Latest AM Best Headlines
All the headlines from our AM Best Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Ups Beat Downs in P/C Insurer Credit Ratings in 2016: A.M. Best
Feb 7 2017 // Credit rating activity in 2016 turned positive as upgrades outpaced downgrades for the U.S. property/casualty industry, despite insurers having to face pressure on underwriting results and a low investment yield...
Amica Mutual Downgraded by A.M. Best Citing Increasing Catastrophe Losses, Auto Claims
Feb 6 2017 // Amica Mutual Insurance Co. no longer has a perfect financial strength rating from A.M. Best. More catastrophe losses and worsening automobile insurance claims severity are both to blame. Specifically, an A+ (Superior)...
A.M. Best Upwardly Revises Outlooks for Employers and Subsidiaries in Nevada
Jan 31 2017 // A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to stable from negative and affirmed, the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings of “a-” of Employers Insurance Group Employers...
P/C Insurers Enroute to Posting Underwriting Loss for 2016: A.M. Best
Jan 30 2017 // The U.S. property/casualty industry will likely post a small underwriting loss for 2016 after three previous years of underwriting profits, A.M. Best said in a new report. A.M. Best’s report appears in line with a...
Encore Special Risks Launches Texas Preferred Homeowners Program on Spinnaker Paper
Jan 30 2017 // Richardson, TX, January 30, 2017- Encore Special Risks, LLC and Spinnaker Insurance Company have launched a new Texas Preferred Homeowners HO-B program, making superior quality coverage available to homeowners in...
AIG, Fitch Put AIG Under Review Citing Reinsurance Deal, Reserve Adjustment
Jan 27 2017 // American International Group won’t be reporting its Q4 2016 financials until Feb. 14, but a disclosure about a “material adverse reserve adjustment” from the insurer for its U.S. commercial business drew...
A.M. Best: Outlook Positive for Wolverine Mutual Insurance
Jan 26 2017 // A.M. Best has revised the outlook to positive from stable for the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term ICR of “bbb” of...
Reinsurance Market Stabilizing But Competition Still Intense
Jan 23 2017 // 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, says a report by A.M....
Brexit Cost Implications to Weigh on UK Re/Insurers: A.M. Best Report
Jan 20 2017 // The cost implications of the loss of passporting rights after the UK exits the European Union will weigh on re/insurers, as will any resultant economic downturn. However, A.M. Best does not anticipate taking any rating...
Ratings Outlook for GuideOne Insurance Revised to Negative: A.M. Best
Jan 19 2017 // A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to negative from stable and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of “a” of the members of the...
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...
