A.M. Best Places U.S. Insurers’ Credit Ratings Under Review Following Updated Best’s Credit Rating Methodology Release

OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A.M. Best has placed a number of Credit Ratings (ratings) under review following the release of the updated Best’s Credit Rating Methodology (BCRM). The BCRM is a reorganization of the global credit rating methodology for (re)insurance companies. A.M. Best will continue to assess the companies listed below under the updated BCRM, and will complete any corresponding rating updates in the near term.

The Financial Strength Ratings and Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings have been placed under review with positive implications for the following companies:

Allstate Corp. Companies–

• Allstate Assurance Company
• Allstate County Mutual Insurance Company
• Allstate Fire & Casualty Insurance Company
• American Heritage Life Insurance Company
• Allstate Indemnity Company
• Allstate Insurance Company
• Allstate Life Insurance Company
• Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York
• Allstate North American Insurance Company
• Allstate Northbrook Indemnity Company
• Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company
• Allstate Texas Lloyd's
• Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Company
• Encompass Home and Auto Insurance Company
• Encompass Indemnity Company
• Encompass Independent Insurance Company
• Encompass Insurance Company of America
• Encompass Insurance Company of Massachusetts
• Encompass Insurance Company
• Encompass Property and Casualty Company
• Esurance Insurance Company
• Esurance Property and Casualty Insurance Company
• North Light Specialty Insurance Company
• The Allstate Corporation*

American Family Companies—

• American Family Insurance Company
• American Family Life Insurance Company
• American Family Mutual Insurance Company, S.I.
• American Standard Insurance Company of Ohio
• American Standard Insurance Company of Wisconsin
• The General Automobile Insurance Company, Inc.
• Homesite Indemnity Company
• Homesite Insurance Company of California
• Homesite Insurance Company of Florida
• Homesite Insurance Company of Georgia
• Homesite Insurance Company of Illinois
• Homesite Insurance Company of New York
• Homesite Insurance Company of the Midwest
• Homesite Insurance Company
• Homesite Lloyd's of Texas
• Midvale Indemnity Company
• Permanent General Assurance Corporation of Ohio
• Permanent General Assurance Corporation

Other Companies—

• California Casualty Compensation Insurance Company
• Eastern Dentists Insurance Company (A Dental Society Risk Retention Group)
• Great Plains Casualty, Inc

*This company is a holding company; therefore, it does not have a Financial Strength Rating. The Long- and Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings for this company also have been placed under review with positive implications.

The Financial Strength Ratings and Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings have been placed under review with negative implications for the following companies:

Amica Mutual Companies—

• Amica Mutual Insurance Company
• Amica Property & Casualty Insurance Company

Andover Companies—

• Bay State Insurance Company
• Cambridge Mutual Fire Insurance Company
• Merrimack Mutual Fire Insurance Company

EmblemHealth Companies—

• ConnectiCare, Inc.
• Group Health Incorporated
• Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York
• HIP Insurance Company of New York

Farm Bureau of Idaho Companies—

• Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Idaho
• Western Community Insurance Company

NYCM Companies—

• A. Central Insurance Company
• New York Central Mutual Fire Insurance Company

Philadelphia Contributionship Companies—

• Germantown Insurance Company
• The Philadelphia Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire, Inc.
• Philadelphia Contributionship Insurance Company

Other Companies—

• American Fidelity Life Insurance Company
• AvMed, Inc.
• Baltimore Equitable Society
• Knights of Columbus
• Multinational Insurance Company
• Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia
• Otsego Mutual Fire Insurance Company
• Specialty Risk of America
• Trans World Assurance Company
• Triple-S Propiedad, Inc.
• West Virginia Mutual Insurance Company

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on A.M. Best’s website.

For all 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 A.M. Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Understanding Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper media use of Best’s Credit Ratings and A.M. Best press releases, please view Guide for Media - Proper Use of Best’s Credit Ratings and A.M. Best Rating Action Press Releases.

A.M. Best is the world’s oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright © 2017 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171013005511/en/

A.M. Best

Stefan Holzberger, +1 908-439-2200, ext. 5380

Chief Rating Officer

stefan.holzberger@ambest.com

or

Christopher Sharkey, +1 908-439-2200, ext. 5159

Manager, Public Relations

christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

or

Jim Peavy, +1 908-439-2200, ext. 5644

Director, Public Relations

james.peavy@ambest.com

Source: A.M. Best