Washington Injury Lawyer Blog

Here's an interesting AP story which I think really shows what motivates Allstate Insurance:

NEW YORK (AP) — Allstate Corp. CEO Thomas J. Wilson received total compensation valued at $10.4 million in 2009, up about 30% from a year earlier, according to a regulatory filing.

The pay raise for Thomas Wilson came as the property and casualty insurer stanched steep investment losses to help post a profit for the full year. Wilson had earned $7 million in the previous year, according to an Associated Press analysis of a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In 2009, Wilson earned a base salary of $1.1 million, which was an increase of 6 percent. His performance-based compensation was $1.7 million, more than double the $736,261 he got in 2008.

Wilson also got stock and options worth $6.5 million when they were granted, compared with $5.2 million in 2008.

His other perks and compensation totaled $68,072 and consisted of $23,154 for personal use of a company plane and $9,800 in matching contributions to a retirement plan. The remaining $35,118 was for miscellaneous items including life insurance premiums, cell phones, tax preparation, financial planning, security, ground transportation and supplemental long-term disability coverage.

For 2009, Allstate said better risk management in its investment portfolio helped it earn $854 million, or $1.58 per share, compared with a net loss of $1.68 billion, or $3.06 per share, in 2008.

In the final quarter of 2009 alone, Allstate posted a profit of $518 million, or 96 cents per share, a great improvement over its a loss of $1.13 billion, or $2.10 per share, in the period a year earlier.

Allstate's operating income, which excludes investment gains and losses, rose 14 percent to $592 million, or $1.09 per share, versus a profit of $518 million, or 96 cents per share, a year ago.