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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEXICO CITY - JUNE 02, 2016 12:47 PM (EDT)
A.M. Best has upgraded the financial strength rating to B++ (Good) from B+ (Good) and the issuer credit rating to “bbb+” from “bbb-” of Active Capital Reinsurance, Ltd. (AC Re) (Barbados). The outlook for each rating remains stable.
The upgrades reflect AC Re’s improved base capital, continuous profitable operating performance and implementation of an adequate risk management framework. The ratings also consider the company’s good risk- adjusted capitalization and adequate reinsurance program. The ratings are limited by AC Re’s increased acquisition costs and developing expansion strategy.
AC Re is a Barbados-based reinsurer established in 2007. The company operates mainly in the Latin American market with net premiums written comprised of fraud insurance (41%), credit (31.9%), property/casualty (20%) and surety (7%). The company has further diversified its geographic footprint in Central and South America and focused its underwriting efforts on short-term non-catastrophe risks.
AC Re maintains risk-adjusted capitalization levels that are supportive of current ratings. The company received its latest capital contribution in March 2016 of USD 4.6 million increasing its paid capital by 25.5% and further strengthening A.M. Best’s view on AC Re’s risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by A.M .Best Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). The company’s expansion strategy has been adequately reinforced by its reinsurance program, placed among a diversified group of reinsurers with good security levels, consequently minimizing counterparty credit risk exposures. Nevertheless, the ratings are limited by the uncertainty over future underwriting performance as the company expands its business into new markets.
In 2015, the company continued to post positive bottom line results, although on a lower scale compared with previous years, as the company faced higher acquisition expenses from expanding into new geographies and adjustments in the accounting treatment of acquisition expenses, ultimately resulting in a reduced, but still strong return on earned premium of 16%.
Chief among the improvements achieved in 2015 was the implementation of a formal enterprise risk management framework, as it has allowed AC Re to better identify and manage the risks it faces. As a result, related party transactions have been reduced significantly, improving its financial flexibility.
Positive rating actions could occur if the company continues to strengthen its capital adequacy position and successfully continues to grow with good operating performance. On the other hand, negative rating actions could result from deterioration of risk-adjusted capital due to an aggressive dividend policy or increased transactions with related parties, or from negative operating performance that renders the strategy and BCAR scores non-supportive of the ratings.
The methodology used in determining these ratings is Best’s Credit Rating Methodology, which provides a comprehensive explanation of A.M. Best’s rating process and contains the different rating criteria employed in the rating process. Best’s Credit Rating Methodology can be found at www.ambest.com/ratings/methodology.
Key insurance criteria reports utilized:
View a general description of the policies and procedures used to determine credit ratings. Also in accordance with Mexican regulations, the following is a link to required disclosures – A.M. Best America Latina Supplementary Disclosure.
This press release relates to rating(s) that have been published on A.M. Best’s website. For additional rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see A.M. Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page.
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