A.M. Best Affirms Ratings of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company, Limited

HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of A+ (Superior) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “aa” of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company, Limited (MSI) (Japan). A.M. Best also has affirmed the FSR of A+ (Superior) and ICR of “aa” for the U.S. subsidiary entities of MSI: Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company of America (New York, NY) and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance USA Inc. (New York, NY), whose pooled results compose Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group. The outlook for all ratings is stable.

The ratings reflect MSI’s superior risk-adjusted capitalization, business profile and growing overseas business.

MSI’s capitalization has remained at a strong level over the past five years, although its risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by the Japanese solvency margin ratio and Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), deteriorated in fiscal years 2007 and 2008. MSI’s Japanese equity exposures, which share more than 30% of MSI’s invested assets, caused volatility with the deteriorating trend in capitalization. As MSI continued to reduce the equity exposures with the further enhancement of enterprise risk management (ERM), A.M. Best expects that MSI’s risk-based capitalization will show a favorable trend with lower volatility in the mid term.

MSI expects top-line growth through leveraging Sumitomo Life’s sales channels in fiscal year 2010. In addition, as a major subsidiary of MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings, Inc, which is the largest non-life insurance holding company in terms of premium income in Japan, MSI will further enhance its business profile.

MSI plans to expand its overseas operations continuously, especially in the Asian and European markets. The company maintains one of the largest overseas networks among the Japanese non-life insurance companies. The overseas business will continue to grow in absolute volume as well as constitute a higher portion of the consolidated revenue of MSI going forward.

Partially offsetting these positive rating factors are weak underwriting profitability in the domestic non-life portfolio, the stagnant Japanese non-life market and the volatility in the investment market.

The principal methodology used in determining these ratings is Best’s Credit Rating Methodology -- Global Life and Non-Life Insurance Edition, which provides a comprehensive explanation of A.M. Best’s rating process and highlights the different rating criteria employed. Additional key criteria utilized include: “Risk Management and the Rating Process for Insurance Companies”; “Understanding BCAR for Property/Casualty Insurers”; and “Understanding Universal BCAR.” Methodologies can be found at www.ambest.com/ratings/methodology.

Founded in 1899, A.M. Best Company is the world's oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

A.M. Best Co.Austin Sanghoon Oh, +852-2827-3404
Senior Financial Analyst
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or
Moungmo Lee, +852-2827-3402
General Manager
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orRachelle Morrow, +(1) 908 439 2200, ext. 5378
Senior Manager, Public Relations
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orJim Peavy, +(1) 908 439 2200, ext. 5644
Assistant Vice President, Public Relations
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