A.M. Best Affirms Ratings of AXA Insurance Company
May 12 2009 - 10:25AM
Business Wire
A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating
(FSR) of A- (Excellent) and issuer credit rating (ICR) of �a-� of
AXA Insurance Company (New York, NY). The outlook for both
ratings is stable.
Concurrently, A.M. Best has affirmed the FSRs of B++ (Good) and
ICRs of �bbb� of the other U.S. affiliates of AXA S.A.
(France) [NYSE:AXA], Coliseum Reinsurance Company (Coliseum
Re) and its wholly owned subsidiaries, AXA RE Property and
Casualty Insurance Company (AXA Re P&C), AXA Corporate
Solutions Life Reinsurance (ACSLRe), which are in run off. The
outlook for these ratings is stable, and these companies are
domiciled in Wilmington, DE.
The ratings of AXA Insurance Company reflect its solid
risk-adjusted capitalization, which is supported by an extensive
reinsurance program, its favorable liquidity and enhanced strategic
importance to its ultimate parent, AXA S.A. within the overall AXA
group. The company serves as AXA group�s primary domestic insurer
of reverse flow business representing the U.S. portion of
multinational accounts generated primarily by the clients of AXA
Corporate Solutions SA and AXA Versicherung AG. AXA
Insurance Company also provides 60% quota share reinsurance
coverage for the very profitable portfolio of AXA Art Insurance
Corporation (AXA Art) (New York, NY), an affiliate, to better
utilize its capital.
Acting essentially in a fronting role, most business is
reinsured to AXA Insurance Company�s affiliates through quota share
reinsurance agreements. While heavy reliance on affiliated
reinsurance leads to high ceded underwriting leverage, the
predominant portion of the company�s outstanding reinsurance
recoverables is collateralized. The company also benefits from the
financial flexibility of the AXA group. Although operating
performance has historically been volatile and at times poor, A.M.
Best expects this performance to continue improving over the long
term based on AXA Insurance Company�s present and clearer strategy,
along with its continued reinsurance protection.
Both Coliseum Re and AXA Re P&C remain in run off. In
January 2007, AXA RE P&C entered into an aggregate quota share
agreement with Coliseum Re, its direct parent, reinsuring 100% of
the remaining net technical liabilities including any uncollectible
insurance and reinsurance. Coliseum Re continues to maintain a
solid level of capitalization and adequate liquidity relative to
its run-off activities.
ACSLRe, a run-off subsidiary of Coliseum Re, reinsures the
minimum guaranteed benefits of a closed block of variable
annuities. ACSLRe�s operating results were poor in 2008, and
capitalization declined principally because of the need to
substantially increase reserves due to falling interest rates and
sharp declines in equity market indices. AXA group made a $250
million capital contribution to Coliseum Re, which was passed
through to ACSLRe as a surplus note.
For Best�s Credit Ratings, an overview of the rating process and
rating methodologies, please visit www.ambest.com/ratings.
The principal methodologies used in determining these ratings,
including any additional methodologies and factors that may have
been considered, can be found at
www.ambest.com/ratings/methodology.
Founded in 1899, A.M. Best Company is a global full-service
credit rating organization dedicated to serving the financial and
health care service industries, including insurance companies,
banks, hospitals and health care system providers. For more
information, visit www.ambest.com.
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