Latest AM Best Headlines
All the headlines from our AM Best Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Is Soft Market Bottoming? A.M. Best Points to Some Promising Signs
Jan 10 2017 // Some observers believe the bottom of the reinsurance market may be in sight because brokers are having greater difficulty filling out underpriced programs and further concessions in terms are difficult to obtain, according...
Top 10 Personal Auto Insurers and Today’s Market: A.M. Best
Jan 9 2017 // The U.S. personal auto insurance industry saw net premiums written grow 5.1 percent in 2015 — a rate of growth that may not be repeated as rising loss ratios weaken both underwriting and operating results, according...
Chinese M&A to Continue Despite Regulatory, Policy Hurdles: A.M. Best
Dec 30 2016 // While Chinese companies have been increasing their overseas merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in recent years, there are signs that growth could slow in the coming year, as a result of uncertain economic outlook...
A.M. Best Downgrades Golden Insurance, RPG in Nevada
Dec 28 2016 // A.M. Best has downgraded the Financial Strength Rating to B- (Fair) from B (Fair) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating to “bb-” from “bb” of Nevada-domiciled Golden Insurance Company, A Risk...
Top 10 Personal Auto Insurers and Today’s Market: A.M. Best
Dec 27 2016 // The U.S. personal auto insurance industry saw net premiums written grow 5.1 percent in 2015 — a rate of growth that may not be repeated as rising loss ratios weaken both underwriting and operating results, according to...
New Mexico’s Mountain States Mutual to Merge with Donegal Mutual
Dec 21 2016 // New Mexico’s Mountain States Mutual Casualty Co. is merging into Pennsylvania-based Donegal Mutual Insurance Co., the insurers announced. Donegal Mutual will be the surviving company in the merger, and Mountain...
Re/Insurers’ Fundamentals Begin to Erode in Challenge-Filled Market: A.M. Best
Dec 16 2016 // The ongoing pressures of diminishing investment returns, dwindling loss reserves and intense competition are beginning to erode industry fundamentals, cautioned A.M. Best in a special report titled “Insurers Hunt for...
Reinsurance Prices May Be Bottoming but Outlook Remains Negative: A.M. Best
Dec 14 2016 // The outlook for the reinsurance sector is being held at negative by A.M. Best, which cited continuing market challenges that will hinder the potential for positive rating actions and may eventually bring negative rating...
Liberty Mutual to Acquire Ironshore from China’s Fosun for $3 Billion
Dec 5 2016 // Liberty Mutual Insurance has agreed to acquire specialty lines insurer Ironshore Inc. from China’s Fosun International Limited. Liberty Mutual will acquire a 100 percent ownership interest in Ironshore. According to...
Asbestos Losses Continue to Haunt P/C Insurers: A.M. Best
Nov 29 2016 // Net ultimate asbestos losses for the U.S. property/casualty industry have risen once again. They’re now at $100 billion, and that’s $15 billion higher than the previous estimate, according to a new A.M. Best...
New Zealand EQ Insured Losses Could Top $3B: AIR Worldwide
Nov 18 2016 // Catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide released its initial estimates of industry insured losses from the earthquake that struck New Zealand’s South Island early this week, putting a range of $762 million to $3.5...
Greenlight Capital Re Hit With A.M. Best Ratings Downgrade
Nov 4 2016 // Greenlight Reinsurance Ltd. has been seeking to improve underwriting results after months of losses. But it apparently hasn’t moved fast enough for A.M. Best, which slapped it with credit ratings downgrades. A.M....
Golden Bear in California Upgraded to A.M. Best A- VII Rating
Oct 25 2016 // Stockton, Calif.-based Golden Bear Insurance Co. announced that its A.M. Best issuer credit rating has been upgraded from “A- VI” to “A- VII” (Excellent). “Our rating reaffirms the deep level...
LUBA Indemnity Insurance Assigned A- Financial Strength Rating by A.M. Best
Oct 21 2016 // A.M. Best has assigned a financial strength rating (FSR) of A- (Excellent) and a long-term issuer credit rating (Long-Term ICR) of “a-” to LUBA Indemnity Insurance Co. LUBA Indemnity a wholly owned subsidiary...
A.M. Best: Damage From Hurricane Matthew Won’t Affect Most Insurer Ratings
Oct 18 2016 // A.M. Best does not anticipate a significant number of rating actions related to Hurricane Matthew, as most rated insurance carriers have sufficient capital and appropriate reinsurance programs in place to effectively...
Starr Buys Wright USA from Ironshore, Subsidiary of China’s Fosun
Sep 26 2016 // Starr Companies has acquired Wright USA from Ironshore Insurance Services, a subsidiary of China’s Fosun Group. Wright USA is an insurance agency and third-party administrator principally providing Federal Employee...
Low Prices Ultimately Could Bite London Market Insurers: A.M. Best, PwC Reports
Sep 19 2016 // The business outlook for the London insurance market is a familiar one across other global markets: underwriting profits are under pressure as ongoing soft market prices begin to take a toll. In separate reports on the...
Workers’ Compensation Market Enters Soft Market: A.M. Best
Sep 14 2016 // The workers’ compensation market has likely entered a soft market phase based on a declining trend in price increases that began in 2013, according to a new report from A.M. Best. The report titled, “State...
A.M. Best Withdraws Credit Ratings of Oklahoma’s Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance
Sep 12 2016 // A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of B (Fair) and the long-term issuer credit rating (ICR) of “bb+” of Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Co. (Farmers) in Okarche, Okla. The outlook for the...
Top 25 Non-Life Reinsurers: Swiss Re Leads, Berkshire Drops in A.M. Best’s 2016 Ranking
Sep 12 2016 // Swiss Re landed on top of a ranking of global non-life reinsurers, just edging out Munich Re by a few hundred million dollars in premium on a list extracted from an A.M. Best analysis. The rating agency’s special...
