Our periodic underwriting results may also include significant foreign currency transaction gains and losses arising from the changes in the valuation of certain non-U.S. Dollar denominated reinsurance liabilities into U.S. Dollars as a result of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations. In recent years, currency exchange rates have been volatile and the resulting impact on our underwriting earnings has been significant.
Premiums written in 2011 were relatively unchanged from 2010, while premiums earned in 2011 declined $38 million (1.3%) from 2010. Excluding the effects of foreign currency exchange rate changes, premiums written and earned in 2011 declined $94 million (3.2%) and $132 million (4.4%), respectively, compared with 2010. The declines in premiums written and earned reflected lower premium volume in North American property treaty business, substantially offset by higher premiums in European property lines and broker market motor liability. Price competition in most property and casualty lines persists. Our underwriters continue to exercise discipline by not accepting offers to write business where prices are deemed inadequate. We remain prepared to increase premium volumes should market conditions improve.
* Net of noncontrolling interests and includes interest earned by Berkshire (net of related income taxes).
Pre-tax earnings in 2011 were $992 million, an increase of approximately 22% over 2010. Pre-tax earnings as a percent of revenues was 14.3% in 2011 as compared to 13.6% in 2010. Pre-tax earnings to revenues percentages were negatively impacted by the increases in copper prices in both 2011 and 2010. Ten of the eleven sectors produced increased pre-tax earnings in 2011 compared to 2010. The Retail Store Fixtures sector reported lower pre-tax earnings consistent with the revenue decline. The improvements in revenues and pre-tax earnings generally reflected continued recoveries in many of Marmon’s end markets, increased product innovation and Marmon’s ongoing effort to control overhead costs.
Our finance and financial products businesses include manufactured housing and finance (“Clayton Homes”), transportation equipment leasing (“XTRA”), furniture leasing (“CORT”) as well as various miscellaneous financing activities. A summary of revenues and earnings from our finance and financial products businesses follows. Amounts are in millions.
The timing and/or amount of the payments of other obligations are contingent upon the outcome of future events. Actual payments will likely vary, perhaps significantly, from estimates reflected in our Consolidated Balance Sheet. The timing and amount of payments arising under property and casualty insurance and derivative contract obligations which are reported in other in the table below are contingent upon the outcome of claim settlement activities or events that may occur over many years. Obligations arising under life, annuity and health insurance benefits are estimated based on assumptions as to future premium payments, allowances, mortality, morbidity, expenses and policy lapse rates. The amounts presented in the following table are based on the liability estimates reflected in our Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2011. Although certain insurance losses and loss adjustment expenses and life, annuity and health benefits are ceded to and receivable from others under reinsurance contracts, such receivables are not reflected in the table below. A summary of contractual obligations as of December 31, 2011 follows. Amounts are in millions.
Pursuant to FASB Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2010-06, in 2011 we began disclosing the gross activity in assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis using significant Level 3 inputs. Also beginning in 2011, we adopted ASU 2010-28 which modified Step 1 of the goodwill impairment test for reporting units with zero or negative carrying amounts. For those reporting units, Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test is required if it is more likely than not that a goodwill impairment exists, after considering whether there are any adverse qualitative factors indicating that an impairment may exist. The adoption of these standards did not have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.
In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05, “Presentation of Comprehensive Income.” ASU 2011-05 changes the way other comprehensive income (“OCI”) is presented within the financial statements. Financial statements will be required to reflect net income, OCI and total comprehensive income in one continuous statement or in two separate but consecutive statements. The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements show net earnings, OCI and total comprehensive income in two separate, but consecutive statements. In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-12 that deferred the provisions of ASU 2011-05 relating to the requirement to report reclassification adjustments between OCI and net earnings in the statements of earnings.
Prior to February 12, 2010, we owned 76.8 million shares of BNSF (22.5% of the outstanding shares), which were acquired between August 2006 and January 2009. We accounted for those shares pursuant to the equity method and as of February 12, 2010, our investment had a carrying value of approximately $6.6 billion. Upon completion of the acquisition of the remaining BNSF shares, we re-measured our previously owned investment in BNSF at fair value as of the acquisition date. Accordingly, in 2010, we recognized a one-time holding gain of $979 million representing the difference between the fair value of the BNSF shares that we acquired prior to February 12, 2010 and our carrying value under the equity method.
Fixed maturity investments that were in a continuous unrealized loss position for more than 12 months had unrealized losses of $20 million as of December 31, 2011 and $24 million as of December 31, 2010.
In 2008, we acquired $4.4 billion par amount of 11.45% Wrigley subordinated notes due in 2018 and $2.1 billion of 5% Wrigley preferred stock. In 2009, we also acquired $1.0 billion par amount of Wrigley senior notes due in 2013 and 2014. We currently own $800 million of the Wrigley senior notes and an unconsolidated joint venture in which we have a 50% economic interest owns $200 million of the Wrigley senior notes. The Wrigley subordinated and senior notes are classified as held-to-maturity and we carry these investments at cost, adjusted for foreign currency exchange rate changes that apply to certain of the senior notes. We carry the Wrigley preferred stock at fair value classified as available-for-sale.
A reconciliation of the changes in liabilities for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses of our property/casualty insurance subsidiaries for each of the three years ending December 31, 2011 is as follows (in millions).
BHFC is a 100% owned finance subsidiary of Berkshire, which has fully and unconditionally guaranteed its securities. In January 2011, BHFC issued $1.5 billion of notes and repaid $1.5 billion of maturing notes. The new notes are unsecured and are comprised of $750 million of 4.25% senior notes due in 2021, $375 million of 1.5% senior notes due in 2014 and $375 million of floating rate senior notes due in 2014.
We have not established deferred income taxes with respect to undistributed earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries. Earnings expected to remain reinvested indefinitely were approximately $6.6 billion as of December 31, 2011. Upon distribution as dividends or otherwise, such amounts would be subject to taxation in the U.S. as well as foreign countries. However, U.S. income tax liabilities would be offset, in whole or in part, by allowable tax credits with respect to income taxes previously paid to foreign jurisdictions. Further, repatriation of all earnings of foreign subsidiaries would be impracticable to the extent that such earnings represent capital needed to support normal business operations in those jurisdictions. As a result, we currently believe that any incremental U.S. income tax liabilities arising from the repatriation of distributable earnings of foreign subsidiaries would not be material.
In 2011, 2010 and 2009, premiums written and earned attributable to Western Europe were primarily in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg. In 2011, 2010 and 2009, property/casualty insurance premiums earned included approximately $2.9 billion, $2.4 billion and $4.6 billion, respectively, from Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd. and its affiliates. Life/health insurance premiums written and earned in the United States in 2011 and 2010 included approximately $1.5 billion and $2.1 billion, respectively, from a single contract with Swiss Re Life & Health America Inc., an affiliate of Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd.