Industrial Alliance Ins. & FS Leads Wednesday’s AMBG as Global Insurance Index Rises 0.65%

The AMBG closed Wednesday, March 14, at 896.80 (+0.65%). Of the 15 A.M. Best stock indexes, 12 rose and three declined. Leading A.M. Best's Global Insurance Composite Index (AMBG) were Industrial Alliance Ins. & FS (+10.97%) and Legal & General Group (+7.18%). Trailing the list of global insurance stocks were Affirmative Insurance Holdings Inc. (-8.62%) and National Reinsurance Co. (-8.01%).

The European Insurance Index led the sector indexes, with the U.S. Multi-Line Insurance Index trailing the list. In descending order, the A.M. Best Insurance Stock Indexes closed at:

European Insurance Index (AMBEUR) +1.74%

Asia/Pacific Insurance Index (AMBAP) +1.39%

Global Life Insurance Index (AMBGL) +1.04%

U.S. Health and HMO Insurance Index (AMBUH) +0.90%

Global Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBGML) +0.87%

U.S. Insurance Brokers Index (AMBUB) +0.69%

Global Composite Index (AMBG) +0.65%

Global Insurance Brokers Index (AMBGB) +0.65%

Global Reinsurance Index (AMBGR) +0.59%

U.S. Life and Health/HMO Insurance Index (AMBULH) +0.25%

Global Non-Life Insurance Index (AMBGNL) +0.17%

U.S. Insurance Index (AMBUS) +0.09%

U.S. Property/Casualty Insurance Index (AMBUPC) -0.04%

U.S. Life Insurance Index (AMBUL) -0.46%

U.S. Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBUML) -0.52%

The U.S. Insurance Index (AMBUS) closed at 916.50 (+0.09%). Leading the AMBUS were Phoenix Cos. (+5.94%) and Manulife Financial (+5.92%). Trailing the AMBUS were Affirmative Insurance Holdings Inc. (-8.62%) and MetLife (-5.83%).

The European Insurance Index (AMBEUR) closed at 840.24 (+1.74%). Leading the AMBEUR were Legal & General Group (+7.18%) and Aegon N.V. (+6.29%). Trailing the AMBEUR were Euler Hermes (-1.02%) and Lancashire (-0.33%).

The Asia/Pacific Insurance Index (AMBAP) closed at 1011.61 (+1.39%). Leading the AMBAP were QBE Insurance Group Ltd. (+3.29%) and NKSJ Holdings Inc. (+3.14%). Trailing the AMBAP were National Reinsurance Co. (-8.01%) and Korean Reinsurance Co. (-2.17%).

The Global Reinsurance Index (AMBGR) closed at 1042.68 (+0.59%). Leading the AMBGR were Aegon N.V. (+6.29%) and Axa S.A. (+3.68%). Trailing the AMBGR were National Reinsurance Co. (-8.01%) and Korean Reinsurance Co. (-2.17%).

The Global Broker Index (AMBGB) closed at 1296.08 (+0.65%). Leading the AMBGB were Willis Group Holdings (+2.27%) and National Financial Partners (+0.99%). Trailing the AMBGB were Life Partners (-1.93%) and AmTrust Financial Services Inc. (-1.62%).

The Global Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBGML) closed at 557.67 (+0.87%). Leading the AMBGML were Axa S.A. (+3.68%) and Generali Deutschland Holding (+2.99%). Trailing the AMBGML were Sagicor Financial Co. (-5.75%) and Horace Mann Educators (-2.10%).

The Global Nonlife Insurance Index (AMBGNL) closed at 1219.00 (+0.17%). Leading the AMBGNL were QBE Insurance Group Ltd. (+3.29%) and NKSJ Holdings Inc. (+3.14%). Trailing the AMBGNL were Affirmative Insurance Holdings Inc. (-8.62%) and Kingsway Financial Services (-6.67%).

The Global Life Insurance Index (AMBGL) closed at 895.97 (+1.04%). Leading the AMBGL were Industrial Alliance Ins. & FS (+10.97%) and Legal & General Group (+7.18%). Trailing the AMBGL were MetLife (-5.83%) and Universal American (-5.82%).

The U.S. Property/Casualty Index (AMBUPC) closed at 1299.90 (-0.04%). Leading the AMBUPC were Montpelier Re Holdings (+2.12%) and Hallmark Financial Services (+1.81%). Trailing the AMBUPC were Affirmative Insurance Holdings Inc. (-8.62%) and Fidelity National Financial (-3.10%).

The U.S. Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBUML) closed at 206.79 (-0.52%). Leading the AMBUML were Fortegra Financial Corp. (0.00%) and American National Insurance (-0.04%). Trailing the AMBUML were Horace Mann Educators (-2.10%) and Atlantic American Corp. (-1.71%).

The U.S. Life Insurance Index (AMBUL) closed at 797.79 (-0.46%). Leading the AMBUL were Phoenix Cos. (+5.94%) and Manulife Financial (+5.92%). Trailing the AMBUL were MetLife (-5.83%) and Prudential Financial Inc. (-2.36%).

The U.S. Life and Health/HMO Insurance Index (AMBULH) closed at 1038.27 (+0.25%). Leading the AMBULH were Phoenix Cos. (+5.94%) and Manulife Financial (+5.92%). Trailing the AMBULH were MetLife (-5.83%) and Universal American (-5.82%).

The U.S. Health and HMO Index (AMBUH) closed at 1347.40 (+0.90%). Leading the AMBUH were WellPoint (+3.34%) and Cigna (+1.43%). Trailing the AMBUH were Universal American (-5.82%) and Centene Corp. (-0.37%).

The U.S. Insurance Brokers Index (AMBUB) closed at 1207.33 (+0.69%). Leading the AMBUB were Willis Group Holdings (+2.27%) and National Financial Partners (+0.99%). Trailing the AMBUB were Life Partners (-1.93%) and AmTrust Financial Services Inc. (-1.62%).

Performance rankings of companies in each A.M. Best insurance sector index are published weekly in BestWeek.

The A.M. Best stock indexes cover 178 publicly traded insurance companies and brokers. Index values are calculated by Dow Jones Indexes in U.S. dollars. Companies in the A.M. Best stock indexes include insurers and insurance-related organizations with credit ratings from A.M. Best, along with brokers. A.M. Best does not provide investment recommendations. A listing of companies in each A.M. Best Index is available at http://www.ambest.com/stocks.