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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LONDON - APRIL 20, 2017 10:05 AM (EDT)
A.M. Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a” of National Grid Insurance Company (Isle of Man) Limited (NGICL), a captive of National Grid plc (NG). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) remains stable.
The ratings reflect NGICL’s very strong risk-adjusted capitalisation, as well as its importance as a risk management tool within the NG group. In addition, the ratings reflect NGICL’s track record of strong but volatile operating performance.
A.M. Best expects NGICL’s risk-adjusted capitalisation to remain very strong, supported by the captive’s low underwriting leverage and comprehensive reinsurance protection.
Prospective underwriting performance remains subject to volatility, due to the captive’s exposure to low frequency, high severity losses in its property damage and business interruption accounts. However, the impact of large losses on the captive’s balance sheet is partly mitigated by extensive reinsurance protection. The captive has a track record of strong technical performance, reflected in a five-year average combined ratio of 43.5% (2012-2016). NGICL has demonstrated its ability to take corrective pricing actions following large losses.
NGICL remains core to NG’s risk management strategy as its principal captive. It is well integrated into the parent’s overall risk management framework, with its primary objective to mitigate the NG group’s European financial exposure to casualty, cyber, property damage and business interruption risks.
A.M. Best remains the leading rating agency of alternative risk transfer entities, with more than 200 such vehicles rated 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 .
This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on A.M. Best’s website. For all 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. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Understanding Best’s Credit Ratings.
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