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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SINGAPORE - DECEMBER 18, 2015 12:07 PM (EST)
A.M. Best has downgraded the financial strength rating to B++ (Good) from A- (Excellent) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) to “bbb+” from “a-” of ACR ReTakaful MEA B.S.C. (c) (ACR ReTakaful MEA) (Bahrain) and ACR ReTakaful Berhad (ACR ReTakaful Bhd) (Malaysia). A.M. Best has also downgraded the ICR to “bb+” from “bbb-” of ACR ReTakaful Holdings Limited (ACR ReTakaful Holdings) (United Arab Emirates). The outlook for all ratings is stable.
ACR ReTakaful Holdings was established in 2008 as a joint venture between the Dubai Islamic Investment Group (40% ownership), Khazanah Nasional Berhad (40% ownership) and ACR Capital Holdings Pte. Ltd. (20% ownership) to compete in the retakaful market through its fully owned operating entities, namely ACR ReTakaful MEA and ACR ReTakaful Bhd.
The rating actions on the two operating companies consider the limited progress made in establishing their standalone business profiles and in building their own commercially sustainable underwriting portfolios. The rating action on ACR ReTakaful Holdings considers the standard notching of holding company ratings from its major operating insurance entities.
Self-generated retakaful business volumes at both operating companies remain at low levels. There remains a high dependence on inward business from conventional affiliates in order to maintain commercially sustainable expense ratios. The claims ratios have been volatile in 2013-2014, partly due to lack of scale and spread.
At a consolidated level, both ACR ReTakaful MEA and ACR ReTakaful Bhd have strong risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), which is supportive of their ratings. At a participant fund level, both companies have significant capitalization deficiencies and are supported by Qard Hassan facilities provided by the shareholder funds.
Upward rating movement is not expected. Capital reduction as a result of shareholder fund capital repatriation would result in negative rating pressure.
Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication, and unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that communication.
This press release relates to rating(s) 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 visit A.M. Best’s Ratings & Criteria Center.
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