Best's rating changes.This edition 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 reflects all rating changes--assignments, changes or placed under review--that occurred for life, health 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 insurance companies, since this section last appeared in the January January: see month. 2006 edition of Best's Review. See page 21 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 also are available free of charge at www.ambest.com/ratings/access.html. Ratings Changed
Rating Current Previous
Action Company Name & Domicile AMB# Rating Rating
Life/Health
+ American Independent Network 60292 B B-
Ins of NY
US: New York
+ American Network Insurance 7362 B B-
Company
US: Pennsylvania
+ Blue Cross Blue Shield of 64315 A- B++
Wisconsin
US: Wisconsin
+ Delta Dental of Iowa 60205 A- B++
US: Iowa
New Empire HealthChoice 68564 A- B++ pd
Assurance Inc
US: New York
First Great-West L & A Ins Co 60244 NR-5 A+
US: New York
+ First Reliance Standard 09418 A A-
Life Ins Co
US: New York
-- Great American Life Assur 07631 A- A
Co of PR
US: Puerto Rico
New MIC Life Insurance Corporation 08618 A NR-5
US: Delaware
MS Life Insurance Company 08902 NR-5 A-
US: Mississippi
+ Old American Insurance Company 06854 B++ B+
US: Missouri
+ PacifiCare Behavioral Health 64644 A- B++ u
of CA
US: California
+ PacifiCare Life Assurance 08428 A- B++ u
Company
US: Colorado
+ Penn Treaty Network America 06385 B B-
Insurance Co
US: Pennsylvania
+ Reliance Standard Life 06990 A A-
Insurance Company
US: Illinois
+ Starmount Life Insurance 09370 B++ B+
Company
US: Louisiana
United Heartland Life Insurance 60054 NR-3 B++
Company
US: Wisconsin
New USIC Life Insurance Company 60567 B+
US: Puerto Rico
HMO
New CIGNA Dental Health of 60171 A- NR-3
California Inc
US: California
New CIGNA Dental Health of 60173 A- NR-3
Florida Inc
US: Florida
New CIGNA Dental Health of Maryland 60176 A- NR-3
Inc
US: Maryland
New CIGNA Dental Health of 64702 A- NR-3
Missouri Inc
US: Missouri
New CIGNA Dental Health of New 60184 A- NR-3
Jersey Inc
US: New Jersey
New CIGNA Dental Health of Ohio Inc 60179 A- NR-3
US: Ohio
New CIGNA Dental Health of 60180 A- NR-3
Pennsylvania Inc
US: Pennsylvania
New CIGNA Dental Health of Texas 60181 A- NR-3
Inc
US: Texas
New CIGNA Dental Health of Virginia 64706 A- NR-3
Inc
US: Virginia
New CIGNA Dental Health Plan of 60170 A- NR-3
Arizona Inc
US: Arizona
+ Compcare Health Services Ins 68610 A- B++
Corp
US: Wisconsin
Coordinated Health Partners Inc 68592 NR-5 B+ pd
US: Rhode Island
New Empire HealthChoice Inc (HMO) 64368 A- B+ pd
US: New York
+ PacifiCare Dental 64635 A- B++ u
US: California
+ PacifiCare of Arizona Inc 64218 A- B++ u
US: Arizona
+ PacifiCare of Colorado Inc 68639 A- B++ u
US: Colorado
+ PacifiCare of Nevada Inc 64219 A- B++ u
US: Nevada
+ PacifiCare of Oklahoma Inc 68582 A- B++ u
US: Oklahoma
+ PacifiCare of Oregon Inc 68707 A- B++ u
US: Oregon
+ PacifiCare of Texas Inc 68706 A- B++ u
US: Texas
+ PacifiCare of Washington 68591 A- B++ u
US: Washington
+ Valley Health Plan Inc 68825 A- B++
US: Wisconsin
Property/Casualty
New Attorneys' Title Insurance 12395 A-
Fund Inc
US: Florida
AXA Corporate Solutions Lloyds 12315 NR-3 A-
Ins Co TX
US: Texas
-- Cascade National Insurance 11683 F E
Company
US: Washington
Industrial Underwriters 02256 NR-5 A+
Insurance Co
US: Texas
New MSA Insurance Company 13037 A
US: South Carolina
+ Nichido Insurance Company 12553 A++ A+
(Pacific) Ltd
US: Guam
NLC Mutual Insurance Company * 11291 NR-4 C++
US: Vermont
+ Northwest G F Mutual Insurance 00717 B+ B
Company
US: South Dakota
+ Peace Hills General Insurance 86955 B+ B
Company
Canada: Alberta
The Merchants Property 00592 NR-4 A-
Insurance Co IN
US: Indiana
International
-- Al Chark Insurance Company 85981 B++ A-
Egypt
New Allianz Marine & Aviation 87997 A- NR-5
Versicherungs
Germany
New Amlin Bermuda Limited 78117 A-
Bermuda
New Ariel Reinsurance Company Ltd. 78115 A-
Bermuda
Carraig Insurance Limited ** 75634 NR-4 B++
Ireland
New Flagstone Reinsurance Limited 78114 A-
Bermuda
+ Guardian General Insurance 86364 A- B++ u
Limited
Trinidad And Tobago
New Harbor Point Re Limited 78116 A
Bermuda
New Hiscox Insurance Company 78142 A-
(Bermuda) Ltd
Bermuda
New Lancashire Insurance Company 78141 A-
Bermuda
New Lloyd's Syndicate 33 47731 A s
United Kingdom
-- N.E.M. (West Indies) Insurance 86254 A- A u
Limited
Trinidad And Tobago
New National Life Insurance 78110 B+
Company SAOC
Oman
Nichido Fire and Marine Ins Co 85023 NR-5 A+
Ltd
Japan
New Trinidad and Tobago Insurance 84218 A- NR-5
Ltd
Trinidad And Tobago
New Validus Reinsurance Ltd. 78113 A-
Bermuda
Zurich Specialties London 86263 NR-3 B++
Limited
United Kingdom
Ratings Under Review
Life/Health
U Seguros de Vida Triple-S Inc 68131 A- u A-
US: Puerto Rico
U Triple-S Inc 68130 A- u A-
US: Puerto Rico
HMO
U John Deere Health Plan Inc 68702 B++ u B++
US: Illinois
Property/Casualty
U Citadel General Assurance 85726 B++ u B++
Company
Canada: Ontario
U Crestbrook Insurance Company 01987 A- u A+
US: Ohio
U Mississippi Farm Bureau 00513 B++ u A++
Casualty Ins Cc
US: Mississippi
* Rating was downgraded from B+ u to C++ u on Dec. 6.
Current rating effective Dec. 7.
** Rating was downgraded from A- to B++ on Dec. 21.
Current rating effective Dec. 21.
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
Financial Strength Ratings are not a warranty of a company's financial
strength and ability to meet its ongoing obligations to policyholders.
Financial Strength Ratings
A Best's Financial Strength Rating (FSR) is an opinion as to an
insurer's financial strength and ability to meet its ongoing
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
ongoing 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
ongoing obligations to policyholders and
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
ongoing obligations to policyholders and
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
ongoing obligations to policyholders and
are financially extremely vulnerable to
adverse changes in underwriting and
economic conditions.
E Under Assigned to companies (and possibly their
Regulatory subsidiaries/affiliates) that have been
Supervision 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 been placed
Liquidation 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 whereby the 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) or 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 Modifiers
u Under Review A modifier that generally is 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 Codes g Group p Pooled r Reinsured
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 Data.
NR-2: Insufficient Size and/or Operating Experience.
NR-3: Rating Procedure Inapplicable.
NR-4: Company Request.
NR-5: Not Formally Followed.
Rating Outlook
Best's 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. Public Data
Ratings are not assigned an Outlook. 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] 2006 by A.M. Best
Company, Inc.
Version 093005
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