Best’s News & Research Service - March 26, 2020 08:14 AM (EDT)
AM Best Revises Outlooks to Negative for McMillan-Warner Mutual Insurance Company
- March 26, 2020 08:14 AM (EDT)
Oldwick //BestWire// - AM Best has revised the outlooks to negative from stable and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb” of McMillan-Warner Mutual Insurance Company (MWM) (Marshfield, WI).
The Credit Ratings (ratings) reflect MWM’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best categorizes as strong, as well as its marginal operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).
The negative outlooks reflect MWM’s continued volatility in underwriting performance, which has occasionally impacted growth in policyholders’ surplus. Recent management initiatives such as enhanced loss control efforts and tightened underwriting standards have improved underwriting results in typical years. However, years with more weather-related catastrophe events than expected continue to influence the company’s operating performance, creating pressure on the ERM building block assessment.
The strong balance sheet strength assessment is supported by risk-adjusted capitalization at the strongest level. Positive growth in policyholders’ surplus over the past five years has been partially offset by limited financial flexibility and scale of operations. The marginal operating performance assessment reflects operating results that are historically driven by persistent underwriting losses, somewhat offset by solid investment performance. MWM’s limited business profile assessment is driven largely by its geographic concentration in Wisconsin, which exposes results to frequent and severe weather-related events, as well as potential judicial, economic or regulatory challenges.
This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM 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 AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper media use of Best’s Credit Ratings and AM Best press releases, please view Guide for Media - Proper Use of Best’s Credit Ratings and AM Best Rating Action Press Releases.
AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in New York, London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City.