AM Best News

AM Best Outlook of US E&S Market Revised to ‘Positive’

Insurance industry rating agency AM Best has upped its view of the excess and surplus market as it continues to absorb business from the admitted market. AM Best on Monday changed its U.S. E&S outlook from “stable” to “positive,” considering …

AM Best Withdraws Credit Ratings of Civil Service Employees Insurance Co. and CSE Safeguard Insurance Co. in California

AM Best has downgraded the Financial Strength Rating to B (Fair) from B+ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings to “bb” (Fair) from “bbb-” (Good) of Civil Service Employees Insurance Company and CSE Safeguard Insurance Company, which together comprise …

Down, Down, Down….AM Best P/C Downgrades Outpacing Upgrades

The number of rated property/casualty personal lines insurers that had their credit ratings downgraded by AM Best more than doubled to 21 in the first-half of 2023, compared to 10 in first-half 2022. Additional downgrades of 10 commercial insurers and …

Despite Lower Premium Volume, U.S. Title Insurers Continue to Post Solid Results

The U.S. title insurance industry saw its volume of net premium written decline by 16.1% in 2022, to approximately $20.9 billion, following a decade of growth during which this level had more than doubled, according to a new AM Best …

Commercial Auto Up Against Persistent Headwinds to Underwriting Profit

Underwriting losses in U.S. commercial auto have returned to pre-pandemic levels and rate increases have not been enough to keep up with severity trends. “The liability component has been more problematic than the physical damage component, which is no surprise …

AM Best Revises US Homeowners Insurance Segment to Negative as Losses Persist

The U.S. homeowners insurance segment has been hit with three consecutive years of net underwriting losses as a result of above-average numbers of natural catastrophes, inflationary pressures and elevated reinsurance costs. These market headwinds have led AM Best to revise …

For the Fifth Straight Year, Surplus Lines Sees Double-Digit Growth: AM Best

Total U.S. surplus lines direct premiums written (DPW) rose by 19.2% to reach a record $98.5 billion in 2022, marking a five-year streak of double-digit growth rate increase, according to a new AM Bestreport. The new Best’s Market Segment Report, …

First-Half P/C Underwriting Loss Just $2B Shy of Loss for All of 2022

The total net underwriting loss of $24.5 billion for the U.S. property/casualty industry after the first six months of 2023 is $2 billion less than total losses recorded for all of 2022, according to a new AM Best report. Catastrophe …

2023 to Test Recent Growth in Private Flood Insurance Market

The private flood insurance market has been growing but 2023 may provide a real test following Tropical Storm Hilary in California as well as future storms that may come during the remainder of the Atlantic hurricane season. According to AM …

Munich Re Again Tops List of 50 Largest Reinsurers With Swiss Re at No. 2: AM Best

Munich Re holds onto the top spot in AM Best’s annual ranking of the top 50 global reinsurance groups for 2022, with Swiss Re coming in as the second-largest reinsurer — for the third year in a row. These two …