapest and it continues to diversify its business (not a pure insurance play). Given the floor that Buffett has put under the stock as BV grows it looks to be a pretty safe long term hold even if purchased at current levels - limited downside and reasonable upside. 

[shalab]

I hold a chunk of BRK. At about 1.15 to 1.2xBV I am thinking it is still cheap

Agree and I hold a chunk of BRK also. The quality of businesses at BRK and equity holdings are by far the best. BRK is also a play on housing recovery as it has many housing related businesses which are depressed. 

No insurance company will even come close to BRK in terms of quality as BRK has non insurance companies that generate cash. The quality of BRK non insurance holdings is also top notch and it is the best blue chip out there.

If you look at the growth of book value at BRK, the decline has come because the equity portfolio hasn't performed as well as it did in the eighties and nineties in the 2000s.

I expect BRK to do well over the next several years with very little downside. It is the best blue chip out there from a business perspective.

[twacowfca]

I hold a chunk of BRK. At about 1.15 to 1.2xBV I am thinking it is still cheap

Agree and I hold a chunk of BRK also. The quality of businesses at BRK and equity holdings are by far the best. BRK is also a play on housing recovery as it has many housing related businesses which are depressed. 

No insurance company will even come close to BRK in terms of quality as BRK has non insurance companies that generate cash. The quality of BRK non insurance holdings is also top notch and it is the best blue chip out there.

If you look at the growth of book value at BRK, the decline has come because the equity portfolio hasn't performed as well as it did in the eighties and nineties in the 2000s.

I expect BRK to do well over the next several years with very little downside. It is the best blue chip out there from a business perspective.

Agreed.  BRK is the safe and secure and growing end of the barbell of our holdings.  And don't ignore the free put.