Latest AM Best Headlines
All the headlines from our AM Best Topic Page, ordered by recency.
A.M. Best Report: Last Resort Insurers Welcome Catastrophe Bond Market
Dec 3 2014 // The convergence market has provided an opportunity for entities that act as insurers of last resort to transfer some of their peak exposures to the capital markets, according to a Best’s Special Report titled,...
A.M. Best: Asia-Pacific M&As Driven by Top-Line Growth Prospects
Dec 3 2014 // The Asia-Pacific region has been a popular destination for mergers and acquisitions, driven by top-line growth prospects for many still-developing markets with low insurance penetration, according to a Best’s Special...
A.M. Best: Buffalo Snowstorm Impacts Regional Property Writers
Dec 1 2014 // Ratings agency A.M. Best said there is potential for some insurers — particularly the small, geographically concentrated writers — that were impacted by the recent snowstorm in and around Buffalo, New York, to...
No Ratings Impact from UK’s Counter-Terrorism/Security Bill: A.M. Best
Dec 1 2014 // A bulletin from A.M. Best indicates that it “does not expect rated insurers to be impacted by the amendments to the UK’s Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill, making it illegal for insurers to reimburse ransom...
A.M. Best Affirms Ratings of Munich Re and Subsidiaries
Nov 14 2014 // A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of A+ (Superior) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aa-” of Munich Reinsurance Company (Munich Re) (Germany) and its subsidiaries. Concurrently,...
A.M. Best Assigns A- (Excellent) Rating to Kelvin Re in Guernsey
Nov 12 2014 // A.M. Best has assigned a financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) and an issuer credit rating of “a-” to Kelvin Re Limited (Guernsey). The outlook assigned to both ratings is stable. The ratings reflect...
A.M. Best Upgrades Ratings of Mapfre Panamá
Nov 3 2014 // A.M. Best upgraded the financial strength rating to A (Excellent) from A- (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating to “a” from “a-” of Mapfre Panamá S.A., Panama City, Panama. The outlook for both...
A.M. Best Upgrades Rating of Greenlight Reinsurance Ireland
Oct 31 2014 // A.M. Besthas upgraded the financial strength rating (FSR) to A (Excellent) from A- (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) to “a” from “a-” of Greenlight Reinsurance Ireland...
A.M. Best Assigns ‘A’ Rating to Missouri’s American Shield Insurance
Oct 30 2014 // A.M. Best announced it assigned a financial strength rating of A (Excellent) and an issuer credit rating of “a+” to American Shield Insurance Co. (American Shield) in Columbia, Mo. The outlook assigned to both...
A.M. Best Upgrades Ratings for Reaseguradora Patria
Oct 27 2014 // A.M. Best has upgraded the financial strength rating to A from A- (Excellent) and issuer credit rating (ICR) to “a” from “a-” of Reaseguradora Patria, S.A. (Patria Re) (Mexico). The outlook for...
A.M. Best Revises Outlook to Negative for Frederick Mutual in Maryland
Oct 17 2014 // Ratings agency A.M. Best said it has revised the outlook to “negative” from “stable” and affirmed the financial strength rating of “A- (Excellent)” and the issuer credit rating of...
German and French Insurance Markets Show Resilience
Oct 16 2014 // Despite varying internal pressures, the German and French insurance markets have shown resilience in their respective ways, according to two separate reports issued by A.M. Best. While Germany’s economy is among the...
A.M. Best: Prospects Improve for Insurers in ASEAN Market
Oct 15 2014 // While integration of insurance markets among the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has a long way to go, the prospects for closer connectivity in a region with vibrant growth give...
A.M. Best: UK Non-Life Insurers’ Profits Under Pressure
Oct 14 2014 // Profit margins in the U.K. non-life insurance sector are under pressure this year as companies fight to maintain pricing discipline in an extremely competitive market, according to a new A.M. Best special report. Premium...
A.M. Best Affirms Rating of Kiln Syndicate 510
Sep 26 2014 // A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of A (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating of “a+” of Lloyd’s Syndicate 510 (United Kingdom), which is managed by RJ Kiln & Co. Limited (RJ...
A.M. Best: Saudi Market Returning to Profitability
Sep 24 2014 // The Saudi insurance market continued its strong growth over the first half of 2014 with gross written premium expanding 24 percent compared with the first half of 2013, according to a new Best’s briefing. The...
Surplus Lines Rate Hikes to Slow As Competition Grows
Sep 23 2014 // Two insurance rating entities see slowing rate increases for the surplus lines segment in the coming months as competition grows. Moody’s Investors Service said that the U.S. excess and surplus lines sector is...
How Strong Is Florida’s ‘Revived’ Homeowners Market?
Sep 11 2014 // As Florida seeks to revive its private home insurance market after almost a decade without a hurricane, homeowners are pouring $6 billion a year in premiums into a new generation of small, in-state insurance companies with...
State of the Market: Surplus Lines Bounces Back
Sep 8 2014 // The surplus lines industry showed its subpar showing in 2012 was uncharacteristic as it outperformed the overall property/casualty industry once again in 2013. While 2013 was a good year all-round for the P/C industry, it...
A.M. Best Downgrades Tower Group Again
Sep 8 2014 // Tower Group International must deal with more ratings downgrades from A.M. Best, spurred by its soaring net losses and uncertainty over whether it can carry its debts through an intended merger with ACP Re. A.M. Best said...
