Insurance group United Fire & Casualty has reported a net loss of $17.91m or $0.69 per share for the second quarter of 2011, compared to net income of 13.93m or $0.53 per share in the same quarter last year.

Total revenues were $181.8m for the second quarter of 2011, compared to $148.0m for the same period last year.

United Fire & Casualty president and CEO Randy Ramlo said the firm continued to be adversely affected by natural catastrophe losses again this quarter.

"While the company typically experiences the highest level of weather-related loss activity in the second quarter, the devastating string of tornadoes that tore through southern states in April, followed by May storms that included a multiple-vortex tornado that destroyed Joplin, Missouri, have resulted in second-quarter catastrophe losses of $34.9m, net of reinsurance, on 1,455 direct claims, compared to losses of $7.6m on 647 direct claims in the same period last year," Ramlo said.