Best’s News & Research Service - June 16, 2023 02:37 PM (EDT)
AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Lion Reinsurance Company Limited
- June 16, 2023 02:37 PM (EDT)
Mexico City //BestWire// - AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) and Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of “a” (Excellent) of Lion Reinsurance Company Limited (Lion Re) (Bermuda). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.
Lion Re is a subsidiary of ASSA Compañía Tenedora, S.A. (ASSA Tenedora) and is owned ultimately by Grupo ASSA, S.A. (Grupo ASSA), a financial services holding company publicly traded on the Panama Stock Exchange.
The ratings reflect Lion Re´s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.
Lion Re is a Bermuda-based reinsurer assuming risks from ASSA Tenedora and affiliates for property, liability, marine, group life (short term), health and miscellaneous businesses. AM Best recognizes the strategic role that Lion Re aims to achieve in the group’s overall regional strategy; however, Lion Re’s business profile is considered limited given its accessibility to markets when compared with other commercial reinsurers.
Lion Re´s capital base is supportive of risk-adjusted capitalization being assessed at the strongest level, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), while it continues to perform an important role in ASSA Tenedora’s strategy as it consolidates operations in the Central American region, by providing reinsurance capacity.
Lion Re’s adequate operating performance results from its affiliated insurance companies in the Central American region, as well as its affiliation to Grupo ASSA, which provides synergies, operating efficiencies and guarantee support. The company consistently reviews its underwriting guidelines to improve the performance of business segments that are deviating from targets. Investment income, based on a conservative strategy, continues to support Lion Re’s results; however, the company is not dependent on this revenue to achieve positive bottom-line results.
AM Best does not foresee any positive rating actions; however, Lion Re’s strategic role within the group as well as the guaranteed support of its parent, remains paramount for the current ratings, along with the maintaining of its strongest level of risk-adjusted capitalization. Factors that could lead to negative rating actions include a material loss of capital that reduces risk-adjusted capitalization to a level that does not support the ratings, or if the strategic importance of Lion Re to the group diminishes.
The methodology used in determining these ratings is Best’s Credit Rating Methodology (Version Nov. 13, 2020), which provides a comprehensive explanation of AM Best’s rating process and contains the different rating criteria employed in the rating process. Best’s Credit Rating Methodology can be found at www.ambest.com/ratings/methodology.
Key insurance criteria reports utilized:
• Available Capital & Holding Company Analysis (Version Oct. 13, 2017)
• Catastrophe Analysis in AM Best Ratings (Version March 10, 2023)
• Evaluating Country Risk (Version May 4, 2023)
• Scoring and Assessing Innovation (Feb. 27, 2023)
• Understanding Global BCAR (Version June 30, 2022)
View a general description of the policies and procedures used to determine credit ratings. For information on the meaning of ratings, structure, voting and the committee process for determining the ratings and monitoring activities, please refer to Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings.
• Previous Rating Date: June 10, 2022
• Date Range of Financial Data Used: June 31, 2016-April 30, 2023
This press release relates to rating(s) that have been published on AM Best’s website. For additional 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.
If the ratings referred in this press release do not indicate a specific country suffix, it is understood that they are granted globally and not on a national scale.
AM Best does not validate or certify the information provided by the client in order to issue a credit rating.
While the information obtained from the material source(s) is believed to be reliable, its accuracy is not guaranteed. AM Best does not audit the company’s financial records or statements, or otherwise independently verify the accuracy and reliability of the information; therefore, AM Best cannot attest as to the accuracy of the information provided.
AM Best’s credit ratings are independent and objective opinions, not statements of fact. AM Best is not an Investment Advisor, does not offer investment advice of any kind, nor does the company or its Ratings Analysts offer any form of structuring or financial advice. AM Best’s credit opinions are not recommendations to buy, sell or hold securities, or to make any other investment decisions. View our entire notice for complete details.
AM Best receives compensation for interactive rating services provided to organizations that it rates. AM Best may also receive compensation from rated entities for non-rating related services or products offered by AM Best. AM Best does not offer consulting or advisory services. For more information regarding AM Best’s rating process, including handling of confidential (non-public) information, independence, and avoidance of conflicts of interest, please read the AM Best Code of Conduct. For information on the proper use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.
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 London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City.