Xerox|NNP Corp|NNP .|. has|VBZ told|VBN employees|NNS in|IN its|PRP$ Crum|NNP &|CC Forster|NNP personal|JJ insurance|NN operations|NNS that|IN it|PRP is|VBZ laying|VBG off|RP about|IN 300|CD people|NNS ,|, or|CC 25|CD %|NN of|IN the|DT staff|NN .|. 

A|DT spokeswoman|NN for|IN Crum|NNP &|CC Forster|NNP said|VBD employees|NNS were|VBD told|VBN early|RB this|DT week|NN that|IN numerous|JJ staff|NN functions|NNS for|IN the|DT personal|JJ insurance|NN lines|NNS were|VBD going|VBG to|TO be|VB centralized|VBN as|IN a|DT cost|NN -|- cutting|VBG move|NN .|. 

She|PRP said|VBD the|DT move|NN would|MD result|VB in|IN a|DT after|JJ -|- tax|NN charge|NN of|IN less|JJR than|IN $4|NN million|CD to|TO be|VB spread|VBN over|IN the|DT next|JJ three|CD quarters|NNS .|. 
By|IN comparison|NN ,|, for|IN the|DT first|JJ nine|CD months|NNS ,|, Xerox|NNP earned|VBD $492|NN million|CD ,|, or|CC $4.55|NN a|DT share|NN ,|, on|IN revenue|NN of|IN $12.97|NN billion|CD .|. 

Earnings|NNS at|IN Xerox|NNP 's|POS financial|JJ -|- services|NNS operations|NNS actually|RB rose|VBD slightly|RB ,|, but|CC that|DT was|VBD largely|RB because|IN capital|NN gains|NNS at|IN Crum|NNP &|CC Forster|NNP offset|VBD Hurricane|NNP Hugo|NNP payments|NNS and|CC the|DT reserves|NNS set|VBN up|RP to|TO cover|VB future|JJ payments|NNS .|. 

Property|NN /|NN casualty|NN insurance|NN has|VBZ been|VBN a|DT tough|JJ business|NN in|IN recent|JJ quarters|NNS ,|, as|IN pricing|NN has|VBZ been|VBN cutthroat|JJ and|CC natural|JJ disasters|NNS such|JJ as|IN Hurricane|NNP Hugo|NNP and|CC the|DT California|NNP earthquake|NN have|VBP resulted|VBN in|IN huge|JJ payments|NNS .|. 

