S&P Global Market Intelligence compiles ratings actions in the insurance space daily through 5 p.m. ET. Actions after 5 p.m. ET will be included in the following day's roundup.
U.S. and Canada
S&P Global Ratings affirmed the A- long-term issuer credit ratings of Principal Financial Group Inc. and Principal Financial Services Inc.
At the same time, the agency affirmed the A+ long-term issuer credit and financial strength ratings of Principal Life Insurance Co. and Principal National Life Insurance Co.
The outlook was revised to negative from stable, indicating the expectation that the group's capital adequacy would worsen over the next two years due to weaker earnings potential and deteriorating credit quality in its investment portfolio and that it could be pressured to maintain capital redundancy at the BBB level.
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Fitch Ratings affirmed the A- long-term issuer default rating of W. R. Berkley Corp. and the A+ insurer financial strength ratings of its property and casualty operating units.
The entities are Continental Western Insurance Co., Tri-State Insurance Co. of Minnesota, Carolina Casualty Insurance Co., Clermont Insurance Co., Union Insurance Co., Nautilus Insurance Co., StarNet Insurance Co., Admiral Indemnity Co., Berkley Regional Insurance Co., Union Standard Lloyds, Admiral Insurance Co., Berkley Assurance Co., Gemini Insurance Co., Preferred Employers Insurance Co., Acadia Insurance Co., Midwest Employers Casualty Co., Firemen's Insurance Co. of Washington D.C., Key Risk Insurance Co., Berkley Specialty Insurance Co., Berkley Casualty Co., Riverport Insurance Co., Berkley National Insurance Co., Berkley Insurance Co., Great Divide Insurance Co. and Intrepid Insurance Co.
The rating outlook is stable.
The affirmation reflects W. R. Berkley's very strong long-term financial results with strong capitalization, moderate business profile with a diversified specialty underwriting portfolio and niche market positions in several lines, and modest exposure to catastrophe losses.
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Fitch affirmed the A- long-term issuer default rating of Hiscox Ltd. and Hiscox PLC.
The agency also affirmed the A+ insurer financial strength ratings of Hiscox Insurance Co. (Bermuda) Ltd., Hiscox Insurance Co. Ltd. and Hiscox Insurance Co. (Guernsey) Ltd.
The outlook on the companies was revised to negative from stable, which demonstrates the uncertainty and increased risk to Hiscox's earnings and capitalization due to COVID-19-related claims, combined with poor underlying profitability in 2019.
The affirmation reflects Hiscox's strong business profile and capitalization and conservative approach to reserving and investments.
Europe
Fitch revised Centras Insurance JSC's outlook to negative from stable and affirmed its insurer financial strength rating at B and national insurer financial strength rating at BB(kaz).
The negative outlook reflects significant downside pressure on the insurer's prism factor-based capital model score at the end of 2019, which remained below "somewhat weak."
The affirmation considers Centras' strong buffer above regulatory capital requirements and compliance of the insurer's liquidity and investment risk ratios with the criteria benchmarks for the insurer's rating level, Fitch said.
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Fitch affirmed the A insurer financial strength rating of Stuttgarter Lebensversicherung a.G., while revising the outlook to negative from stable.
The rating agency said Stuttgarter has relatively high exposure to equity investments compared to its German life insurance peers, making it more vulnerable to the current equity market decline.
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Fitch affirmed the BB- insurer financial strength rating and the BBB+(kaz) national insurer financial strength rating of JSC Kazakhmys Insurance Co.
The outlook was changed to negative from stable, reflecting the company's very high dependence on outward reinsurance coverage purchased abroad, which may expose its underwriting result and capital to higher foreign currency-driven volatility due to the pandemic-related economic implications.
The ratings affirmation takes into account the company's good quality investment portfolio, comfortable liquidity relative to net technical reserves and a strong risk-adjusted capital position.
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Fitch affirmed the A- long-term issuer default rating and the A insurer financial strength rating of Santa Lucia SA Compania de Seguros y Reaseguros, with a stable outlook.
The rating agency said it continues to view Santa Lucia's capitalization as strong, with financial capital ratios only slightly weaker for 2019 than those reported in the same year under Fitch's pro forma analysis.
Asia-Pacific
Fitch affirmed the A insurer financial strength rating of New China Life Insurance Co. Ltd. and revised the outlook to negative from stable.
The negative outlook primarily takes into consideration the uncertainty and risk to the company's capital position and operating performance from the potential impact of the pandemic.
The rating affirmation reflects New China Life Insurance's favorable business profile due to its sizeable operating scale, strong brand franchise and nationwide distribution network.
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Fitch affirmed the BBB+ insurer financial strength rating of FWD Fuji Life Insurance Co. Ltd.
The outlook is negative, indicating that the company's business profile continues to face strong pressure from the COVID-19-related economic uncertainties within the Japanese economy.
The affirmation considers FWD Fuji Life's resilient capital adequacy as of March 31 following a capital injection of ¥8 billion by its parent, FWD Group Financial Services Pte. Ltd., and lower risk appetite in its asset management amid the severe financial market turmoil caused by the pandemic.
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Fitch revised the outlook on Sunshine Life Insurance Corp. Ltd. and Sunshine Property and Casualty Insurance Co. Ltd. to negative from stable.
At the same time, the agency affirmed the A- insurer financial strength rating and the BBB+ long-term issuer default rating of Sunshine Life and the A- insurer financial strength rating of Sunshine Property and Casualty.
The negative outlooks reflect the pandemic-related uncertainty to parent Sunshine Insurance Group Co. Ltd.'s credit profile resulting from high volatility in capital markets and low interest rates. The rating agency expects downside risk from the pandemic crisis to weaken Sunshine Insurance Group's consolidated capital strength.
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S&P Global Ratings revised the outlook to stable from positive on Tokio Marine & Fire Insurance Co. (Hong Kong) Ltd. and Tokio Marine Insurance Singapore Ltd.
At the same time, the agency affirmed the A+ long-term financial strength and the A long-term issuer credit ratings of the Singapore-based insurer and the A long-term issuer credit and insurer financial strength ratings of the Hong Kong-based company.
The ratings action follows a recent action on parent Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. Ltd. The stable outlooks reflect the agency's view that the two companies will remain highly strategic subsidiaries of the group and that the group will continue to provide timely support to the insurers when needed over the next two years.
The outlook revision on Tokio Marine Group and its core operating subsidiaries indicates increased downside risk for the group's capital and earnings over the next two years due to uncertainty caused by the pandemic.
This S&P Global Market Intelligence news article may contain information about credit ratings issued by S&P Global Ratings. Descriptions in this news article were not prepared by S&P Global Ratings.
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