Charlie Munger on Insurance Economics

-4- waiting. That doesn’t mean you sit around waiting for the next depression. You can’t do that. But a fair amount of patience is required . . . Patience followed by pretty aggressive conduct. Imagine sitting there having all this money rolling in from the foreclosure boom and in like one day [being fully invested]. Now that was luck [but] it wasn’t luck that we had the money on hand when other people didn’t and were willing to deploy it when other people [didn’t]. Questioner: Historically, Berkshire was built around its insurance operations to provide a low-cost source of capital. What other business models did you try/consider but ultimately did not pursue? Charlie Munger: Well, we were always opportunistic. We wanted to buy the best thing that was conveniently available that we could understand. In the early days we thought we had a special advantage as investors in marketable securities. So we tended to look carefully at float businesses. Nowadays, of course, we have enormous float but not [of] much usefulness. Such is the nature of life. We made so much money out of those float businesses it was obscene in the early days. It is not a tragedy that now our float businesses don’t get much advantage above the . . . . Berkshire’s cash, which is large, is not getting much of a return. In Europe the rates are negative. In Japan the rates are negative. Questioner: What do you think about the attractiveness of the average software business?

WESCO FINANCIAL CORPORATION LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS To Our Shareholders: Consolidated net “operating” income (i.e., before realized investment gains shown in the table below) for the calendar year 2009 decreased to $54,073,000 ($7.59 per share) from $77,562,000 ($10.89 per share) in the previous year. Consolidated net income decreased to $54,073,000 ($7.59 per share) from $82,116,000 ($11.53 per share) in 2008. The 2008 figure included realized after-tax investment gains of $4,554,000 ($.64 per share). No investment gains or losses were realized in 2009. Wesco has four major subsidiaries: (1) Wesco-Financial Insurance Company (“Wes- FIC”), headquartered in Omaha and engaged principally in the reinsurance business, (2) The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (“Kansas Bankers”), owned by Wes-FIC and specializing in insurance products tailored to Midwestern community banks, (3) CORT Business Services Corporation (“CORT”), headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia and engaged principally in the furniture rental business, and (4) Precision Steel Warehouse, Inc. (“Precision Steel”), head- quartered in Chicago and engaged in the steel warehousing and specialty metal products businesses. Consolidated net income for the two years just ended breaks down as follows (in thousands except for per-share amounts)(1) : Amount Per Wesco Share(2) Amount Per Wesco Share (2) December 31, 2009 December 31, 2008 Year Ended Wesco-Financial and Kansas Bankers insurance businesses — Underwriting gain (loss) . . . .

principal property-casualty affiliates (“Swiss Re”). Under this agreement, which was enthu- siastically approved by Wesco’s Board of Directors, Wes-FIC assumed 2% of essentially all Swiss Re property-casualty risks incepting over the five-year period which began on January 1, 2008, on the same terms as NICO’s agreement with Swiss Re. Wes-FIC’s share of written and earned premiums under the contract were $294.1 million and $276.7 million for 2009 and $265.2 million and $183.2 million for 2008, representing very significant increases in Wes- FIC’s reinsurance activities. It is important to keep in mind that premiums assumed under the contract in each of the next three years could vary significantly depending on market conditions and opportunities. For several years, through yearend 2007, Wes-FIC’s principal reinsurance activity con- sisted only of its participation in several pools managed by a subsidiary of General Rein- surance Corporation (“Gen Re”), another insurance subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway. The arrangement became effective in 2001 and has covered domestic hull, liability and workers’ compensation exposures relating to the aviation industry. For the past three years, Wes-FIC has reinsured 16.67% of the hull and liability pools and 5% of the workers’ compensation pool. Since mid-2009 Wes-FIC has also been reinsuring 25% of an international hull and liability pool.

Another subsidiary of Gen Re provides a portion of the upper-level reinsurance protection to these aviation risk pools on terms that could result in the Berkshire subsidiary having a different interest from that of Wes-FIC under certain conditions, e.g., in settling a large loss. Premium volume under these pools has approximated $35 million annually. It is the nature of even the finest property-casualty insurance businesses that in keeping their accounts they must estimate and deduct all future costs and losses from premiums already earned. Uncertainties inherent in this undertaking make financial statements more mere “best honest guesses” than is typically the case with accounts of non-insurance-writing corporations. And the reinsurance portion of the property-casualty insurance business, because it contains one or more extra links in the loss-reporting chain, usually creates more accounting uncertainty than the non-reinsurance portion. Wesco shareholders should remain aware of the inherent imperfections of Wes-FIC’s financial reporting, based as it is on forecasts of outcomes over many future years. Wes-FIC’s underwriting results have typically fluctuated from year to year, but have been satisfactory. When stated as a percentage, the sum of insurance losses, loss adjustment expenses and underwriting expenses, divided by premiums, gives the combined ratio. Wes- FIC’s combined ratios from reinsurance activities were 94.9% for 2009, 101.0% for 2008 and 93.

9% for 2007, much better than average for insurers. We try to create some underwriting gain as results are averaged out over many years. We expect this to become increasingly difficult. Float is the term for money we hold temporarily. Its major components are unpaid losses and unearned premiums, less premiums and reinsurance receivable, and deferred policy acquisition costs. As long as our insurance underwriting results are break-even or better, float costs us nothing. The new Swiss Re venture with NICO has significantly increased Wes-FIC’s float, from $76 million at the end of 2007, to $264 million at yearend 2009, thus providing additional opportunities for investment. We hope to see our float continue to increase, but we make no predictions. Kansas Bankers was purchased by Wes-FIC in 1996 for approximately $80 million in cash. Its tangible net worth now exceeds its acquisition price, and it has been a very satisfactory acquisition, reflecting the sound management of President Don Towle and his team.

WESCO FINANCIAL CORPORATION LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS To Our Shareholders: Consolidated net “operating” income (i.e., before realized investment gains shown in the table below) for the calendar year 2008 decreased to $77,562,000 ($10.89 per share) from $93,405,000 ($13.12 per share) in the previous year. Consolidated net income decreased to $82,116,000 ($11.53 per share) from $109,161,000 ($15.33 per share) in 2007. These figures included realized after-tax investment gains of $4,554,000 ($.64 per share) for 2008 and $15,756,000 ($2.21 per share) for 2007. Wesco has four major subsidiaries: (1) Wesco-Financial Insurance Company (“Wes- FIC”), headquartered in Omaha and engaged principally in the reinsurance business, (2) The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (“Kansas Bankers”), owned by Wes-FIC and specializing in insurance products tailored to midwestern banks, (3) CORT Business Services Corporation (“CORT”), headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia and engaged princi- pally in the furniture rental business, and (4) Precision Steel Warehouse, Inc. (“Precision Steel”), headquartered in Chicago and engaged in the steel warehousing and specialty metal products businesses. Consolidated net income for the two years just ended breaks down as follows (in thousands except for per-share amounts)(1) : Amount Per Wesco Share (2) Amount Per Wesco Share(2) December 31, 2008 December 31, 2007 Year Ended Wesco-Financial and Kansas Bankers insurance businesses — Underwriting gain (loss) . . . . . . . . .

parent. The arrangement became effective in 2001 and has covered hull, liability and workers’ compensation exposures relating to the aviation industry, as follows: for 2006, to the extent of 121 ⁄2% of the hull and liability pools and 5% of the workers’ compensation pool; and, since 2007, 16.67% of the hull and liability pools and 5% of the workers’ compensation pool. The Berkshire subsidiary provides a portion of the upper-level rein- surance protection to these aviation risk pools on terms that could result in the Berkshire subsidiary having a different interest from that of Wes-FIC under certain conditions, e.g., in settling a large loss. At the beginning of 2008, Wes-FIC entered into a retrocession agreement with National Indemnity Company (“NICO”), another Berkshire Hathaway insurance subsid- iary, for the assumption of 10% of NICO’s 20% quota-share reinsurance of Swiss Rein- surance Company and its principal property-casualty affiliates (“Swiss Re”). Under this agreement, which was enthusiastically approved by Wesco’s Board of Directors, Wes-FIC has assumed 2% of essentially all Swiss Re property-casualty risks incepting over the five- year period which began on January 1, 2008, on the same terms as NICO’s agreement with Swiss Re. Wes-FIC’s share of written and earned premiums under the contract for 2008 were $265.2 million and $183.2 million, representing a very significant increase in Wes- FIC’s reinsurance activities to date.

It is important to keep in mind that premiums assumed under the contract in each of the next four years could vary significantly depending on market conditions and opportunities. It is the nature of even the finest property-casualty insurance businesses that in keeping their accounts they must estimate and deduct all future costs and losses from premiums already earned. Uncertainties inherent in this undertaking make financial statements more mere “best honest guesses” than is typically the case with accounts of non-insurance-writing corporations. And the reinsurance portion of the property-casualty insurance business, because it contains one or more extra links in the loss-reporting chain, usually creates more accounting uncertainty than in the non-reinsurance portion. Wesco shareholders should remain aware of the inherent imperfections of Wes-FIC’s accounting, based as it is on forecasts of outcomes in many future years. Wes-FIC’s underwriting results have typically fluctuated from year to year, but have been satisfactory. When stated as a percentage, the sum of insurance losses, loss adjust- ment expenses and underwriting expenses, divided by premiums, gives the combined ratio. The combined ratios of Wes-FIC have been much better than average for insurers. Wes-FIC’s combined ratios were 101.0% for 2008, 93.9% for 2007 and 94.0% for 2006. We try to create some underwriting gain as results are averaged out over many years. We expect this to become increasingly difficult.

Float is the term for money we hold temporarily, and, as long as our insurance underwriting results are break-even or better, it costs us nothing. We expect that the new business venture with NICO will significantly increase Wes-FIC’s float, from its yearend 2008 balance of $164 million, thus providing additional opportunities for investment. Kansas Bankers was purchased by Wes-FIC in 1996 for approximately $80 million in cash. Its tangible net worth now exceeds its acquisition price, and it has been a very satisfactory acquisition, reflecting the sound management of President Don Towle and his team.

4 billion, insuring 796 institutions at February 15, 2009, the first date that non-renewals and non-voluntary cancellations became effective. It is believed that few of the institutions Kansas Bankers insures are facing significant risk of failure. Because of aggregate limits as well as the purchase of reinsurance, the after-tax risk to Wesco from the failure of any single bank insured by Kansas Bankers is limited to a maximum of $7.6 million. Thus, we believe that Wesco’s shareholders’ equity is not significantly at risk as Kansas Bankers rapidly exits this line of insurance. This decrease in exposure to loss, of course, will cause a sharp decline in Kansas Bankers’ insurance volume, inasmuch as premiums from guarantee bonds not only approximated half of Kansas Bankers’ written premiums for 2008, but also represented the entirety of the business it has recently conducted in 16 of the 39 states in which it is licensed to write insurance. When Wesco purchased Kansas Bankers, it had been ceding almost half of its premium volume to reinsurers. In 2008 it reinsured only about 14%. And, because it has also restructured the layers of losses reinsured, it is now better protected from the downside risk of large losses. Effective in 2006, insurance subsidiaries of Berkshire Hathaway became KBS’s sole reinsurers. Previously, an unaffiliated reinsurer was also involved. The increased volume of business retained comes, of course, with increased irregularity in the income stream.

WESCO FINANCIAL CORPORATION LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS To Our Shareholders: Consolidated net “operating” income (i.e., before realized investment gains shown in the table below) for the calendar year 2007 increased to $93,405,000 ($13.12 per share) from $92,033,000 ($12.93 per share) in the previous year. Consolidated net income increased, from $92,033,000 ($12.93 per share) in 2006, to $109,161,000 ($15.33 per share) in the current year. The 2007 figure included realized investment gains of $15,756,000, after taxes ($2.21 per share). Wesco has four major subsidiaries: (1) Wesco-Financial Insurance Company (“Wes- FIC”), headquartered in Omaha and engaged principally in the reinsurance business, (2) The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (“Kansas Bankers”), owned by Wes-FIC and specializing in insurance products tailored to midwestern banks, (3) CORT Business Services Corporation (“CORT”), headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia and engaged princi- pally in the furniture rental business, and (4) Precision Steel Warehouse, Inc. (“Precision Steel”), headquartered in Chicago and engaged in the steel warehousing and specialty metal products businesses. Consolidated net income for the two years just ended breaks down as follows (in thousands except for per-share amounts)(1) : Amount Per Wesco Share(2) Amount Per Wesco Share(2) December 31, 2007 December 31, 2006 Year Ended Operating earnings: Wesco-Financial and Kansas Bankers insurance businesses — Underwriting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

No investment gains or losses were realized in 2006. The discussion below will concen- trate on insurance underwriting, not on the results from investments. Wes-FIC engages in the reinsurance business. For the past several years, its reinsur- ance activity has consisted of the participation in several risk pools managed by an insurance subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, our 80%-owning parent. The arrangement became effective in 2001 and most recently covered hull, liability and workers’ compen- sation exposures relating to the aviation industry, as follows: for 2006, to the extent of ⁄2% of the hull and liability pools and 5% of the workers’ compensation pool; for 2007, 16.67% of the hull and liability pools and 5% of the workers’ compensation pool. The participation rates remain unchanged for 2008. The Berkshire subsidiary provides a portion of the upper-level reinsurance protection to these aviation risk pools on terms that could result in the Berkshire subsidiary having a different interest from that of Wes-FIC under certain conditions, e.g., in settling a large loss.

Wesco’s Board of Directors has recently and enthusiastically approved Wes-FIC’s most significant reinsurance contract to date: its participation, since January 1, 2008, in an agreement with National Indemnity Company (“NICO”), another Berkshire Hathaway insurance subsidiary, for the assumption of 10% of NICO’s quota-share reinsurance of Swiss Reinsurance Company and its property-casualty affiliates (“Swiss Re”). Under this retrocession agreement, Wes-FIC will effectively assume 2% of all of Swiss Re’s property- casualty risks incepting over the next five years on the same terms as NICO’s agreement with Swiss Re. If recent years’ volumes were to continue over the next five years, the annual written premiums assumed by Wes-FIC under this retrocession agreement would be in the $300 million range; however, actual premiums assumed over the five-year period could vary significantly depending on market conditions and opportunities. It is the nature of even the finest casualty insurance businesses that in keeping their accounts they must estimate and deduct all future costs and losses from premiums already earned. Uncertainties inherent in this undertaking make financial statements more mere “best honest guesses” than is typically the case with accounts of non-insurance-writing corporations.

The reinsurance portion of the casualty insurance business, because it contains one or more extra links in the loss-reporting chain, usually creates more account- ing uncertainty than in the non-reinsurance portion. Wesco shareholders should remain aware of the inherent imperfections of Wes-FIC’s accounting, based as it is on forecasts of outcomes in many future years. Wes-FIC’s underwriting results have typically fluctuated from year to year, but have been satisfactory. When stated as a percentage, the sum of insurance losses, loss adjust- ment expenses and underwriting expenses, divided by premiums, gives the combined ratio. The combined ratios of Wes-FIC have been much better than average for insurers. Wes-FIC’s combined ratios were 93.9% for 2007 and 94.0% for 2006. We try to create some underwriting gain as results are averaged out over many years. We expect this to become increasingly difficult. Float is the term for money we hold temporarily, and as long as our insurance underwriting results are break-even or better, it costs us nothing. We expect that the new business venture with NICO will significantly increase Wes-FIC’s float from its yearend 2007 balance of $94 million, thus providing additional opportunities for investment. Kansas Bankers was purchased by Wes-FIC in 1996 for approximately $80 million in cash.very

WESCO FINANCIAL CORPORATION LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS To Our Shareholders: Consolidated net ""operating'' income (i.e., before realized investment gains shown in the table below) for the calendar year 2006 increased to $92,033,000 ($12.93 per share) from $77,973,000 ($10.95 per share) in the previous year. Consolidated net income decreased, from $294,579,000 ($41.37 per share) in 2005, to $92,033,000 ($12.93 per share) in the current year. Wesco has four major subsidiaries: (1) Wesco-Financial Insurance Company (""Wes-FIC''), headquartered in Omaha and engaged principally in the reinsurance business, (2) The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (""Kansas Bankers''), owned by Wes-FIC and specializing in insurance products tailored to midwestern banks, (3) CORT Business Services Corporation (""CORT''), headquartered in Fairfax, Vir- ginia and engaged principally in the furniture rental business, and (4) Precision Steel Warehouse, Inc. (""Precision Steel''), headquartered in Chicago and engaged in the steel warehousing and specialty metal products businesses. Consolidated net income for the two years just ended breaks down as follows (in thousands except for per-share amounts)(1) : Year Ended December 31, 2006 December 31, 2005 Per Per Wesco Wesco Amount Share(2) Amount Share(2) Operating earnings: Wesco-Financial and Kansas Bankers insurance businesses Ì Underwriting ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ $ 5,164 $ .73 $ 11,798 $ 1.

operating income excludes investment gains of $216.6 million, net of income taxes, realized in 2005. No investment gains or losses were realized in 2006. The discussion below will concentrate on insurance underwriting, not on the results from investments. Wes-FIC engages in the reinsurance business. For the past several years, its reinsurance activity has consisted of the participation in several risk pools managed by an insurance subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, our 80%-owning parent. The arrangement became eÅective in 2001 and most recently covered hull, liability and workers' compensation exposures relating to the aviation industry, as follows: for 2005, to the extent of 10% in the hull and liability pools and 5% of a workers' compensation pool; for 2006, 121 /2% of the hull and liability pools and 5% of the workers' compensation pool. For 2007, participation in the hull and liability pools has increased to 16.67%. The Berkshire subsidiary provides a portion of the upper-level reinsurance protection to these aviation risk pools on terms that could result in the Berkshire subsidiary having a diÅerent interest from that of Wes-FIC under certain conditions, e.g., in settling a large loss. Wes-FIC's underwriting results have Öuctuated from year to year, but have been satisfactory. When stated as a percentage, the sum of insurance losses, loss adjustment expenses and underwriting expenses, divided by premiums, gives the combined ratio.

The combined ratios of Wes-FIC have been much better than average for insurers. Wes-FIC's combined ratios were 94.0% for 2006 and 75.9% for 2005. We try to create some underwriting gain as results are averaged out over many years. We expect this to become increasingly diÇcult. Kansas Bankers was purchased by Wes-FIC in 1996 for approximately $80 million in cash. Its tangible net worth now exceeds its acquisition price, and it has been a very satisfactory acquisition, reÖecting the sound management of President Don Towle and his team. Kansas Bankers was chartered in 1909 to underwrite deposit insurance for Kansas banks. Its oÇces are in Topeka, Kansas. Over the years its service has continued to adapt to the changing needs of the banking industry. Today its customer base, consisting mostly of small- and medium-sized community banks, is spread throughout 30 mainly midwestern states. In addition to bank deposit guaranty bonds which insure deposits in excess of FDIC coverage, KBS oÅers directors and oÇcers indemnity policies, bank employment practices policies, bank insurance agents professional errors and omissions indemnity policies and Internet banking catastrophe theft insurance. When Wesco purchased KBS, it had been ceding almost half of its premium volume to reinsurers. Now it reinsures only about 14%. EÅective in 2006, insurance subsidiaries of Berkshire Hathaway became KBS's sole reinsurers. Previously, an unaÇliated reinsurer was also involved.

WESCO FINANCIAL CORPORATION LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS To Our Shareholders: Consolidated net ""operating'' income (i.e., before realized investment gains shown in the table below) for the calendar year 2005 increased to $77,973,000 ($10.95 per share) from $47,427,000 ($6.66 per share) in the previous year. Consolidated net income increased to $294,579,000 ($41.37 per share) from $47,427,000 ($6.66 per share) in the previous year. Wesco has four major subsidiaries: (1) Wesco-Financial Insurance Company (""Wes-FIC''), headquartered in Omaha and engaged principally in the reinsurance business, (2) The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (""Kansas Bankers''), owned by Wes-FIC and specializing in insurance products tailored to midwestern banks, (3) CORT Business Services Corporation (""CORT''), headquartered in Fairfax, Vir- ginia and engaged principally in the furniture rental business, and (4) Precision Steel Warehouse, Inc. (""Precision Steel''), headquartered in Chicago and engaged in the steel warehousing and specialty metal products businesses. Consolidated net income for the two years just ended breaks down as follows (in 000s except for per-share amounts) (1): Year Ended December 31, 2005 December 31, 2004 Per Per Wesco Wesco Amount Share(2) Amount Share(2) Operating earnings: Wesco-Financial and Kansas Bankers insurance businesses Ì Underwriting ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ $ 11,798 $ 1.66 $14,618 $2.05 Investment income ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ 39,068 5.

As shown above, operating income includes signiÑcant net investment income, representing dividends and interest earned from marketable securities. However, operating income excludes investment gains of $216.6 million, net of income taxes, realized in 2005. No investment gains or losses were realized in 2004. The discussion below will concentrate on insurance underwriting, not on the results from investments. Wes-FIC engages in the reinsurance business, occasionally insuring against loss from rare but horrendous ""super-catastrophes.'' In much reinsurance sold by us, other Berkshire subsidiaries have sold several times as much reinsurance to the same customers on the same terms. In certain instances but not always, such subsidiaries have taken from us a 3%-of-premiums ceding commission on premium volume passed through them to Wes-FIC. Excepting this ceding commission, Wes-FIC has had virtually no insurance-acquisition or insurance administration costs. In some cases, other Berkshire subsidiaries act as reinsurers at higher levels than the level at which Wes-FIC is reinsuring; terms of the reinsurance are considered to be fair or advanta- geous to Wes-FIC.

For the past several years Wes-FIC's reinsurance activity has consisted of the participation in two arrangements described below, the second of which was termi- nated in the fourth quarter of 2004: (1) Participation, since 2001, in several risk pools managed by an insurance subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, our 80%-owning parent, recently covering hull, liability and workers' compensation exposures relating to the aviation industry as follows: for 2004, to the extent of 10% in the hull and liability pools; for 2005, 10% of the hull and liability pools and 5% of the workers' compensation pool. For 2006, participation in the hull and liability pools has increased to 121 /2 %. The Berkshire subsidiary provides a portion of the upper-level reinsurance protection to these aviation risk pools on terms that could result in the Berkshire subsidiary having a diÅerent interest from that of Wes-FIC under certain conditions, e.g., in settling a large loss. (2) A multi-year contract entered into in 2000 through another Berkshire insur- ance subsidiary, as intermediary without proÑt, covering certain multi-line property and casualty risks of a large, unaÇliated insurer. This contract was commuted in the fourth quarter of 2004, at which time Wes-FIC paid the ceding company $43.1 million, cash, representing all unearned premiums, reduced by unamortized costs and expenses. After the commutation, Wes- FIC's obligation to indemnify any further insurance losses under the contract ceased.

Under that contract for 2004, there was a net reduction in written premiums of $2.3 million; earned premiums were $6.4 million, and under- writing gain was $11.0 million ($7.2 million, after income taxes). Wes-FIC's underwriting results have Öuctuated from year to year, but have been satisfactory. When stated as a percentage, the sum of insurance losses, loss adjustment expenses and underwriting expenses, divided by premiums, gives the combined ratio. The combined ratios of Wes-FIC have been much better than average for insurers. Excluding the unusual beneÑcial eÅects caused by the commuted contract in 2004, Wes-FIC's combined ratios were 75.9% for 2005 and 77.8% for 2004.subjecting

Wes-FIC to signiÑcant periodic underwriting losses, we try to create some underwriting gain as results are averaged out over many years. Kansas Bankers was purchased by Wes-FIC in 1996 for approximately $80 million in cash. Its tangible net worth now exceeds its acquisition price, and it has been a very satisfactory acquisition, reÖecting the sound management of President Don Towle and his team. Kansas Bankers was chartered in 1909 to underwrite deposit insurance for Kansas banks. Its oÇces are in Topeka, Kansas. Over the years its service has continued to adapt to the changing needs of the banking industry. Today its customer base, consisting mostly of small and medium-sized community banks, is spread throughout 30 mainly midwestern states. In addition to bank deposit guaranty bonds which insure deposits in excess of FDIC coverage, KBS oÅers directors and oÇcers indemnity policies, bank employment practices policies, bank insurance agents professional errors and omissions indemnity policies and Internet banking catastrophe theft insurance. KBS increased the volume of business retained eÅective in 1998. It had previously ceded almost half of its premium volume to reinsurers. Now it reinsures only about 13%. The increased volume of business retained comes, of course, with increased irregularity in the income stream. KBS's combined ratios were 58.8% for 2005 and 74.9% for 2004. We continue to expect volatile but favorable long-term eÅects from increased insurance retained.

WESCO FINANCIAL CORPORATION LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS To Our Shareholders: Consolidated net ""operating'' income (i.e., before realized investment gains shown in the table below) for the calendar year 2004 increased to $47,427,000 ($6.66 per share) from $39,958,000 ($5.61 per share) in the previous year. Consolidated net income decreased to $47,427,000 ($6.66 per share) from $74,711,000 ($10.49 per share) in the previous year. Wesco has four major subsidiaries: (1) Wesco-Financial Insurance Company (""Wes-FIC''), headquartered in Omaha and engaged principally in the reinsurance business, (2) The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (""Kansas Bankers''), owned by Wes-FIC and specializing in insurance products tailored to midwestern banks, (3) CORT Business Services Corporation (""CORT''), headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia and engaged principally in the furniture rental business, and (4) Precision Steel Warehouse, Inc. (""Precision Steel''), headquartered in Chicago and engaged in the steel warehousing and specialty metal products businesses. Consolidated net income for the two years just ended breaks down as follows (in 000s except for per- share amounts)(1) : Year Ended December 31, 2004 December 31, 2003 Per Per Wesco Wesco Amount Share(2) Amount Share(2) Operating earnings: Wesco-Financial and Kansas Bankers insurance businesses Ì Underwriting ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ $14,618 $2.05 $15,711 $ 2.21 Investment income ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ 26,302 3.69 30,925 4.

have taken from us a 3%-of-premiums ceding commission on premium volume passed through them to Wes-FIC. Excepting this ceding commission, Wes-FIC has had virtually no insurance-acquisition or insurance administration costs. In some cases, other Berkshire subsidiaries act as reinsurers at higher levels than the level at which Wes-FIC is reinsuring; terms of the reinsurance are considered by Wes-FIC to be fair or advantageous to Wes-FIC. For the past several years Wes-FIC's reinsurance activity has consisted of the participation in two arrangements: (1) Participation in four risk pools managed by an insurance subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, our 80%-owning parent, covering hull, liability, work- ers' compensation and satellite exposures relating to the aviation industry as follows: with respect to 2001, to the extent of 3% for each pool, with satellite exposures eÅective June 1; for 2002, 13% of the hull and liability pools, increasing to 15.5% in August, and 3% of the workers' compensa- tion pool (satellite exposures were not renewed in June); and, for 2003 and 2004, 10% of the hull and liability pools only. The Berkshire subsidiary provides a portion of the upper-level reinsurance protection to these aviation risk pools, and therefore to Wes-FIC, on terms that could result in the Berkshire subsidiary having a diÅerent interest from that of Wes-FIC under certain conditions, e.g., in settling a large loss.

(2) A multi-year contract entered into in 2000 through another Berkshire insurance subsidiary, as intermediary without proÑt, covering certain multi-line property and casualty risks of a large, unaÇliated insurer. This contract was commuted (terminated) in the fourth quarter of 2004, at which time Wes-FIC paid the ceding company $43.1 million, cash, repre- senting all unearned premiums, reduced by unamortized costs and ex- penses. After the commutation, Wes-FIC's obligation to indemnify any further insurance losses under the contract ceased. Under that contract, there was a net reduction in written premiums of $2.3 million for 2004, compared with written premiums of $30.4 million for 2003; earned premiums were $6.4 million for 2004 and $42.0 million for 2003. Underwriting results of Wes-FIC in both 2004 and 2003 were weirdly favorable, causing the underwriting gains of $14.6 million for 2004 and $15.7 million for 2003. Such weirdly favorable results are not to be expected over the long term. It should be recalled that Wes-FIC reported an underwriting loss of $8.1 million as recently as 2001. However, we do try to create some underwriting gain as results are averaged out over many years. Kansas Bankers was purchased by Wes-FIC in 1996 for approximately $80 mil- lion in cash. Its tangible net worth now exceeds its acquisition price, and it has been a very satisfactory acquisition, reÖecting the sound management of President Don Towle and his team.

oÇcers indemnity policies, bank employment practices policies, bank insurance agents professional errors and omissions indemnity policies and Internet banking catastrophe theft insurance. KBS increased the volume of business retained eÅective in 1998. It had previously ceded almost half of its premium volume to reinsurers. Now it reinsures only about 14%. The increased volume of business retained comes, of course, with increased irregularity in the income stream. The combined ratio of an insurance company represents the percentage that its underwriting losses and expenses bear to its premium revenues. KBS's combined ratio has been much better than average for insurers, at 74.9% for 2004 and 65.0% for 2003. We continue to expect volatile but favorable long-term eÅects from increased insurance retained. CORT Business Services Corporation (""CORT'') In February 2000, Wesco purchased CORT Business Services Corporation (""CORT'') for $386 million in cash. CORT is a very long established company that is the country's leader in rentals of furniture that lessees have no intention of buying. In the trade, people call CORT's activity ""rent-to-rent'' to distinguish it from ""lease-to-purchase'' businesses that are, in essence, installment sellers of furniture. However, just as Hertz, as a rent-to-rent auto lessor in short-term arrangements, must be skilled in selling used cars, CORT must be and is skilled in selling used furniture.

WESCO FINANCIAL CORPORATION LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS To Our Shareholders: Consolidated net ""operating'' income (i.e., before realized securities gains shown in the table below) for the calendar year 2003 decreased to $39,958,000 ($5.61 per share) from $52,718,000 ($7.40 per share) in the previous year. Consolidated net income increased to $74,711,000 ($10.49 per share) from $52,718,000 ($7.40 per share) in the previous year. Wesco has four major subsidiaries: (1) Wesco-Financial Insurance Company (""Wes-FIC''), headquartered in Omaha and engaged principally in the reinsurance business, (2) The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (""Kansas Bankers''), owned by Wes-FIC and specializing in insurance products tailored to midwestern banks, (3) CORT Business Services Corporation (""CORT''), headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia and engaged principally in the furniture rental business, and (4) Precision Steel Warehouse, Inc. (""Precision Steel''), headquartered in Chicago and engaged in the steel warehousing and specialty metal products businesses. Consolidated net income for the two years just ended breaks down as follows (in 000s except for per- share amounts)(1) : Year Ended December 31, 2003 December 31, 2002 Per Per Wesco Wesco Amount Share(2) Amount Share(2) Operating earnings: Wesco-Financial and Kansas Bankers insurance businesses Ì Underwriting ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ $15,711 $ 2.21 $ 3,829 $ .54 Investment income ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ 30,925 4.34 45,642 6.

Wes-FIC engages in the reinsurance business, occasionally insuring against loss from rare but horrendous ""super-catastrophes.'' In much reinsurance sold by us, other Berkshire subsidiaries sold several times as much reinsurance to the same customers on the same terms. In certain instances but not always, such subsidiaries have taken from us a 3%-of-premiums ceding commission on premium volume passed through them to Wes-FIC. Excepting this ceding commission, Wes-FIC has had virtually no insurance-acquisition or insurance administration costs. In some cases, other Berkshire subsidiaries act as reinsurers at higher levels than the level at which Wes-FIC is reinsuring; terms of the reinsurance are considered by Wes-FIC to be fair or advantageous to Wes-FIC. Underwriting results of Wes-FIC in 2003 were weirdly favorable, causing the underwriting gain of $15.7 million. Such weirdly favorable results are not to be expected over the long term. It should be recalled that Wes-FIC reported an underwriting loss of $8.1 million as recently as 2001. However, we do try to create some underwriting gain as results are averaged out over many years. Kansas Bankers was purchased by Wes-FIC in 1996 for approximately $80 mil- lion in cash. Its tangible net worth now exceeds its acquisition price, and it has been a very satisfactory acquisition, reÖecting the sound management of President Don Towle and his team. Kansas Bankers was chartered in 1909 to underwrite deposit insurance for Kansas banks.

Its oÇces are in Topeka, Kansas. Over the years its service has continued to adapt to the changing needs of the banking industry. Today its customer base, consisting mostly of small and medium-sized community banks, is spread throughout 28 mainly midwestern states. In addition to bank deposit guaranty bonds which insure deposits in excess of FDIC coverage, KBS oÅers directors and oÇcers indemnity policies, bank employment practices policies, bank insurance agents professional errors and omissions indemnity policies and Internet banking catastrophe theft insurance. KBS increased the volume of business retained eÅective in 1998. It had previously ceded almost half of its premium volume to reinsurers. Now it reinsures only about 11%. The increased volume of business retained comes, of course, with increased irregularity in the income stream. The combined ratio of an insurance company represents the percentage that its underwriting losses and expenses bear to its premium revenues. KBS's combined ratio has been much better than average for insurers, at 65.0% for 2003 and 71.3% for 2002. We continue to expect volatile but favorable long-term eÅects from increased insurance retained. CORT Business Services Corporation (""CORT'') In February 2000, Wesco purchased CORT Business Services Corporation (""CORT'') for $386 million in cash.

WESCO FINANCIAL CORPORATION LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS To Our Shareholders: Consolidated net income for the calendar year 2002 was $52,718,000 ($7.40 per share), essentially the same as $52,536,000 ($7.38 per share) in the previous year. Wesco has four major subsidiaries: (1) Wesco-Financial Insurance Company (""Wes-FIC''), headquartered in Omaha and engaged principally in the reinsurance business, (2) The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (""KBS''), owned by Wes-FIC and specializing in insurance products tailored to midwestern banks, (3) CORT Business Services Corporation (""CORT''), headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia and engaged principally in the furniture rental business, and (4) Precision Steel Ware- house, Inc. (""Precision Steel''), headquartered in Chicago and engaged in the steel warehousing and specialty metal products businesses. Consolidated net income for the two years just ended breaks down as follows (in 000s except for per-share amounts)(1) : Year Ended December 31, 2002 December 31, 2001 Per Per Wesco Wesco Amount Share(2) Amount Share(2) Operating earnings: Insurance businessesÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ $49,471 $6.95 $45,254 $6.36 CORT furniture rental business ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ 2,442 .34 13,076 1.84 Precision Steel businesses ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ 250 .03 388 .05 Goodwill amortization (3) ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ Ì Ì (6,814) (.96) Other(4) ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ 555 .08 632 .09 Wesco consolidated net income (3) ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ $52,718 $7.

Insurance Businesses Consolidated operating earnings from insurance businesses represent the com- bination of the results of their insurance underwriting with their net investment income. Following is a summary of these Ñgures as they pertain to all insurance operations except The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (""KBS''), which is sepa- rately discussed below. Pre-Tax After-Tax Operating Earnings Operating Earnings 2002 2001 2002 2001 Underwriting gain (loss) ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ $ 92,000 $(12,403,000) $(1,926,000) $(8,062,000) Net investment income ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ 64,484,000 64,529,000 44,030,000 44,001,000 Operating income ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ $64,576,000 $ 52,126,000 $42,104,000 $35,939,000 As shown above, operating income includes signiÑcant net investment income, representing dividends and interest earned from marketable securities. Our discus- sion will concentrate on insurance underwriting, not on the results from investments. Results for 2002 from insurance underwriting, other than at KBS, were sharply improved from those for 2001. Results for 2001 were the worst since we entered the insurance business in 1985. Results for 2002 were satisfactory.

The nature of our non-KBS insurance business was roughly described in our year 2000 Annual Report wherein we reported to shareholders that we were not currently active in super-catastrophe reinsurance and had never suÅered a super-catastrophe loss, but that shareholders should continue to realize that Wes-FIC's marvelous underwriting results were sure to be followed, sometime, by one or more horrible underwriting losses. When we said that, we had in mind a natural catastrophe. But, instead, in 2001 we were clobbered by a man-made catastrophe on September 11 Ì an event that delivered the insurance industry its largest loss in history. Fortunately, we recorded a loss of only $10 million before income taxes ($6.5 million, after taxes) in connection with that event. The $10 million is an estimate and is subject to considerable estimation error. It will literally take years to resolve complicated coverage issues, as well as to develop an accurate estimation of insured losses that will ultimately be incurred. That $10 million, however, was the principal cause of our substantial underwriting loss in 2001. At the end of 2002 we retained about $15 million in invested assets, oÅset by claims reserves, from our former reinsurance arrangement with Fireman's Fund Group. This arrangement was terminated August 31, 1989.

We engage in other reinsurance business, including large and small quota share arrangements similar and dissimilar to our previous reinsurance contract with Fire- man's Fund Group, and, from time to time, in super-cat reinsurance, described in detail in previous annual reports, which Wesco shareholders should re-read each year. Following is a summary of Wes-FIC's current reinsurance activity: ‚ A three-year arrangement entered into in 2000 through an insurance subsidi- ary of Berkshire Hathaway, our 80%-owning parent, as intermediary without ceding commission, for participation to the extent of 3.3% in certain property and casualty exposure ceded by a large, unaÇliated insurer. The terms of this arrangement are identical to those accepted by that Berkshire subsidiary except as to the amount of the participation. ‚ Participation in four risk pools managed by a Berkshire insurance subsidiary (also acting as intermediary without ceding commission) covering hull, liability, workers' compensation and satellite exposures relating to the aviation industry as follows: with respect to 2001, to the extent of 3% for each pool; for 2002, 13% of the hull and liability pools, 3% of the workers' compensation pool and, eÅective mid-year, 15.5% of the satellite pool; and, for 2003, 10% of the hull and liability pools only. The Berkshire subsidiary provides a portion of the reinsurance protection to these aviation risk pools, and therefore to Wes-FIC.

In much reinsurance sold by us, other Berkshire subsidiaries sold several times as much reinsurance to the same customers on the same terms. In certain instances but not always, such subsidiaries have taken from us a 3%-of-premiums ceding commis- sion on premium volume passed through them to Wes-FIC. Excepting this ceding commission, Wes-FIC has had virtually no insurance-acquisition or insurance admin- istration costs. KBS, purchased by Wes-FIC in 1996 for approximately $80 million in cash, contributed $7.4 million to the after-tax operating earnings of the insurance busi- nesses in 2002 and $9.3 million in 2001. The 2001 Ñgure is before goodwill amortization of $.8 million; there was no goodwill amortization for 2002. Prior to 2002 goodwill was amortized mainly on a straight-line basis over 40 years. As explained above, as of the beginning of 2002, Wesco discontinued amortization of goodwill and became subject to other changes in goodwill accounting, as required by the Financial Accounting Standards Board. The results of KBS have been com- bined with those of Wes-FIC, and are included in the table on page 1 in the category of ""insurance businesses.'' KBS was chartered in 1909 to underwrite deposit insurance for Kansas banks. Its oÇces are in Topeka, Kansas. Over the years its service has continued to adapt to the changing needs of the banking industry.

in excess of FDIC coverage, KBS oÅers directors and oÇcers indemnity policies, bank employment practices policies, bank annuity and mutual funds indemnity policies, and bank insurance agents professional errors and omissions indemnity policies. Also, KBS has recently begun oÅering Internet banking catastrophe theft insurance. Beginning in 2003, KBS revised the allocation of its reinsurance between a Berkshire insurance subsidiary and a non-aÇliate: Under the previous program, the Berkshire subsidiary and the non-aÇliate each reinsured 50% of the per-occurrence risks of $3 million in excess of $2 million, and the non-aÇliate also reinsured 70% of the per-occurrence risks up to $10 million above $5 million, all for approximately 5% of KBS's premiums. Beginning in 2003, the Berkshire subsidiary has replaced the non-aÇliate on the second layer, and total reinsurance costs are expected to aggregate 10%-12% of premiums. Reinsurance costs have risen greatly throughout the insurance industry, and the revised arrangement is considered fair by all in- volved, all factors considered. (Indeed, we believe that our combined insurance arrangements through Berkshire constitute a net advantage to Wes-FIC that would not be available from Berkshire in the absence of its 80% ownership of Wesco, and such combined insurance arrangements have worked out well so far, even after taking into account our September 11 loss in 2001.) KBS increased the volume of business retained eÅective in 1998.

It had previously ceded almost half of its premium volume to reinsurers. Now it reinsures only about 5%. As we indicated last year, the increased volume of business retained comes, of course, with increased irregularity in the income stream. The combined ratio of an insurance company represents the percentage that its underwriting losses and expenses bear to its premium revenues. KBS's combined ratio has been much better than average for insurers, at 71.3% for 2002 and 55.1% for 2001, and we continue to expect volatile but favorable long-term eÅects from increased insurance retained. KBS is ably run by Donald Towle, President, assisted by 15 dedicated oÇcers and employees. CORT Business Services Corporation (""CORT'') In February 2000, Wesco purchased CORT Business Services Corporation (""CORT'') for $386 million in cash. CORT is a very long established company that is the country's leader in rentals of furniture that lessees have no intention of buying. In the trade, people call CORT's activity ""rent-to-rent'' to distinguish it from ""lease-to-purchase'' businesses that are, in essence, installment sellers of furniture. However, just as Hertz, as a rent-to-rent auto lessor in short-term arrangements, must be skilled in selling used cars, CORT must be and is skilled in selling used furniture.

WESCO FINANCIAL CORPORATION LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS To Our Shareholders: Consolidated net ""operating'' income (i.e., before realized securities gains shown in the table below) for the calendar year 2001 decreased to $52,536,000 ($7.38 per share) from $70,087,000 ($9.84 per share) in the previous year. Consolidated net income decreased to $52,536,000 ($7.38 per share) from $922,470,000 ($129.56 per share) in the previous year. Wesco has four major subsidiaries: (1) Wesco-Financial Insurance Company (""Wes-FIC''), headquartered in Omaha and engaged principally in the reinsurance business, (2) The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (""KBS''), owned by Wes-FIC and specializing in insurance products tailored to midwestern banks, (3) CORT Business Services Corporation (""CORT''), headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, pur- chased in February 2000 and engaged principally in the furniture rental business, and (4) Precision Steel Warehouse, Inc. (""Precision Steel''), headquartered in Chicago and engaged in the steel warehousing and specialty metal products businesses. Consolidated net income for the two years just ended breaks down as follows (in 000s except for per-share amounts)(1) : Year Ended December 31, 2001 December 31, 2000 Per Per Wesco Wesco Amount Share(2) Amount Share(2) Operating earnings: Insurance businesses ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ $45,254 $6.36 $ 45,518 $ 6.39 CORT furniture rental business ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ 13,076 1.84 28,988 4.

shareholders. The total consolidated net income shown above is, of course, identical to the total in our audited Ñnancial statements. Insurance Businesses Consolidated operating earnings from insurance businesses represent the com- bination of the results of their insurance underwriting with their net investment income. Following is a summary of these Ñgures as they pertain to all insurance operations except The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (""KBS''), which is sepa- rately discussed below. Pre-Tax After-Tax Operating Earnings Operating Earnings 2001 2000 2001 2000 Underwriting loss ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ $(12,403,000) $ (616,000) $(8,062,000) $ (400,000) Net investment income ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ 64,529,000 53,412,000 44,001,000 38,958,000 Operating income ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ $ 52,126,000 $52,796,000 $35,939,000 $38,558,000 As shown above, operating income includes signiÑcant net investment income, representing dividends and interest earned from marketable securities. However, operating income excludes realized net securities gains, net of income taxes, of $853.1 million in 2000. There were no such gains in 2001. Our discussion will concentrate on insurance underwriting, not on the results from investments. Results for 2001 from insurance underwriting, other than at KBS, were the worst since we entered into the insurance business in 1985.

The nature of our non-KBS insurance business was roughly described in our year 2000 Annual Report wherein we reported to shareholders that we were not currently active in super-catastrophe reinsurance and had never suÅered a super-catastrophe loss, but that shareholders should continue to realize that Wes-FIC's marvelous underwriting results were sure to be followed, sometime, by one or more horrible underwriting losses. When we said that, we had in mind a natural catastrophe. But, instead, we were clobbered by a man-made catastrophe on September 11 Ì an event that delivered the insurance industry its largest loss in history. Fortunately, we recorded a loss of only $10 million, before income taxes ($6.5 million, after taxes) in connection with that event. The $10 million is an estimate and is subject to considerable estimation error. It will literally take years to resolve complicated coverage issues, as well as to develop an accurate estimation of insured losses that will ultimately be incurred. That $10 million, however, was the principal cause of our substantial underwriting loss in 2001. At the end of 2001 we retained about $17 million in invested assets, oÅset by claims reserves, from our former reinsurance arrangement with Fireman's Fund Group. This arrangement was terminated August 31, 1989.loss-related

expenses, beneÑting after-tax operating earnings in 2001 and 2000 by $.8 million each. We engage in other reinsurance business, including large and small quota share arrangements similar and dissimilar to our previous reinsurance contract with Fire- man's Fund Group, and, from time to time, in super-cat reinsurance, described in detail in previous annual reports, which Wesco shareholders should re-read each year. In almost all recent reinsurance sold by us, other subsidiaries of our 80%-owning parent, Berkshire Hathaway, sold several times as much reinsurance to the same customers on the same terms. In certain instances, such subsidiaries have taken from us a 3%-of-premiums ceding commission on premium volume passed through them to Wes-FIC. Excepting this ceding commission, Wes-FIC has had virtually no insurance-acquisition or insurance administration costs with regard to those policies. KBS, purchased by Wes-FIC in 1996 for approximately $80 million in cash, contributed $9.3 million to the after-tax operating earnings of the insurance busi- nesses in 2001 and $7.0 million in 2000. These Ñgures are before goodwill amortiza- tion under accounting convention of $.8 million each year. The results of KBS have been combined with those of Wes-FIC, and are included in the table on page 1 in the category of ""insurance businesses.'' KBS was chartered in 1909 to underwrite deposit insurance for Kansas banks. Its oÇces are in Topeka, Kansas.

Over the years its service has continued to adapt to the changing needs of the banking industry. Today its customer base, consisting mostly of small and medium-sized community banks, is spread throughout 27 mainly midwestern states. In addition to bank deposit guaranty bonds which insure deposits in excess of FDIC coverage, KBS also oÅers directors and oÇcers indemnity policies, bank employment practices policies, bank annuity and mutual funds indemnity policies and bank insurance agents professional errors and omissions indemnity policies. KBS increased the volume of business retained eÅective in 1998. It had previously ceded almost half of its premium volume to reinsurers. Now it reinsures only about 5% under arrangements whereby other Berkshire subsidiaries take 50% and unrelated reinsurers take the other 50%. As we indicated last year, the increased volume of business retained comes, of course, with increased irregularity in the income stream. The combined ratio of an insurance company represents the percentage that its underwriting losses and expenses bear to its premium revenues. KBS's combined ratio has been much better than average for insurers, at 55.1% for 2001 and 73.9% for 2000, and we continue to expect volatile but favorable long-term eÅects from increased insurance retained. KBS is ably run by Donald Towle, President, assisted by 15 dedicated oÇcers and employees.

WESCO FINANCIAL CORPORATION LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS To Our Shareholders: Consolidated net ""operating'' income (i.e., before realized securities gains shown in the table below) for the calendar year 2000 increased to $70,087,000 ($9.84 per share) from $46,872,000 ($6.58 per share) in the previous year. Consolidated net income increased to $922,470,000 ($129.56 per share) from $54,143,000 ($7.60 per share) in the previous year. Wesco has four major subsidiaries: (1) Wesco-Financial Insurance Company (""Wes-FIC''), headquartered in Omaha and engaged principally in the reinsurance business, (2) The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (""KBS''), owned by Wes-FIC and specializing in insurance products tailored to midwestern banks, (3) CORT Business Services Corporation (""CORT''), headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, pur- chased in February 2000 and engaged principally in the furniture rental business, and (4) Precision Steel Warehouse, Inc. (""Precision Steel''), headquartered in Chicago and engaged in the steel warehousing and specialty metal products businesses. Consolidated net income for the two years just ended breaks down as follows (in 000s except for per-share amounts)(1) : Year Ended December 31, 2000 December 31, 1999 Per Per Wesco Wesco Amount Share(2) Amount Share(2) Operating earnings: Wes-FIC and KBS insurance businesses ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ $ 45,518 $ 6.39 $44,392 $6.23 CORT furniture rental businessÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ 28,988 4.

Wesco-Financial Insurance Company (""Wes-FIC'') Consolidated operating earnings of Wes-FIC and KBS represent the combination of the results of their insurance underwriting with their net investment income. Following is a summary of these Ñgures as they pertain to Wes-FIC, excluding its subsidiary, KBS. The operating earnings of Wes-FIC's KBS subsidiary are discussed in the section, ""The Kansas Bankers Surety Company,'' below. Pre-Tax After-Tax Operating Earnings Operating Earnings 2000 1999 2000 1999 Underwriting gain (loss) ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ $ (616,000) $ 4,359,000 $ (400,000) $ 2,833,000 Net investment incomeÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ 53,412,000 44,129,000 38,958,000 34,362,000 Wes-FIC parent company operating income ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ $52,796,000 $48,488,000 $38,558,000 $37,195,000 As shown above, Wes-FIC's consolidated operating earnings include signiÑcant net investment income, representing dividends and interest earned on its portfolio of marketable securities. Wes-FIC's consolidated operating earnings exclude its realized net securities gains, net of income taxes, of $853.1 million in 2000 versus $7.3 million in 1999. Our discussion will concentrate on Wes-FIC's insurance underwriting, not on the results of its investments. At the end of 2000 Wes-FIC retained about $19 million in invested assets, oÅset by claims reserves, from its former reinsurance arrangement with Fireman's Fund Group. This arrangement was terminated August 31, 1989.

However, it will take a long time before all claims are settled, and, meanwhile, Wes-FIC is being helped over many years by proceeds from investing ""Öoat'' and by favorable loss develop- ment, which has enabled it to reduce the liability for losses and loss-related expenses, beneÑting after-tax operating earnings by $.8 million in 2000 and $1.7 mil- lion in 1999. Wes-FIC engages in other reinsurance business, including large and small quota share arrangements similar and dissimilar to our previous reinsurance contract with Fireman's Fund Group, and, from time to time, in super-cat reinsurance, described in great detail in our pre-1999 annual reports, which Wesco shareholders should re- read each year. Although Wes-FIC was not active in super-cat reinsurance business in 2000, its operating earnings beneÑted by $.9 million, after taxes, in 1999. On super-cat reinsurance accepted by Wes-FIC to date (March 5, 2001) there has been no loss whatsoever that we know of, but some ""no-claims'' contingent commissions have been paid to original cessors of business (i.e., cessors not including Berkshire Hathaway). The balance of Wes-FIC's after-tax underwriting proÑt or loss not described above, amounted to underwriting loss of $1.2 million for 2000 and underwriting proÑt of $.2 million for 1999. In all recent reinsurance sold by us, other subsidiaries of our 80%-owning parent, Berkshire Hathaway, sold several times as much reinsurance to the same customers on the same terms.3%-

of-premiums ceding commission on premium volume passed through them to Wes- FIC. Excepting this ceding commission, Wes-FIC has had virtually no insurance- acquisition or insurance administration costs with regard to those policies. Wes-FIC remains a very strong insurance company, with very low costs, and, one way or another, in the future as in the past, we expect to continue to Ñnd and seize at least a few sensible insurance opportunities. Wesco shareholders should continue to realize that recent marvelous underwrit- ing results are sure to be followed, sometime, by one or more horrible underwriting losses from super-cat or other insurance written by Wes-FIC. The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (""KBS'') KBS, purchased by Wes-FIC in 1996 for approximately $80 million in cash, contributed $7 million to the consolidated operating earnings of the insurance businesses in 2000 and $7.2 million in 1999. These Ñgures are before goodwill amortization under accounting convention of $.8 million each year. The results of KBS have been combined with those of Wes-FIC, and are included in the table on page 1 in the category, ""operating earnings of Wes-FIC and KBS insurance businesses.'' KBS was chartered in 1909 to underwrite deposit insurance for Kansas banks. Its oÇces are in Topeka, Kansas. Over the years its service has continued to adapt to the changing needs of the banking industry.

Today its customer base, consisting mostly of small and medium-sized community banks, is spread throughout 25 mainly midwestern states. In addition to bank deposit guaranty bonds which insure deposits in excess of FDIC coverage, KBS also oÅers directors and oÇcers indemnity policies, bank employment practices policies, bank annuity and mutual funds indemnity policies and bank insurance agents professional errors and omissions indemnity policies. KBS increased the volume of business retained eÅective in 1998. It had previously ceded almost half of its premium volume to reinsurers; and, it now reinsures only about 5% under arrangements whereby other Berkshire subsidiaries take 50% and unrelated reinsurers take the other 50%. As we indicated last year, the increased volume of business retained comes, of course, with increased irregularity in the income stream. KBS's combined ratio remained much better than average for insurers, at 73.9% for 2000 and 59.4% for 1999, versus 37.2% for 1997, and we continue to expect volatile but favorable long-term eÅects from increased insurance retained. KBS is run by Donald Towle, President, assisted by 15 dedicated oÇcers and employees.

WESCO FINANCIAL CORPORATION LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS To Our Shareholders: Consolidated ""normal'' net operating income (i.e., before irregularly occurring items shown in the table below) for the calendar year 1999 increased to $45,904,000 ($6.44 per share) from $37,622,000 ($5.28 per share) in the previous year. Consolidated net income (i.e., after irregularly occurring items shown in the table below) decreased to $54,143,000 ($7.60 per share) from $71,803,000 ($10.08 per share) in the previous year. Wesco had three major subsidiaries at yearend 1999: (1) Wesco-Financial Insurance Company (""Wes-FIC''), headquartered in Omaha and engaged princi- pally in the reinsurance business, (2) The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (""KBS''), owned by Wes-FIC and specializing in insurance products tailored to midwestern banks, and (3) Precision Steel, headquartered in Chicago and engaged in the steel warehousing and specialty metal products businesses. Consolidated net income for the two years just ended breaks down as follows (in 000s except for per-share amounts)(1) : Year Ended December 31, 1999 December 31, 1998 Per Per Wesco Wesco Amount Share(2) Amount Share(2) ""Normal'' net operating income of: Wes-FIC and KBS insurance businesses ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ $43,610 $6.12 $34,654 $ 4.87 Precision Steel businessesÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ 2,532 .35 3,154 .44 All other ""normal'' net operating income (loss)(3) ÏÏÏÏ (238) (.03) (186) (.03) 45,904 6.44 37,622 5.

The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (""KBS''), owned by Wes-FIC since 1996. KBS is discussed in the section, ""The Kansas Bankers Surety Company,'' below. At the end of 1999 Wes-FIC retained about $21 million in invested assets, oÅset by claims reserves, from its former reinsurance arrangement with Fireman's Fund Group. This arrangement was terminated August 31, 1989. However, it will take a long time before all claims are settled, and, meanwhile, Wes-FIC is being helped over many years by proceeds from investing ""Öoat.'' In addition, Wes-FIC has been engaged for several years in super-cat reinsur- ance, described in great detail in our pre-1999 annual reports, which Wesco shareholders should re-read each year. Wes-FIC also engages in other reinsurance business, including large and small quota share arrangements similar and dissimilar to our previous reinsurance contract with Fireman's Fund Group. In all recent reinsurance sold by us, other subsidiaries of our 80%-owning parent, Berkshire Hathaway, sold four times as much reinsurance to the same customers on the same terms, except that such subsidiaries usually take from us a 3%-of-premiums ceding commission on premium volume passed through them to Wes-FIC. Excepting this ceding commission, Wes-FIC has virtually no insurance-acquisition or insurance administration costs.

Early in the current year (2000) Wes-FIC made an intracompany loan that funds a large majority of the purchase price of CORT Business Services Corporation, discussed below. Wes-FIC remains a very strong insurance company, with very low costs, and, one way or another, in the future as in the past, we expect to continue to Ñnd and seize at least a few sensible insurance opportunities. On super-cat reinsurance accepted by Wes-FIC to date (March 3, 2000) there has been no loss whatsoever that we know of, but some ""no-claims'' contingent commissions have been paid to original cessors of business (i.e., cessors not including Berkshire Hathaway). Super-cat underwriting proÑt of $1.4 million a year, before taxes, beneÑted earnings in 1999 and 1998. The balance of pre-tax underwrit- ing proÑt amounted to $3.0 million for 1999 and $1.9 million for 1998. These Ñgures came mostly from favorable revision of loss reserves on the old Fireman's Fund contract. Wesco shareholders should continue to realize that recent marvelous underwrit- ing results are sure to be followed, sometime, by one or more horrible underwriting losses from super-cat or other insurance written by Wes-FIC.

KBS have been combined with those of Wes-FIC, and are included in the foregoing table in the category, "" 'normal' net operating income of Wes-FIC and KBS insurance businesses.'' KBS was chartered in 1909 to underwrite deposit insurance for Kansas banks. Its oÇces are in Topeka, Kansas. Over the years its service has continued to adapt to the changing needs of the banking industry. Today its customer base, consisting mostly of small and medium-sized community banks, is spread throughout 25 mainly midwestern states. In addition to bank deposit guaranty bonds which insure deposits in excess of FDIC coverage, KBS also oÅers directors and oÇcers indemnity policies, bank employment practices policies, bank annuity and mutual funds indemnity policies and bank insurance agents professional errors and omissions indemnity policies. A signiÑcant change in KBS's operations occurred in 1998 and consisted of a large reduction in insurance premiums ceded to reinsurers. The increased volume of business retained (95% in 1999 and 94% in 1998 compares with 58% in 1997) accompanied slightly higher underwriting income for 1999 after a reduction in the amount for 1998. KBS's combined ratio remained much better than average for insurers, at 59.4% for 1999 and 62.2% for 1998, versus 37.2% for 1997, and we expect volatile but favorable long-term eÅects from increased insurance retained.

Part of KBS's continuing insurance volume is now ceded through reinsurance to other Berkshire subsidiaries under reinsurance arrangements whereunder such other Berkshire subsidiaries take 50% and unrelated reinsurers take the other 50%. KBS is run by Donald Towle, President, assisted by 15 dedicated oÇcers and employees. CORT Business Services Corporation (""CORT'') In February 2000, Wesco purchased 100% of CORT Business Services Corpora- tion (""CORT'') for $384 million in cash. In addition, CORT retains about $45 million of previously existing debt. CORT is a very long established company that is the country's leader in rentals of furniture that lessees have no intention of buying. In the trade, people call CORT's activity ""rent-to-rent'' to distinguish it from ""lease-to-purchase'' businesses that are, in essence, installment sellers of furniture. However, just as Hertz, as a rent-to-rent auto lessor in short-term arrangements, must be skilled in selling used cars, CORT must be and is skilled in selling used furniture. In 1999, CORT had total revenues of $354 million. Of this, $295 million was furniture rental revenue and $59 million was furniture sales revenue. CORT's pre-tax earnings in 1999 were $46 million.

WESCO FINANCIAL CORPORATION LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS To Our Shareholders: Consolidated ""normal'' net operating income (i.e., before irregularly occurring items shown in the table below) for the calendar year 1998 decreased to $37,622,000 ($5.28 per share) from $38,262,000 ($5.38 per share) in the previous year. Consolidated net income (i.e., after irregularly occurring items shown in the table below) decreased to $71,803,000 ($10.08 per share) from $101,809,000 ($14.30 per share) in the previous year. Wesco has three major subsidiaries: (1) Wesco-Financial Insurance Company (""Wes-FIC''), headquartered in Omaha and engaged principally in the reinsurance business, (2) The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (""KBS''), owned by Wes-FIC and specializing in insurance products tailored to midwestern banks, and (3) Precision Steel, headquartered in Chicago and engaged in the steel warehousing and specialty metal products businesses. Consolidated net income for the two years just ended breaks down as follows (in 000s except for per-share amounts) (1): Year Ended December 31, 1998 December 31, 1997 Per Per Wesco Wesco Amount Share(2) Amount Share(2) ""Normal'' net operating income of: Wes-FIC and KBS insurance businessesÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ $34,654 $ 4.87 $ 33,507 $ 4.71 Precision Steel businesses ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ 3,154 .44 3,622 .51 All other ""normal'' net operating income (loss)(3) ÏÏÏ (186) (.03) 1,133 .16 37,622 5.28 38,262 5.

Wesco-Financial Insurance Company (""Wes-FIC'') Wes-FIC's normal net income for 1998 was $34,654,000, versus $33,507,000 for 1997. The Ñgures include $4,987,000 in 1998 and $6,044,000 in 1997 contributed by The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (""KBS''), owned by Wes-FIC since 1996. KBS is discussed in the section, ""The Kansas Bankers Surety Company,'' below. At the end of 1998 Wes-FIC retained about $24 million in invested assets, oÅset by claims reserves, from its former reinsurance arrangement with Fireman's Fund Group. This arrangement was terminated August 31, 1989. However, it will take a long time before all claims are settled, and, meanwhile, Wes-FIC is being helped over many years by proceeds from investing ""Öoat.'' We previously informed shareholders that Wes-FIC had entered into the busi- ness of super-cat reinsurance through retrocessions from the Insurance Group of Berkshire Hathaway, Wesco's ultimate parent. Wes-FIC's entry into the super-cat reinsurance business early in 1994 followed the large augmentation of its claims- paying capacity caused by its merger with Mutual Savings, the former savings and loan subsidiary of Wesco. In 1994, in recognition of Wes-FIC's sound Ñnancial condition, Standard and Poor's Corporation assigned to Wes-FIC the highest possible claims-paying-ability rating: AAA. The super-cat reinsurance business, in which Wes-FIC is engaged, continues to be a very logical business for Wes-FIC.

Wes-FIC has a large net worth in relation to annual premiums being earned. And this is exactly the condition rationally required for any insurance company planning to be a ""stand alone'' reinsurer covering super- catastrophe risks it can't safely pass on to others sure to remain solvent if a large super-catastrophe comes. Such a ""stand alone'' reinsurer must be a kind of Fort Knox, prepared occasionally, without calling on any other reinsurers for help, to pay out in a single year many times more than premiums coming in, as it covers losses from some super catastrophe worse than Hurricane Andrew. In short, it needs a balance sheet a lot like Wes-FIC's. In connection with the retrocessions of super-cat reinsurance to Wes-FIC from the Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group, the nature of the situation as it has evolved is such that Berkshire Hathaway, owning 100% of its Insurance Group and only 80% of Wesco and Wes-FIC, does not, for some philanthropic reason, ordinarily retrocede to Wes-FIC any reinsurance business that Berkshire Hathaway considers desirable and that is available only in amounts below what Berkshire Hathaway wants for itself on the terms oÅered. Instead, retrocessions occur only occasionally, under limited conditions and with some compensation to Berkshire Hathaway.

Generally, Berkshire Hathaway, in dealing with partly owned subsidiaries, tries to lean over a little backward in an attempt to observe what Justice Cardozo called ""the punctilio of an honor the most sensitive,'' but it cannot be expected to make large and plain giveaways of Berkshire Hathaway assets or business to a partially owned subsidiary like Wes-FIC. Given Berkshire Hathaway's unwillingness to make plain giveaways to Wes-FIC and reductions in opportunities in the super-cat reinsurance market in recent years, prospects are often poor for Wes-FIC's acquisition of retroceded super-cat reinsurance. Moreover, Wesco shareholders should continue to realize that super-cat rein- surance is not for the faint of heart. A huge variation in annual results, with some very unpleasant future years for Wes-FIC, is inevitable. But it is precisely what must, in the nature of things, be associated with these bad possibilities, with their huge and embarrassing adverse consequences in occa- sional years, that makes Wes-FIC like its way of being in the super-cat business. Buyers (particularly wise buyers) of super-cat reinsurance often want to deal with Berkshire Hathaway subsidiaries (possessing as they do the highest possible credit ratings and a reliable corporate personality) instead of other reinsurers less cautious, straightforward and well endowed.

And many competing sellers of super-cat reinsur- ance are looking for a liberal ""intermediary's'' proÑt, hard to get because they must Ñnd a ""layoÅ'' reinsurer both (1) so smart that it is sure to stay strong enough to pay possible losses yet (2) so casual about costs that it is not much bothered by a liberal proÑt earned by some intermediary entity not willing to retain any major risk. Thus the forces in place can rationally be expected to cause acceptable long-term results for well-Ñnanced, disciplined decision makers, despite horrible losses in some years and other years of restricted opportunity to write business. And, again, we wish to repeat that we expect only acceptable long-term results. We see no possibility for bonanza. It should also be noted that Wes-FIC, in the arrangements with the Insurance Group of Berkshire Hathaway, receives a special business-acquisition advantage from using Berkshire Hathaway's general reputation. Under all the circumstances, the 3% ceding commission now being paid seems more than fair to Wes-FIC. Certainly and obviously, Berkshire Hathaway would not oÅer terms so good to any other entity outside the Berkshire Hathaway aÇliated group. Finally, we repeat an important disclosure about Wes-FIC's super-cat-reinsur- ance-acquisition mechanics. It is impractical to have people in California make complex accept-or-reject decisions for Wes-FIC when retrocessions of reinsurance are oÅered by the Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group.

Hathaway subsidiaries. Each retrocession is to be accepted forthwith in writing in Nebraska by agents of Wes-FIC who are at the same time salaried employees of wholly owned subsidiaries of Berkshire Hathaway. Moreover, each retrocession will be made at a 3%-of-premiums ceding commission. Finally, two conditions must be satisÑed: (1) Wes-FIC must get 20% or less of the risk (before taking into account eÅects from the ceding commission) and (2) wholly owned Berkshire Hathaway subsidiaries must retain at least 80% of the identical risk (again, without taking into account eÅects from the ceding commission). We will not ordinarily describe individual super-cat reinsurance contracts in full detail to Wesco shareholders. That would be contrary to our competitive interest. Instead, we will try to summarize reasonably any items of very large importance. Will more reinsurance be later available to Wes-FIC through Berkshire Hathaway subsidiaries on the basis and using the automatic procedure we have above described? Well, we have often proved poor prognosticators. We can only say that we hope so and that more reinsurance should come, albeit irregularly and with long intermissions. No new contracts became available to Wes-FIC in 1998. As of 1998 yearend, the one remaining super-cat contract, plus one other contract, not a super-cat contract, represented Wes-FIC's active reinsurance business.

We continue to examine other possible insurance-writing opportunities, and also insurance company acquisitions, like and unlike the purchase of KBS. Wes-FIC is now a very strong insurance company, with very low costs, and, one way or another, in the future as in the past, we expect to continue to Ñnd and seize at least a few sensible insurance opportunities. On super-cat reinsurance accepted by Wes-FIC to date (March 8, 1999) there has been no loss whatsoever that we know of, but some ""no-claims'' contingent commissions have been paid to original cessors of business (i.e., cessors not including Berkshire Hathaway). Super-cat underwriting proÑt of $1.4 million, before taxes, beneÑted 1998 earnings, versus $2.3 million in 1997. The balance of pre-tax underwriting proÑt amounted to $1.9 million for 1998 and $2.8 million for 1997. These Ñgures came mostly from favorable revision of loss reserves on the old Fireman's Fund contract. The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (""KBS'') KBS, purchased by Wes-FIC in 1996 for approximately $80 million in cash, contributed $4,987,000 to the normal net operating income of the insurance businesses in 1998 and $6,044,000 in 1997, after reductions for goodwill amortiza- tion under consolidated accounting convention of $782,000 each year. The results of KBS have been combined with those of Wes-FIC, and are included in the foregoing table in the category, "" 'normal' net operating income of Wes-FIC and KBS insurance businesses.''

changing needs of the banking industry. Today its customer base, consisting mostly of small and medium-sized community banks, is spread throughout 25 mainly midwestern states. In addition to bank deposit guaranty bonds which insure deposits in excess of FDIC coverage, KBS also oÅers directors and oÇcers indemnity policies, bank employment practices policies, bank annuity and mutual funds indemnity policies and bank insurance agents professional errors and omissions indemnity policies. The principal change in KBS's operations in 1998 was a large reduction in insurance premiums ceded to reinsurers, eÅective January 1, 1998. The increased volume of business retained (94% in 1998 versus 58% in 1997) accompanied reduced underwriting income during 1998. However, KBS's combined ratio re- mained much better than average for insurers, at 62.2% for 1998, versus 37.2% for 1997 and 29.3% for 1996, and we expect volatile but favorable long-term eÅects from increased insurance retained. Part of KBS's continuing insurance volume is now ceded through reinsurance to other Berkshire subsidiaries under reinsurance arrange- ments whereunder such other Berkshire subsidiaries take 50% and unrelated reinsur- ers take the other 50%. KBS is run by Donald Towle, President, assisted by 15 dedicated oÇcers and employees.

WESCO FINANCIAL CORPORATION LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS To Our Shareholders: Consolidated ""normal'' net operating income (i.e., before irregularly occurring items shown in the table below) for the calendar year 1997 increased to $38,262,000 ($5.38 per share) from $30,720,000 ($4.32 per share) in the previous year. Consolidated net income (i.e., after irregularly occurring items shown in the table below) increased to $101,809,000 ($14.30 per share) from $30,619,000 ($4.30 per share) in the previous year. Wesco has three major subsidiaries: (1) Wesco-Financial Insurance Company (""Wes-FIC''), headquartered in Omaha and engaged principally in the reinsurance business, (2) The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (""KBS''), purchased by Wes-FIC in July 1996 and specializing in insurance products tailored to midwestern banks, and (3) Precision Steel, headquartered in Chicago and engaged in the steel warehousing and specialty metal products businesses. Consolidated net income for the two years just ended breaks down as follows (in 000s except for per-share amounts)(1) : Year Ended December 31, 1997 December 31, 1996 Per Per Wesco Wesco Amount Share(2) Amount Share(2) ""Normal'' net operating income of: Wes-FIC and KBS insurance businessesÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ $ 33,507 $ 4.71 $27,249 $3.83 Precision Steel businesses ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ 3,622 .51 3,033 .43 All other ""normal'' net operating income(3) ÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏÏ 1,133 .16 438 .06 38,262 5.38 30,720 4.

The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (""KBS'') following its purchase by Wes-FIC early in the third quarter of 1996. The purchase of KBS is discussed in the section, ""The Kansas Bankers Surety Company,'' below. At the end of 1997 Wes-FIC retained about $27.5 million in invested assets, oÅset by claims reserves, from its former reinsurance arrangement with Fireman's Fund Group. This arrangement was terminated August 31, 1989. However, it will take a long time before all claims are settled, and, meanwhile, Wes-FIC is being helped over many years by proceeds from investing ""Öoat.'' We previously informed shareholders that Wes-FIC had entered into the busi- ness of super-cat reinsurance through retrocessions from the Insurance Group of Berkshire Hathaway, Wesco's ultimate parent. Wes-FIC's entry into the super-cat reinsurance business early in 1994 followed the large augmentation of its claims- paying capacity caused by its merger with Mutual Savings, the former savings and loan subsidiary of Wesco. In 1994, in recognition of Wes-FIC's sound Ñnancial condition, Standard and Poor's Corporation assigned to Wes-FIC the highest possible claims-paying-ability rating: AAA. The super-cat reinsurance business, in which Wes-FIC is engaged, continues to be a very logical business for Wes-FIC. Wes-FIC has a large net worth in relation to annual premiums being earned.

And this is exactly the condition rationally required for any insurance company planning to be a ""stand alone'' reinsurer covering super- catastrophe risks it can't safely pass on to others sure to remain solvent if a large super-catastrophe comes. Such a ""stand alone'' reinsurer must be a kind of Fort Knox, prepared occasionally, without calling on any other reinsurers for help, to pay out in a single year many times more than premiums coming in, as it covers losses from some super catastrophe worse than Hurricane Andrew. In short, it needs a balance sheet a lot like Wes-FIC's. In connection with the retrocessions of super-cat reinsurance to Wes-FIC from the Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group, the nature of the situation as it has evolved is such that Berkshire Hathaway, owning 100% of its Insurance Group and only 80% of Wesco and Wes-FIC, does not, for some philanthropic reason, ordinarily retrocede to Wes-FIC any reinsurance business that Berkshire Hathaway considers desirable and that is available only in amounts below what Berkshire Hathaway wants for itself on the terms oÅered. Instead, retrocessions occur only occasionally, under limited conditions and with some compensation to Berkshire Hathaway.

large and plain giveaways of Berkshire Hathaway assets or business to a partially owned subsidiary like Wes-FIC. Given Berkshire Hathaway's unwillingness to make plain giveaways to Wes-FIC and reductions in opportunities in the super-cat reinsurance market in recent years, prospects are often poor for Wes-FIC's acquisition of retroceded super-cat reinsurance. Moreover, Wesco shareholders should continue to realize that super-cat rein- surance is not for the faint of heart. A huge variation in annual results, with some very unpleasant future years for Wes-FIC, is inevitable. But it is precisely what must, in the nature of things, be associated with these bad possibilities, with their huge and embarrassing adverse consequences in occasional years, that makes Wes-FIC like its way of being in the super-cat business. Buyers (particularly wise buyers) of super-cat reinsurance often want to deal with Berkshire Hathaway subsidiaries (possessing as they do the highest possible credit ratings and a reliable corporate personality) instead of other reinsurers less cautious, straightforward and well endowed.

And many competing sellers of super-cat reinsurance are looking for a liberal ""intermediary's'' proÑt, hard to get because they must Ñnd a ""layoÅ'' reinsurer both (1) so smart that it is sure to stay strong enough to pay possible losses yet (2) so casual about costs that it is not much bothered by a liberal proÑt earned by some intermediary entity not willing to retain any major risk. Thus the forces in place can rationally be expected to cause acceptable long-term results for well-Ñnanced, disciplined decision makers, despite horrible losses in some years and other years of restricted opportunity to write business. And, again, we wish to repeat that we expect only acceptable long-term results. We see no possibility for bonanza. It should also be noted that Wes-FIC, in the arrangements with the Insurance Group of Berkshire Hathaway, receives a special business-acquisition advantage from using Berkshire Hathaway's general reputation. Under all the circumstances, the 3% ceding commission now being paid seems more than fair to Wes-FIC. Certainly and obviously, Berkshire Hathaway would not oÅer terms so good to any other entity outside the Berkshire Hathaway aÇliated group. Finally, we repeat an important disclosure about Wes-FIC's super-cat-reinsur- ance-acquisition mechanics. It is impractical to have people in California make complex accept-or-reject decisions for Wes-FIC when retrocessions of reinsurance are oÅered by the Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group.

But, happily, the Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group executives making original business-acquisition deci- sions are greatly admired and trusted by the writer and will be ""eating their own cooking.'' Under such circumstances, Wesco's and Wes-FIC's boards of directors, on the writer's recommendation, have simply approved automatic retrocessions of reinsurance to Wes-FIC as oÅered by one or more wholly owned Berkshire Hathaway subsidiaries. Each retrocession is to be accepted forthwith in writing in Nebraska by agents of Wes-FIC who are at the same time salaried employees of wholly owned subsidiaries of Berkshire Hathaway. Moreover, each retrocession will be made at a 3%-of-premiums ceding commission.be

satisÑed: (1) Wes-FIC must get 20% or less of the risk (before taking into account eÅects from the ceding commission) and (2) wholly owned Berkshire Hathaway subsidiaries must retain at least 80% of the identical risk (again, without taking into account eÅects from the ceding commission). We will not ordinarily describe individual super-cat reinsurance contracts in full detail to Wesco shareholders. That would be contrary to our competitive interest. Instead, we will try to summarize reasonably any items of very large importance. Will more reinsurance be later available to Wes-FIC through Berkshire Hathaway subsidiaries on the basis and using the automatic procedure we have above described? Well, we have often proved poor prognosticators. We can only say that we hope so and that more reinsurance should come, albeit irregularly and with long intermissions. No new contracts became available to Wes-FIC in 1997, although one super-cat contract of three-years' duration, written in 1996, became eÅective in January 1997, and another expired during the year. As of 1997 yearend, the one remaining super-cat contract, plus one other contract, not a super-cat contract, and renewed during the year, represented Wes-FIC's active reinsurance business. We continue to examine other possible insurance-writing opportunities, and also insurance company acquisitions, like and unlike the purchase of KBS.

Wes-FIC is now a very strong insurance company, with very low costs, and, one way or another, in the future as in the past, we expect to continue to Ñnd and seize at least a few sensible insurance opportunities. On super-cat reinsurance accepted by Wes-FIC to date (March 9, 1998) there has been no loss whatsoever that we know of, but some ""no-claims'' contingent commissions have been paid to original cessors of business (i.e., cessors not including Berkshire Hathaway). Super-cat underwriting proÑt of $2.3 million, before taxes, beneÑted 1997 earnings, versus $3.9 million in 1996. The balance of pre-tax underwriting proÑt, amounting to $2.8 million for 1997, came mostly from favorable revision of loss reserves on the old Fireman's Fund contract. Our accounting policy requires contract expiration before super-cat underwriting proÑt is recognized. Needless to say, we would not have similar reluctance to report losses before contract expirations. The Kansas Bankers Surety Company (""KBS'') KBS, purchased by Wes-FIC early in the third quarter of 1996 for approximately $80 million in cash, contributed $6,044,000 to the normal net operating income of the insurance businesses in 1997 and $2,288,000 in 1996, after reductions for goodwill amortization under consolidated accounting convention of $508,000, after taxes, in 1997 and $275,000 in 1996.