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A.M. Best Assigns Debt Rating to Infinity Property and Casualty Corporation; Affirms Financial Strength Rating of Its Subsidiaries.


Business Editors

OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 10, 2004

A.M. Best Co. has assigned a "bbb" senior unsecured debt Unsecured debt

Debt that does not identify specific assets that the debtholder is entitled to in case of default.
 rating to Infinity Property and Casualty Corporation's (IPCC See IMS Forum. ) (Birmingham, AL) (NASDAQ NASDAQ
 in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations

U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on
: IPCC) $200 million notes due 2014. Concurrently, A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of A (Excellent) of Infinity Property and Casualty Group (Infinity P/C), the core auto subsidiaries of IPCC, and the "bbb" debt rating assigned to the $200 million senior secured term loan facility of IPCC. The outlook for all the ratings is stable.

The debt is being issued under Rule 144A Rule 144A

A Securities & Exchange Commission rule modifying a two-year holding period requirement on privately placed securities to permit qualified institutional buyers to trade these positions among themselves.
. The proceeds from the offering will be used to prepay pre·pay  
tr.v. pre·paid, pre·pay·ing, pre·pays
To pay or pay for beforehand.



pre·payment n.
 the existing $193 million syndicate loan, with the remainder of the funds used for general corporate purposes. IPCC is expected to maintain financial leverage at approximately 30% of total capitalization Total capitalization

The total long-term debt and all types of equity of a company that constitutes its capital structure.


total capitalization

See capitalization.
, while generating solid fixed coverage ratios as a result of expected favorable earnings.

The affirmation of the financial strength rating reflects Infinity P/C's excellent capitalization, strong non-standard automobile market presence and the favorable overall operating performance. The group's solid capital position is driven by the reduction of dividend payments subsequent to its initial public offering, as well as its moderate investment risk. Infinity P/C's favorable underwriting Underwriting

1. The process by which investment bankers raise investment capital from investors on behalf of corporations and governments that are issuing securities (both equity and debt).

2. The process of issuing insurance policies.
 profitability is attributed to management's product line expertise, local market knowledge and utilization of sophisticated technologies within the pricing, risk selection and claims handling processes. Further, underwriting returns have been aided by the low cost operating structure, which is facilitated by technology and consolidations of select back-office functions.

Offsetting factors include the potential future earnings fluctuations due to localized competitive market conditions, as well as fraud activity that has been prevalent in some key nonstandard non·stan·dard  
adj.
1. Varying from or not adhering to the standard: nonstandard lengths of board.

2.
 automobile markets. The group's premium is focused in California, Florida and Connecticut, which have been difficult states due to strong competition and increasing claim costs, particularly within Florida's personal injury protection market. However, Infinity P/C has pursued aggressive premium rate actions and tightened underwriting guidelines that mitigate these unfavorable trends.

The following debt rating has been assigned with a stable outlook:

Infinity Property and Casualty Corporation--

-- "bbb" on $200 million senior unsecured debt

The financial strength rating of A (Excellent) has been affirmed with a stable outlook for the following members of the Infinity Property and Casualty Group:

-- American Deposit Insurance Company

-- American Premier Insurance Company

-- Atlanta Casualty Company

-- Atlanta Reserve Insurance Company

-- Atlanta Specialty Insurance Company

-- Coventry Insurance Company

-- Infinity Insurance Infinity Property & Casualty Corporation (NASDAQ: IPCC) is a national provider of car insurance. Infinity Insurance, a top-performing Infinity brand, provides nonstandard car insurance through more than 14,000 independent agents.  Company

-- Infinity National Insurance Company

-- Infinity Select Insurance Company

-- Leader Insurance Company

-- Leader Preferred Insurance Company

-- Leader Specialty Insurance Company

-- Regal Insurance Company

-- TICO TICO Travel Industry Council of Ontario  Insurance Company

-- Windsor Insurance Company

-- Great American Contemporary Insurance Company

-- Great Texas County Mutual Insurance Company

The following debt rating has been affirmed with a stable outlook:

Infinity Property and Casualty Corporation--

-- "bbb" on $200 million senior secured term loan facility

For a complete list of A.M. Best's debt ratings, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/debtratings/.

A.M. Best Co., established in 1899, is the world's oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source. For more information, visit A.M. Best's Web site at www.ambest.com.
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Publication:Business Wire
Date:Feb 10, 2004
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