EMC Insurance Group Inc. on Tuesday reported its best third-quarter results in six years, driven by “improved pricing and more normal catastrophe losses,” EMC President and CEO Bruce Kelley said in a release.

The company reported operating income of 65 cents per share for the third quarter, compared to an operating loss of 25 cents per share for the third quarter of 2011.

Net income, including realized investment gains and losses, totaled $8.3 million for the third quarter, compared to a net loss of $5.6 million for the third quarter of 2011.

“Rate level increases continue to accelerate in the commercial lines of business, and we continue to implement moderate rate increases in the personal lines of business,” Kelley said. “The rate level increases we are implementing now are long-overdue, and are becoming increasingly necessary in this low interest rate environment.”

EMC’s premium income increased 10.6 percent in its property/casualty business and 21.4 percent in its reinsurance business, with the majority of the increases attributable to higher rates.  Catastrophe losses totaled $10.8 million in the third quarter, compared to a record $26.4 million in the year-ago quarter.