Fairfax GPW up 22% in Q1 as CR improves 2.9 pts to 93.1%

Fairfax Financial Holdings has reported a 21.9 percent surge in gross premiums written (GPW) in the first quarter and an improvement in its combined ratio - led by strong performance at Northridge, Brit, Allied World, Odyssey Group and Crum & Forster - but the Canadian holding company was hit by a swing to net losses on investments.