Latest S&P Headlines
All the headlines from our S&P Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Ratings: CUNA/CUMIS, Fremont, National Interstate, Patrons et.al., FGIC, Munich Re (US)
Feb 4 2008 // A.M. Best Co. has assigned an issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a+” and affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) of Madison Wis.-based CUNA Mutual Insurance Society, the lead...
Ratings Roundup: South China Insurance, Transmonde, Bluewater
Feb 4 2008 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating of “a-” of Taiwan’s South China Insurance Co., Ltd. with a stable outlook. “The...
S&P: P/C ‘Reserve Adequacy’ Criteria
Jan 31 2008 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has published an article titled, “Property/Casualty Insurance Criteria For Assessing Loss Reserve Adequacy For U.S.-Based Insurers/Reinsurers” on RatingsDirect, its...
Ratings Roundup: Allianz, AXIS
Jan 31 2008 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said that its ratings and outlook on Allianz SE (AA/Stable/A-1+) and related entities were not immediately affected by the revision of the outlook to negative from stable on...
Best Lowers XL’s Ratings; S&P Sees No Change
Jan 28 2008 // A.M. Best Co. and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services have been reexamining their ratings on the Bermuda-based XL Capital. and its subsidiaries in light of recent announcements (See IJ web site...
Ratings Roundup: Ambac, Prospect Medical, First American Title
Jan 22 2008 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has placed Ambac Assurance Corp.’s financial strength, financial enhancement, and issuer credit ratings and Ambac Financial Group Inc.’s senior unsecured, issuer...
S&P Updates Results of Bond Insurance Stress Test for Revised Assumptions
Jan 18 2008 // The formerly placid world of the bond insurers has suddenly become as chaotic as the P/C sector after a major hurricane. Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services published a new version of its bond insurance stress...
Best, S&P See No Change in RenRe Ratings from Channel Re Write Down
Jan 18 2008 // Both A.M. Best Co. and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services have released statements that they see no immediate changes in their respective ratings on RenaissanceRe, following yesterday’s announcement that...
S&P: Allstate’s Ratings Unaffected by Florida Suspension
Jan 17 2008 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said today that news reports (See IJ web site) about the suspension issued to Allstate Corp. (ALL) by the Florida Insurance Commissioner that prohibit some of the companies...
S&P Affirms, Withdraws Westport Ratings after Merger with Employers Re
Jan 16 2008 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has affirmed its ‘AA-‘ financial strength rating on Westport Insurance Corp. and then withdrew the rating at the request of management. The outlook had been...
Ratings Recap: Verlan, ACMAT, Heritage, Alfa, Petroleum Marketers, Berkshire (Debt), Consumers, ACA Financial
Jan 15 2008 // A.M. Best Co. indicated that the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A’ (Excellent) and issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a” of Verlan Fire Insurance Company of Silver Spring, MD, are unchanged...
S&P: TRIPRA’s Passage Keeps U.S. Commercial Lines Outlook Stable
Jan 8 2008 // On Dec. 26, 2007, President George W. Bush signed into law the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (TRIPRA), thereby retaining the federal backstop for terrorism risk through Dec. 31, 2014. The...
S&P Revises Swett & Crawford’s Rating Outlook to Negative
Jan 7 2008 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised its outlook on HMSC Corp., the intermediate holding company of Swett & Crawford Group Inc., to negative from stable, while also affirming its ‘B’...
S&P Affirms Arrowhead General Ratings; Lowers Outlook to Negative
Jan 7 2008 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised its outlook on San Diego, Calif.-based Arrowhead General Insurance Agency Inc. to negative from stable. At the same time S&P affirmed its ‘B’...
Ratings Recap: Allied World, Dongbu, Bluewater
Jan 7 2008 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has affirmed its ‘BBB’ counterparty credit and senior debt ratings on Bermuda-based Allied World Assurance Co. Holdings Ltd. and affirmed its ‘A-‘...
Ratings Recap: Green Valley (Swiss Re), Aviva Canada, CSOB Pojistovna, Harbor Point Re, Hiscox
Dec 27 2007 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has assigned its ‘BB+’ debt ratings to the €200 million ($292 million) Class A Series 1 Principal At-Risk variable-rate notes due Jan. 10, 2011 issued by Green...
Navigators Group To Join S&P SmallCap 600
Dec 27 2007 // New York-based specialty insurer Navigators Group Inc. has been added to the S&P SmallCap 600 Index. The addition to the index, widely used by private investors and money managers, will be effective after the close of...
Ratings Roundup: Insurance Australia Group, Bank of China
Dec 21 2007 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised its ratings outlook on the counterparty and insurer financial strength ratings on Insurance Australia’s group of companies to negative from stable. S&P...
S&P Announces Rating Actions on Bond Insurers; Teleconference Today
Dec 20 2007 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has announced various ratings actions (see list below) on six financial guaranty insurance companies. “The rating actions were prompted by worsening expectations for the...
S&P Lowers Kingsway Ratings to ‘BB+’; Outlook Negative
Dec 20 2007 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services joined A.M. Best in lowering its senior unsecured and long-term counterparty credit ratings on Toronto-based Kingsway Financial Services Inc. to ‘BB+’ from...
