Latest AM Best Headlines

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

A.M. Best Upgrades Ratings of Workers’ Comp Insurers Retail First, BusinessFirst of Florida

Oct 31 2018 // A.M. Best has upgraded the financial strength ratings of two workers’ compensation insurers based in Florida.RetailFirst Insurance Co. and BusinessFirst Insurance Co. have received a financial strength ratings of A-...

A.M. Best Revises Outlooks to Stable for Agency Insurance Company of Maryland

Oct 26 2018 // A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to stable from positive and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of bbb+ for Agency Insurance Company of Maryland Inc. (AIC), based...

Mexican Insurers Will Absorb Losses from Hurricane Willa: A.M. Best

Oct 25 2018 // Mexico’s insurance industry overall remains well-capitalized and can absorb the financial impact generated from Hurricane Willa, according to an A.M. Best briefing.Hurricane Willa made landfall on Oct. 23 on...

A.M. Best Upgrades Workers’ Comp Carrier ICW Group in California

Oct 23 2018 // A.M. Best Company has upgraded the Financial Strength Rating of San Diego, Calif.-based ICW Group Insurance Cos. to “A” (Excellent) from a “Stable” outlook.A.M. Best said its ratings reflect the...

A.M. Best Revises Outlooks to Stable for Aspire General in California

Oct 15 2018 // A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to stable from negative and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B+ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb-” of Aspire General Insurance Co. in Rancho...

Market Changes Not Expected From Hurricane Michael; Florida Insurers ‘Heavily’ Reinsured

Oct 15 2018 // Losses to the insurance industry from Hurricane Michael, a Category 4 storm that hit the Florida Panhandle before continuing a path of destruction through several other Southeast states, will be substantial but not enough...

A.M. Best: Insurer Losses from Hurricane Michael Will Be ‘Significant’

Oct 12 2018 // Insurers, reinsurers and ILS investors could face significant losses from Hurricane Michael, a major Category 4 storm that began its assault on the Florida Panhandle Wednesday, according to a briefing from A.M. Best.Best...

How New Business Is Creating a New Wholesaler-Retailer Relationship

Oct 2 2018 // An influx of new business is presenting surplus lines wholesalers and their retail partners with new opportunities to work together even as other forces are changing how they work together.The surplus lines insurance...

A.M. Best: Positive Outlooks for Michigan’s Northern Mutual Insurance

Oct 1 2018 // A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to positive from stable and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of “a-” of Northern Mutual...

UPC Insurance, Tokio Marine Kiln Form New Florida-Based Property Insurer ‘Journey’

Sep 27 2018 // United Insurance Holdings Corp. (UPC Insurance), a property and casualty insurance holding company, has formed Journey Insurance Co. in partnership with Tokio Marine Kiln.The new property and casualty insurer will...

Global Insurers Realize Innovation Is Critical for Future Success: A.M. Best Survey

Sep 25 2018 // A significant majority of global insurers understand that innovation is increasingly becoming a competitive differentiator in the global marketplace, according to the results of an A.M. Best survey of its rated...

Why Small Mutual P/C Insurers, Insurtechs May Need Each Other: A.M. Best

Sep 19 2018 // Technology-oriented insurance startups and established small mutual property/casualty insurers may find they are better off partnering than competing.Mutual property/casualty insurance companies continue to face heightened...

A.M. Best Sees Recent Floods Having Limited Effect on India’s Insurers’ Ratings

Sep 17 2018 // A.M. Best said it does not expect flooding in the Indian state of Kerala to have a significant impact on the balance sheet strength of rated Indian non-life insurers; however, the losses may add to the unfavorable...

How New Business Is Creating a New Wholesaler-Retailer Relationship

Sep 17 2018 // An influx of new business is presenting surplus lines wholesalers and their retail partners with new opportunities to work together even as other forces are changing how they work together.The surplus lines insurance...

ILS Market Could Bear 20% of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Marie Loss: A.M. Best

Sep 17 2018 // The insurance-linked securities (ILS) market potentially could bear up 20 percent of the insured losses generated by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Marie, according to an A.M. Best report.These three hurricanes during a...

ILS Market Could Bear 20% of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Marie Loss: A.M. Best

Sep 10 2018 // The insurance-linked securities (ILS) market potentially could bear up 20 percent of the insured losses generated by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Marie, according to an A.M. Best report.These three hurricanes during a...

Bermuda Market to Stay Key Reinsurance Hub Despite U.S. Tax Reform: A.M. Best

Sep 7 2018 // Bermuda will continue to be a key international hub for reinsurance despite being challenged in recent years, most recently by tax reform in the United States, which fundamentally changed how multinational entities are...

Insurer Downgrades Jumped in 2018 But Were Still Outnumbered by Upgrades: A.M. Best

Sep 3 2018 // Catastrophic weather events in 2017 helped spur an increase in rating downgrades for the U.S. property/casualty (P/C) industry during the first half of 2018, according to an A.M. Best report.But the report also notes that...

A.M. Best Upgrades Ratings of PURE Group

Aug 31 2018 // A.M. Best has upgraded the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) to A (Excellent) from A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings to “a” from “a-” for both members of the PURE Group of...

A.M. Best: Insurers Equipped to Handle Hurricane Lane Losses

Aug 29 2018 // A.M. Best is expecting Hurricane Lane to be considered more of a flood event than a wind event.As a result, the storm that buffeted Hawaii should bring a potential triggering of the National Flood Insurance Program’s...