Best's rating changes.This summary of Best's Rating Best's rating A rating A.M. Best Co. assigns to insurance companies based on the company's ability to meet its obligations to its policyholders. Changes includes life, health-care and property/casualty insurers domiciled dom·i·cile n. 1. A residence; a home. 2. One's legal residence. v. dom·i·ciled, dom·i·cil·ing, dom·i·ciles v.tr. 1. in North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. , as well as international insurers that had ratings assigned as·sign tr.v. as·signed, as·sign·ing, as·signs 1. To set apart for a particular purpose; designate: assigned a day for the inspection. 2. , changed or placed under review since this section last appeared in the March 2004 edition of Best's Review. Best's Rating Changes is an abbreviated version of Best's Rating Monitor, which is published in BestWeek, our weekly insurance industry newsletter. See page 14 for the current Guide to Best's Financial Strength Ratings or visit the A.M. Best Co. Web site at www.ambest.com/ratings/guide.html for detailed rating definitions. The A.M. Best rating of any company and basic company information are also available free of charge at the Web site.
Ratings Changed
Pre-
Rating Current vious
Action Company Name & Domicile AMB# Rating Rating
Life/Health
American Financial 07111 NR-5 g
Security Life Ins Co
US: Missouri
+ American Skandia Life 08715 A+ A
Assurance Corp
US: Connecticut
+ Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin 64315 B++ B+ u
US: Wisconsin
Columbia Universal Life 09400 NR-3 A+
Insurance Co
US: Texas
- Continental Assurance Company 06280 A- A
US: Illinois
Delta Dental of Delaware 64642 NR-2 B+
US: Delaware
Delta Dental of District 64672 NR-2 B+
of Columbia
US: Dist. Of Columbia
Delta Dental of West Virginia 64643 NR-2 B+
US: West Virginia
Guarantee Reserve Life 06502 NR-5 A-
Insurance Company
US: Indiana
- Guaranty Income Life 06504 B B+ u
Insurance Company
US: Louisiana
- Harleysville Life Insurance Company 06517 B++ A-
US: Pennsylvania
Keystone State Life 08960 NR-3 B+
Insurance Company
US: Pennsylvania
New MAMSI Life and Health 06046 A- NR-5
Insurance Company
US: Maryland
- Minnesota Life Insurance Company 06724 A+ A++
US: Minnesota
+ Pruco Life Insurance Co of NJ 09371 A+ A
US: New Jersey
+ Pruco Life Insurance Company 08240 A+ A
US: Arizona
+ Prudential Insurance Co of America 06974 A+ A
US: New Jersey
- Regence BlueCross 60074 B++ A-
BlueShield of Oregon
US: Oregon
- Regence Life and Health 09345 B++ A-
Insurance Co
US: Oregon
New S USA Life Insurance Company Inc 60110 A- NR-3
US: Arizona
- Securian Life Insurance Company 09064 A A+
US: Minnesota
Surety Life Insurance Company 07109 NR-3 A+
US: Nebraska
+ United Heartland Life 60054 B++ B+ u
Insurance Company
US: Wisconsin
Universe Life Insurance Company 07205 NR-5 F
US: Idaho
New WA Security Insurance Company 12651 A-
US: Dist. Of Columbia
+ World Insurance Company 07262 B++ B+
US: Nebraska
HMO
+ Compcare Health Services Ins Corp 68610 B++ B+ u
US: Wisconsin
New MD-Individual Practice 68606 A- B pd
Association Inc
US: Maryland
New Optimum Choice Inc 68764 A- B pd
US: Maryland
New Optimum Choice of the Carolinas Inc 64030 A- C+ pd
US: North Carolina
- Regence Health 68584 B++ A-
Maintenance of Oregon
US: Oregon
- Regence HMO Oregon 68583 B++ A-
US: Oregon
+ Unity Health Plans 68781 B++ B+ u
Insurance Corporation
US: Wisconsin
+ Valley Health Plan Inc 68825 B++ B+ u
US: Wisconsin
Watts Health Foundation Inc 64151 NR-5 E
US: California
Property/Casualty
New Alea North America Specialty Ins Co 11432 A- NR-5
US: Delaware
+ Bristol West Casualty 12404 B+ B
Insurance Company
US: Ohio
+ Bristol West Insurance Company 12461 B+ B
US: Pennsylvania
New Bristol West Insurance Group 18131 B+
US: Florida
- Claremont Liability 10653 A- A
Insurance Company
US: California
Coast National Group 18545 NR-5 B
US: Florida
+ Coast National Insurance Company 00177 B+ B
US: California
- Farmers Mutual Fire Ins 04736 B B+
Co of Dug Hill
US: Maryland
- Harleysville Insurance 03916 A- A
US: Pennsylvania
- Harleysville Insurance Co of NJ 01921 A- A
US: New Jersey
- Harleysville Insurance Company 00643 A- A
US: Minnesota
- Harleysville Insurance 03656 A- A
Company of NY
US: New York
- Harleysville Insurance 11668 A- A
Company of OH
US: Ohio
- Harleysville Lake States 00603 A- A
Insurance Co
US: Michigan
- Harleysville Mutual 00462 A- A
Insurance Company
US: Pennsylvania
- Harleysville Pennland 11087 A- A
Insurance Company
US: Pennsylvania
- Harleysville Preferred 03779 A- A
Insurance Company
US: Pennsylvania
- Harleysville Worcester 02483 A- A
Insurance Company
US: Massachusetts
- Harleysville-Atlantic 00176 A- A
Insurance Company
US: Georgia
- Medical Insurance 03646 A- A
Exchange of California
US: California
- Mid-America Insurance Company 02827 A- A
US: Pennsylvania
- MIEC Group 18016 A- A
US: California
National Farmers Union 04076 NR-5 A-
Casualty Group
US: Colorado
National Farmers Union 04037 NR-5 A-
Standard Ins Co
US: Colorado
Orleans General Ins Co 87773 B+ pd NR-5
Canada: Quebec
+ Permanent General 11303 B++ B+
Assurance Corp of OH
US: Ohio
+ Permanent General 01894 B++ B+
Assurance Corporation
US: Tennessee
+ Permanent General Pool 18329 B++ B+
US: Tennessee
+ Security National Insurance Company 10796 B+ B
US: Florida
+ United Wisconsin Insurance Company 01932 B++ B+ u
US: Wisconsin
- Wasatch Crest Mutual 10111 F E
Insurance Company
US: Utah
West Newbury Mutual 02368 NR-5 A
Fire Insurance Co
US: Massachusetts
International
- Allianz Suisse Lebensversicherungs 86461 A A+
Switzerland
- Allianz Suisse Versicherungs 86462 A A+
Switzerland
New Central Reinsurance Corporation 86496 A- NR-5
Taiwan, Republic Of China
New Colina Insurance Company Limited 89077 A-
Bahamas
New Inter-Ocean Group 83350 A
Bermuda
New Jamaica International 83011 B++
Insurance Co Ltd
Jamaica
New Qatar General Ins & 85452 B++ NR-5
Reins. Co (S.A.Q.)
Qatar
New Steamship Mutual 89448 A-
Underwriting Assoc Ltd
United Kingdom
New Tower Insurance Limited 85484 A- NR-5
New Zealand
Rating Action: (+) or (-) Rating upgraded or downgraded;
(New) Assigned initial rating; (u) Rating placed under review
Ratings Under Review
Rating Current Previous
Action Company Name & Domicile AMB# Rating Rating
Life/Health
U American Reserve Life 07486 C+ u C+
Insurance Company
US: Oklahoma
U Arkansas National Life 07507 B++ u B++
Insurance Company
US: Arkansas
U Forethought Life 09053 A u A
Insurance Company
US: Indiana
U Liberty Bankers Life 07011 B u B
Insurance Company
US: Iowa
U United Transportation 08272 B+ u B+
Union Ins Assn
US: Ohio
U Valley Forge Life 07207 A u A
Insurance Company
US: Pennsylvania
Rating Action: (+) or (-) Rating upgraded or downgraded;
(New) Assigned initial rating; (u) Rating placed under review
GUIDE TO BEST'S FINANCIAL STRENGTH RATINGS
A Best's Rating is an independent opinion, based on a comprehensive
quantitative and qualitative evaluation, of a company's balance
sheet strength, operating performance and business profile. Best's
Ratings are not a warranty of a company's financial strength
and ability to meet its obligations to policyholders.
Financial Strength Ratings
A Best's Financial Strength Rating (FSR) is an opinion of an insurer's
ability to meet its obligations to policyholders.
Rating Descriptor Definition
Secure A++, A+ Superior Assigned to companies that have,
in our opinion, a superior
ability to meet their ongoing
obligations to policyholders.
A, A- Excellent Assigned to companies that have,
in our opinion, an excellent
ability to meet their ongoing
obligations to policyholders.
B++, B+ Very Good Assigned to companies that have,
in our opinion, a good ability
to meet their ongoing
obligations to policyholders.
Vulnerable B, B- Fair Assigned to companies that have,
in our opinion, a fair ability
to meet their current
obligations to policyholders,
but are financially vulnerable
to adverse changes in
underwriting and economic
conditions.
C++, C+ Marginal Assigned to companies that have,
in our opinion, a marginal
ability to meet their current
obligations to policyholders,
but are financially vulnerable
to adverse changes in
underwriting and economic
conditions.
C, C- Weak Assigned to companies that have,
in our opinion, a weak ability
to meet their current
obligations to policyholders,
but are financially very
vulnerable to adverse changes
in underwriting and economic
conditions.
D Poor Assigned to companies that have,
in our opinion, a poor ability
to meet their current
obligations to policyholders
and are financially extremely
vulnerable to adverse changes
in underwriting and economic
conditions.
E Under Assigned to companies (and
Regulatory possibly their subsidiaries/
Supervision affiliates) that have been
placed by an insurance
regulatory authority under a
significant form of
supervision, control or
restraint whereby they are no
longer allowed to conduct
normal ongoing insurance
operations. This would include
conservatorship or
rehabilitation, but does not
include liquidation. It may
also be assigned to companies
issued cease and desist orders
by regulators outside their
home state or country.
F In Assigned to companies that have
Liquidation been placed under an order of
liquidation by a court of law
or whose owners have
voluntarily agreed to liquidate
the company. Note: Companies
that voluntarily liquidate or
dissolve their charters are
generally not insolvent.
S Suspended Assigned to companies that have
experienced sudden and
significant events affecting
their balance sheet strength or
operating performance and whose
rating implications cannot be
evaluated due to a lack of
timely or adequate information.
Rating Modifiers and Affiliation Codes
A rating modifier can be assigned to indicate that a Best's Rating may
be subject to near-term change (under review), that a company did not
subscribe to Best's interactive rating process (public data) and that
the rating is assigned to a syndicate operating at Lloyd's.
Affiliation codes (g, p, and r) are added to Best's Ratings to
identify companies whose assigned ratings are based on group,
pooling or reinsurance affiliation with other insurers.
Modifier Descriptor Definition
Rating u Under Review A modifier that generally is
Modifiers event-driven (positive,
negative or developing) and is
assigned to a company whose
Best's Rating opinion is under
review and may be subject to
change in the near-term,
generally defined as six
months.
pd Public Data Assigned to insurers that do not
subscribe to Best's
interactive rating process.
Best's "pd" Ratings reflect
qualitative and quantitative
analyses using public data and
information.
s Syndicate Assigned to syndicates operating
at Lloyd's.
Affiliation g Group p Pooled r Reinsured
Codes
Not Rated Categories (NR)
Assigned to companies reported on by A.M. Best, but not assigned a
Best's Rating. The five categories are:
NR-1: Insufficient NR-2: Insufficient NR-3: Rating
Data. Size and/or Procedure
Operating Experience. Inapplicable.
NR-4: Company NR-5: Not Formally
Request. Followed.
Rating Outlook
Best's interactive Ratings (A++ to D) are assigned a Rating Outlook
that indicates the potential direction of a company's rating for
an intermediate period, generally defined as the next 12 to 36 months.
Rating Outlooks, which appear in the rating rationale section of the
company's Best's Company Report, are as follows:
Positive Indicates a company's financial/market trends are
favorable, relative to its current rating level and, if
continued, the company has a good possibility of having
its rating upgraded.
Negative Indicates a company is experiencing unfavorable financial/
market trends, relative to its current rating level and,
if continued, the company has a good possibility of
having its rating downgraded.
Stable Indicates a company is experiencing stable financial/market
trends and there is a low likelihood that its rating will
change in the near term.
Best's Ratings are distributed via press release and/or the A.M. Best
Web site at www.ambest.com, and are published in the Rating Monitor
section of BestWeek[R]. Best's Ratings are proprietary and may not be
reproduced without permission. Copyright [c] 2004 by A.M. Best
Company, Inc.
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