Allstate says catastrophes cost insurer $735 million

Allstate Corp., the largest publicly traded U.S. home and auto insurer, had pretax losses of $735 million last month from natural disasters, including Hurricane Irene.

Irene, the first hurricane to strike the U.S. since 2008, cost the insurer about $500 million pretax, Northbrook-based Allstate said today in a statement.

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