UnitedHealth Group Inc. will give investors their first sense for whether major health insurers have been bitten by an intense flu season when it reports fourth-quarter results Thursday.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The current flu season started developing earlier than normal, and experts have warned that a tough season is shaping up, after the previous one was particularly mild.

Investors worry that a spike in flu claims can hurt insurer profitability, especially if the number of claims is more than companies had budgeted for. Mark Bertolini, the CEO of UnitedHealth competitor Aetna Inc., said last week that while they have seen a spike in flu intensity, they don't expect expenses to exceed the normal range of $40 million to $50 million for a season.

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