Best’s News & Research Service - September 26, 2018 03:28 PM (EDT)
A.M. Best Assigns Credit Ratings to Ategrity Specialty Holdings LLC and Its Subsidiaries
- September 26, 2018 03:28 PM (EDT)
Oldwick //BestWire// - A.M. Best has assigned a Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) of “a-” to Ategrity Specialty Insurance Company (ASIC) and Sequentis Reinsurance Company Limited (Sequentis Re). Concurrently, A.M. Best has assigned a Long-Term ICR of “bbb-” to their holding company, Ategrity Specialty Holdings LLC (Ategrity). The outlook assigned to all Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. The Long-Term ICR of Ategrity is based on the operating companies’ Long-Term ICRs, as outlined in Best’s Credit Rating Methodology (BCRM). Both Ategrity and ASIC are domiciled in Delaware, USA, while Sequentis Re is domiciled in Hamilton, Bermuda.
The ratings reflect Ategrity’s balance sheet strength, which A.M. Best categorizes as very strong, as well as its adequate projected operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).
Ategrity’s very strong balance sheet assessment is based on a capitalization level that meets A.M. Best’s stringent requirements for newly formed companies, supportive projected risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), and a clearly-defined business plan, which contemplates a reasonable degree of execution risk as a newly formed company. A portion of the company’s assets will be managed by Zimmer Partners, LP, a multibillion-dollar investment advisor based in New York that is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Ategrity – through its U.S. operating subsidiary, ASIC – intends to write excess and surplus lines of business and is projecting strong underwriting profitability, supplemented by healthy investment income, generated by its investment portfolio. As with any start-up company, Ategrity’s operating profitability depends on senior management’s ability to execute the company’s business plan. Negative rating pressure could occur if Ategrity’s operating performance is weak or materially below projections and if the company experiences significant underwriting or investment losses, which could contribute to an overall deterioration in risk-adjusted capitalization. Based on the projections provided by the company, overall anticipated operating performance is assessed as adequate by A.M. Best.
Ategrity will initially exhibit a limited business profile while its operations mature; however, the company’s seasoned senior management team plans to leverage its strong existing industry relationships to grow the business conservatively and consistently. Additionally, Ategrity has developed a formal ERM program, which, while not yet tested, is deemed to be appropriate for the company’s business model and anticipated risk profile.
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. For information on the proper media use of Best’s Credit Ratings and A.M. Best press releases, please view Guide for Media - Proper Use of Best’s Credit Ratings and A.M. Best Rating Action Press Releases.
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