THE ST. PAUL COMPANIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES Exhibit 12 Computation of Ratios (In thousands, except ratios) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30 September 30 --------------------------- -------------------------- 1998 1997 1998 1997 ------ ------ ------ ------ EARNINGS: Income (loss) before income taxes $37,998 274,551 (122,202) 974,714 Add: fixed charges 25,061 29,743 92,028 88,783 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- Income (loss), as adjusted $63,059 304,294 (30,174) 1,063,497 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- FIXED CHARGES: Interest costs $18,994 22,228 58,627 65,697 Rental expense (1) 6,067 7,515 33,401 23,086 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- Total fixed charges $25,061 29,743 92,028 88,783 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS: Fixed charges $25,061 29,743 92,028 88,783 PSOP preferred stock dividends 4,225 4,352 12,771 13,168 Dividends on redeemable preferred securities 9,356 9,332 28,207 23,818 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- Total fixed charges and preferred stock dividends $38,642 43,427 133,006 125,769 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (2) 2.52 10.23 - 11.98 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends (2) 1.63 7.01 - 8.46 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- (1) Interest portion deemed implicit in total rent expense. Total for nine months ended Sept. 30, 1998 includes an $11.4 million provision representative of interest included in charge for future lease buy-outs recorded in the second quarter of 1998 as a result of The St. Paul's merger with USS&G Corporation. (2) The year-to-date 1998 loss is inadequate to cover "fixed charges" by $122.2 million and "combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends" by $163.2 million.