Latest AM Best Headlines

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

Catastrophe Exposure Grows with Selective Use of Alternative Capital: A.M. Best

Apr 20 2016 // Insurers in the London, Europe and Bermuda markets writing catastrophe-exposed business take a different approach to retention of risk at the 1-in-100-year return level in comparison to the 1-in-250-year level, according...

Outlook for Columbia Insurance Revised to Stable: A.M. Best

Apr 19 2016 // A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to stable for Columbia Insurance Group (Columbia) and its subsidiaries. Additionally, the financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings of “a-” are...

A.M. Best Revises Outlook for Mississippi Farm Bureau Insurance

Apr 18 2016 // A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to positive from stable and affirmed the financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating of “a-” of Mississippi Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Co. in...

Reinsurers’ Results Are Strong – but Can Good Fortune Continue? Asks A.M. Best

Apr 14 2016 // Reinsurers have been delivering solid operating results, with publicly traded reinsurers currently outpacing the overall equity market – but this good fortune may not be sustainable, given the headwinds that are...

Stocks of P/C Insurers Ended Last Year on Upswing: A.M. Best

Apr 13 2016 // Stocks prices of U.S. property/casualty insurance companies rebounded in fourth-quarter 2015 after a tumultuous third quarter. For 42 U.S. publicly traded P/C stocks analyzed by A.M. Best, the average return for the fourth...

Ratings of Minnesota’s Rural Community Insurance Upgraded: A.M. Best

Apr 8 2016 // A.M. Best has removed from under review with developing implications and upgraded the financial strength rating to A+ (Superior) from A (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating to “aa-” from “a+” of...

Watford Re Forms E&S Insurer Watford Specialty, Partnering with Arch

Apr 4 2016 // Watford Re Ltd. has formed a new excess and surplus lines insurer called Watford Specialty Insurance Co. (WSIC), based in Morristown, N.J.WSIC’s lines of business “will be similar to what we’ve been...

10 ACP Re Insurers Miss Deadline; A.M. Best Places Ratings Under Review

Mar 25 2016 // A.M. Best said it has placed under review with negative implications the financial strength rating (FSR) of A- (Excellent) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a-” of ACP Re Ltd., based in Hamilton, Bermuda...

A.M. Best Affirms Ratings of Beazley’s Lloyd’s Syndicates & US Insurer

Mar 4 2016 // A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of A (Excellent) and the issuer credit ratings of “a+” of Beazley’s Lloyd’s Syndicates Syndicates 2623, 623, 3623 and 3622. The outlook for all...

Best Revises Issuer Credit Rating Outlook for W. R. Berkley Insurance (Europe)

Feb 29 2016 // A.M. Best has revised the issuer credit rating (ICR) outlook to negative from stable and affirmed the financial strength rating of A (Excellent) and the ICR of “a+” of W. R. Berkley Insurance (Europe) Ltd....

A.M. Best Upgrades Issuer Credit Rating of Florida-Based Seven Seas Insurance Co.

Feb 24 2016 // A.M. Best has upgraded the issuer credit rating (ICR) to “a+” from “a” and affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) of Seven Seas Insurance Company, Inc. (Riviera Beach, Fla)....

A.M. Best Downgrades Ratings of China’s Hyundai Insurance After Tianjin Blast

Feb 18 2016 // A.M. Best has downgraded the financial strength rating to B++ (Good) from A- (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating to “bbb” from “a-” of Hyundai Insurance (China) Co. Ltd., or HIC. Following...

A.M. Best Revises Outlook to Negative for West Virginia Mutual Insurance Co.

Feb 16 2016 // A.M. Best has revised the outlook to negative from stable and affirmed the financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating of “a-” of West Virginia Mutual Insurance Company (WVMIC)...

P&I Sector’s Underwriting Discipline to Be Tested in Coming Renewals: A.M. Best

Feb 8 2016 // Underwriting discipline in the marine protection and indemnity (P&I) sector will be tested over the February 2016 renewal period due to market and competitive forces buffeting the sector, according to report published...

New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. Ratings Downgraded a Notch

Feb 5 2016 // New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company’s stellar financial strength rating has been downgraded a notch by A.M. Best, based on concerns about its underwriting and operating performance.The workers’...

Moody’s, S&P, A.M. Best Release Ratings for AIG After Strategic Plan Outlined

Jan 28 2016 // American International Group Inc., which activist investor Carl Icahn is pressuring to divest assets, had the outlook on its credit rating changed to negative from stable by Standard & Poor’s after the insurer...

A.M. Best Revises Outlook for South Carolina’s Greenville Casualty

Jan 28 2016 // A.M. Best has revised the outlook to stable from negative and affirmed the financial strength rating of B- (Fair) and the issuer credit rating of “bb-” of Greenville Casualty Insurance Company (Greenville)...

Zurich’s Ratings Remain Unchanged Despite Projected Q4 2015 Losses: A.M. Best

Jan 25 2016 // The financial strength rating of A+ (Superior) and the issuer credit rating of “aa-” of Zurich Insurance Co. Ltd. (ZIC) and its rated affiliates are unchanged, following Zurich Insurance Group’s...

Outlook for U.S. Commercial P/C Insurance Still Negative

Jan 25 2016 // Rating agency A.M. Best said it is maintaining its negative outlook on the commercial lines segment of the U.S. property/casualty industry, despite relatively solid aggregate results over the past several years. The...

A.M. Best Appoints Ribeiro and Sutherland to Its Asia-Pacific Operations

Jan 21 2016 // A.M. Best announced the appointment of Jose Ribeiro as managing director – Asia-Pacific, and James Sutherland as commercial director – Asia-Pacific.As managing director, Asia-Pacific, Ribeiro will be responsible for...