Latest AM Best Headlines

All the headlines from our AM Best Topic Page, ordered by recency.

A.M. Best Downgrades Rating for Medical Assurance of W. Va.

Dec 29 2003 // A.M. Best Co. has downgraded the financial strength rating to B (Fair) from A- (Excellent) of Medical Assurance of West Virginia, Inc., (Charleston, WV) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Medical Assurance Company Inc. (MAI),...

Best Downgrades Employers Reassurance

Dec 29 2003 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has downgraded the financial strength rating to “A-” (Excellent) from “A” (Excellent) of Employers Reassurance Corp. (ERAC) and assigned a stable outlook. “The...

Best Assigns New Technology Insurance ‘A-‘ Rating

Dec 24 2003 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has assigned a financial strength rating of “A-” (Excellent) to Dublin-based New Technology Insurance (NTI), with a stable outlook. “The rating reflects NTI’s...

A.M. Best Affirms Sovereign Assurance ‘A’ Rating

Dec 16 2003 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A’ (Excellent) of New Zealand’s Sovereign Assurance Company Limited, with a positive outlook. “The rating reflects...

A.M. Best: P/C Industry Notes Strong Q3 Results, But Reserve Development, Rate Deceleration Emerge

Dec 15 2003 // The property/casualty industry reported strong premium growth and vastly improved underwriting results during the first nine months of 2003, compared with the same period of 2002, according to A.M. Best Co. Driving these...

A.M. Best Assigns Debt Rating to RLI Corp.’s Senior Notes

Dec 10 2003 // A.M. Best Co. has assigned a senior debt rating of “bbb+” to RLI Corp.’s proposed issuance of $100 million of 5.95% 10 year senior unsecured notes due 2014. The outlook for the rating is positive. RLI is...

A.M. Best Affirms Chubb’s Financial Strength and Debt Ratings

Dec 9 2003 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength ratings of A++ (Superior) of the property/casualty subsidiaries of The Chubb Corporation (Chubb). Concurrently, A.M. Best has affirmed the existing senior debt ratings of...

A.M. Best Reacts to OneBeacon’s Purchase of Atlantic Mutual’s Commercial Lines Renewals

Dec 8 2003 // A.M. Best Co. has commented that the financial strength and debt ratings of the subsidiaries of White Mountains Insurance Group(Hamilton, Bermuda) and Atlantic Mutual Companies (New York, N.Y.), remain unaffected following...

A.M. Best Comments on FSR Sierra Health Services’ Health Care Entities

Dec 2 2003 // A.M. Best Co. has commented on the financial strength rating of B+ (Very Good) of Sierra Health Services Inc.’s HMO and health insurance entities. A.M. Best’s comments follow Sierra’s announcement of the...

A.M. Best Affirms Rating of QBE Re Group – U.S.

Nov 28 2003 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of A (Excellent) of QBE Re Group – U.S. (QBE) (New York, N.Y.). This rating applies to QBE Reinsurance Corporation (Philadelphia) and its subsidiaries, QBE...

A.M. Best Downgrades Rating of Royal SunAlliance USA

Nov 26 2003 // A.M. Best Co. has downgraded the financial strength ratings of the Royal & SunAlliance USA Insurance Pool (Royal USA) (Charlotte, N.C.) and the Royal Surplus Lines Insurance Company (Charlotte) to B (Fair) from B+...

A.M. Best Affirms National Indemnity Group

Nov 25 2003 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of “A++” (superior) of National Indemnity Group, a subsidiary of Omaha, Neb.-based Berkshire Hathaway Inc. The rating applies to National Indemnity...

A.M. Best Affirms Rating for Energy Insurance Mutual Ltd.

Nov 17 2003 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of A (Excellent) of Energy Insurance Mutual Limited (EIM) (Bridgetown, Barbados). The rating outlook is stable. The rating reflects EIM’s excellent...

A.M. Best Affirms Financial Strength and Debt Ratings of Odyssey Re

Nov 10 2003 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength ratings of A (Excellent) of Odyssey Reinsurance Group (Wilmington, Del.). In addition, A.M. Best has assigned the financial strength rating of A (Excellent) to Hudson...

A.M. Best Downgrades Rtgs. of PMA Group, PMA Capital Co; Downgrades Debt Rating of PMA Capital Corp.

Nov 5 2003 // A.M. Best Co. has downgraded the financial strength ratings of PMA Insurance Group (Blue Bell, Pa.) and PMA Capital Insurance Company (Philadelphia) to B++ (Very Good) from A- (Excellent). Concurrently, A.M. Best has...

Best Downgrades Hannover Re, HDI

Oct 31 2003 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has downgraded the financial strength rating of Hannover Rueckversicherung AG (Hannover Re) and its core subsidiaries to A (excellent) from A+ (superior). It also downgraded the financial...

A.M. Best Assigns ‘A-‘ FSR to Aspen Specialty Co.

Oct 29 2003 // A.M. Best Co. has assigned an initial financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) to Aspen Specialty Insurance Company, the recently formed U.S. insurer that is part of the Aspen Group, which includes the ultimate parent...

A.M. Best Affirms Rating of Goshawk Reinsurance Ltd.; Assigns Negative Outlook

Oct 22 2003 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) of Goshawk Reinsurance Limited (Goshawk Re), Bermuda, and removed the rating from under review. This follows detailed discussions with the Goshawk...

A.M. Best Affirms American Re-Insurance Co.’s FSR of ‘A+’ with a Stable Outlook

Oct 21 2003 // A.M. Best Company has affirmed the A+ (Superior) rating of American Re-Insurance Company and its affiliates, American Alternative Insurance Corporation (AAIC) and Princeton Excess & Surplus Lines Insurance Company....

A.M. Best Affirms Mutuelle Centrale de Reassurance ‘A-‘ Rating

Oct 14 2003 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed the financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) of France’s Mutuelle Centrale de Reassurance (MCR), but has maintained its “negative” outlook. “The...