A.M. Best Upgrades Ratings of Eastern Re Ltd. S.P.C.

OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A.M. Best Co. has upgraded the financial strength rating to A (Excellent) from A- (Excellent) and issuer credit rating to “a” from “a-“ of Eastern Re Ltd. S.P.C. (Eastern Re) (Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands). The outlook for both ratings remains stable.

The ratings recognize Eastern Re’s strategic affiliation with the holding company, Eastern Insurance Holdings, Inc. (EIHI) [NASDAQ: EIHI], its historically profitable operating results and sound stand-alone capitalization. These positive rating factors are partially offset by Eastern Re’s exclusive reliance on EIHI for production of all of its business, as well as the mono-line orientation of Eastern Re, which primarily acts as a workers’ compensation reinsurer.

Eastern Re is a segregated portfolio company, or cell captive, whose general cell is a wholly owned subsidiary of EIHI, which also indirectly owns the Eastern Alliance Insurance Group (EAIG). EAIG consists of Eastern Alliance Insurance Company, Allied Eastern Indemnity Company and Eastern Advantage Assurance Company, all Pennsylvania-domiciled workers’ compensation insurance companies, and Employers Security Insurance Company, an Indiana-domiciled workers’ compensation insurance company, all of which produce business through regional agents. These insurance companies, which are the non-life risk-bearing entities of EIHI, provide both fronting capabilities and reinsurance protection to Eastern Re. Eastern Re also utilizes the expertise of Employers Alliance Inc., a Pennsylvania-domiciled insurance services provider and member of EAIG that acts as the third party administrator and provides services for all of the cells of Eastern Re.

Eastern Re issues preferred shares to its cell owners, which are agent or group captives that purchase workers’ compensation coverage from EIHI. These agent and group captives participate in the profits and losses of the cell for which they are the owners. This dynamic provides added incentive to the agent or group captive to prevent adverse selection for the business being assumed by Eastern Re.

A.M. Best remains the leading rating agency of captive insurers rating a wide variety of more than 200 captives in the United States and throughout the world.

For current Best’s Credit Ratings and independent data on the captive and alternative insurance market, please visit www.ambest.com/captive.

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”; “Rating Members of Insurance Groups”; and “A.M. Best’s Ratings & the Treatment of Debt.” 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 Company
Thomas Herriger, 908-439-2200, ext. 5375
Senior Financial Analyst
thomas.herriger@ambest.com
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Steven Chirico, CPA, 908-439-2200, ext. 5087
Assistant Vice President
steven.chirico@ambest.com
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Rachelle Morrow, 908-439-2200, ext. 5378
Senior Manager, Public Relations
rachelle.morrow@ambest.com
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Jim Peavy, 908-439-2200, ext. 5644
Assistant Vice President, Public Relations
james.peavy@ambest.com