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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OLDWICK - NOVEMBER 19, 2014 09:08 AM (EST)
A.M. Best has upgraded the financial strength rating to A (Excellent) from A- (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating to "a" from "a-" of Caring Communities, a Reciprocal Risk Retention Group (CCrRRG) (District of Columbia) and Caring Communities Insurance Company (CCIC) (Cayman Islands). The outlook for all ratings has been revised to stable from positive.
The rating actions reflect CCrRRG's and CCIC's excellent risk-adjusted capitalization, good geographic spread of risk and consistently profitable operating results. Also, significant cash flows from underwriting and operations coupled with a prudently conservative investment portfolio have a positive influence on the ratings. Among the factors contributing to a 97% policyholder retention rate since the companies' inception are selective underwriting, tailored loss control and engineering services designed for facilities caring for seniors, and a claims approach focusing on the liability risks within senior-care housing and community settings. Furthermore, continuing and more in-depth implementation of strong risk-management measures has contributed to declining loss frequency and loss severity, and overall lower average loss costs for both companies.
Partially offsetting these positive rating factors is CCrRRG and CCIC's reinsurance program, which has historically resulted in moderately high reserve leverage associated with long-tail casualty lines of business.
Because CCrRRG and CCIC's primary mission is to provide to their owner/policyholders stable coverage into the future, they have generated a net profit for all their years of existence. Their combined ratios have also outperformed peers by a significant margin. The investment portfolio involves a diverse mix of assets that results in a conservative portfolio to consistently yield a reasonable return.
Rating factors that could lead to CCrRRG and CCIC's ratings being upgraded include a long-term consistently strong operating performance, maintaining strong risk-adjusted capital levels and executing its business plan. A.M. Best could downgrade CCrRRG and CCIC's ratings or revise the outlook if the Best's Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR) score declines, operating performance and risk profile deteriorate, insured losses deplete capital, or significant changes and turnover occur in the management team or risk management controls and tolerances.
A.M. Best remains the leading rating agency of alternative risk transfer entities, with more than 200 such vehicles rated in the United States and throughout the world. For current Best's Credit Ratings and independent data on the captive and alternative risk transfer insurance market, please visit www.ambest.com/captive.
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:
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