CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Fitch Ratings has affirmed the ratings of RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: RNR) and its subsidiaries, including the Issuer Default Rating (IDR) for RNR at 'A', and the Insurer Financial Strength (IFS) rating of Renaissance Reinsurance Ltd. at 'A+'. The Rating Outlook is Stable. A complete list of ratings is provided at the end of the release.

Fitch's rationale for the affirmation of RNR's ratings reflects the company's continued strong leadership position in the property catastrophe reinsurance market, RNR's reasonable operating and financial leverage and overall high quality and liquid portfolio of fixed-income and short-term investments. The ratings also reflect the competitive, but improved property catastrophe market rate environment, volatile underwriting results and potential volatility from the company's alternative investments.

Fitch views RNR's year-to-year underwriting profitability and returns on capital as volatile, but the effect of this volatility on the company's ratings is mitigated somewhat by RNR's low combined ratios and strong returns on capital over extended periods of time. Fitch considers this as an important factor supporting the company's ratings and as evidence of the company's underwriting and catastrophe modeling skills.

RNR recorded net income of $201 million for the first three months of 2012, improved from a $92 million net loss for full year 2011 due to light catastrophe losses thus far in 2012. As a result, RNR posted a much improved GAAP calendar year combined ratio of 29.4% for the first three months of 2012, compared to 118.6% for full year 2011, which included 85.4 points for catastrophe losses from the Japanese and New Zealand earthquakes, Thailand floods, U.S. tornadoes, aggregate loss contracts, Hurricane Irene, and Australian flooding. Excluding the impact of significant catastrophes and favorable reserve development, RNR's combined ratio for the first three months of 2012 was 49.4%, up slightly from 47.1% for full year 2011.

Fitch believes that RNR has a leading position in the property catastrophe reinsurance market derived largely from the company's ability to provide consistent capacity in the marketplace and its ability to effectively underwrite and price catastrophe-related risks. RNR uses a proprietary model in conjunction with vendor models in its underwriting and risk evaluation process and Fitch views RNR's property catastrophe underwriters as having a demonstrated record of expertise.

RNR has been able to take advantage of the more recent favorable market conditions in its core property catastrophe reinsurance business following the significant catastrophe losses in 2011. Through the first three months of 2012, the company's total gross and net premiums written both increased by 9% over the comparable prior year period. Excluding the impact of the sizable reinstatement premiums in 2011, growth in gross premiums written was much more pronounced at almost 34% for the first quarter of 2012.

Fitch believes that RNR's capital position provides an adequate cushion against the operational and financial risks the company faces. RNR utilizes a reasonable amount of operating leverage with a ratio of net premiums written to shareholders' equity of 0.2x-0.3x in recent periods, which is low compared to the overall reinsurance industry, but in line with those of other reinsurers with property catastrophe concentrations. To the extent that the premium rate environment continues to improve, Fitch expects RNR's operating leverage to increase somewhat, although it is not expected to exceed 0.5x.

Fitch considers RNR to use a moderate amount of financial leverage in its capital structure, with an equity-credit adjusted financial leverage ratio of 12.7% at March 31, 2012, down from 13.6% at Dec. 31, 2011.

Key rating triggers that could lead to a downgrade include significant deterioration in RNR's historically strong profitability, as demonstrated by sustained underwriting losses or adverse investment portfolio results, material weakening in the company's current balance sheet strength, as measured by net premiums written to shareholders' equity above 0.5x or equity-credit adjusted financial leverage above 25%, and a catastrophe event loss that is 25% or more of shareholders' equity.

Fitch considers a rating upgrade to be unlikely in the near term due to the earnings and capital volatility inherent in the company's property catastrophe reinsurance focus. Key rating triggers that could lead to an upgrade over the long term include continued favorable underwriting results relative to other property catastrophe reinsurers and comparably rated property/casualty (re)insurer peers, improvement in RNR's competitive position in profitable market segments outside of property catastrophe reinsurance, including its specialty reinsurance and Lloyd's business, and material risk adjusted capital growth.

Fitch affirms the following ratings with a Stable Outlook:

RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd.

--Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'A';

--$100 million 5.875% senior notes due 2013 at 'A-';

--$250 million 6.08% series C preferred stock at 'BBB';

--$300 million 6.6% series D preferred stock at 'BBB'.

RenRe North America Holdings, Inc.

--$250 million 5.75% senior notes due 2020 at 'A-'.

Renaissance Reinsurance Ltd.

--IFS at 'A+'.

Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'. The ratings above were unsolicited and have been provided by Fitch as a service to investors.

Applicable Criteria and Related Research:

--'Insurance Rating Methodology' (Sept. 22, 2011).

Applicable Criteria and Related Research:

Insurance Rating Methodology

http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=651018

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Fitch Ratings
Primary Analyst
Brian C. Schneider, CPA, CPCU, ARe
Senior Director
+1-312-606-2321
Fitch, Inc.
70 W. Madison Street
Chicago, IL 60602
or
Secondary Analyst
Greg Dickerson
Director
+1-212-908-0220
or
Committee Chairperson
Julie A. Burke, CPA, CFA
Managing Director
+1-312-368-3158
or
Media Relations
Brian Bertsch
+1-212-908-0549
brian.bertsch@fitchratings.com

Source: Fitch Ratings