20th Century’s Profit Up 19% in 4th Quarter

20th Century Industries, the parent of 20th Century Insurance, said its fourth-quarter profit rose 19% from a year earlier, to $23.4 million from $19.7 million.

The earnings gain in the quarter that ended Dec. 31 came on an 11% increase in 20th Century’s net premiums written--an industry gauge of operating revenue--to $240.9 million from $217.8 million.

The Woodland Hills-based company indicated that its results might have been better except for “heavy rains that caused a large volume of claims reports” in the period.

For all of 1992, 20th Century’s profit rose 14%, to $117.5 million from $103.5 million in 1991, and its annual net premiums written climbed 10%, to $918.4 million from $833.2 million.