A.M. Best Upgrades Issuer Credit Rating of West Bend Mutual Insurance Company

Business Wire

OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A.M. Best has upgraded the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) to “a+” from “a” and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) of West Bend Mutual Insurance Company (West Bend) (West Bend, WI). The outlook of the Long-Term ICR has been revised to stable from positive, while the outlook of the FSR remains stable.

The Credit Ratings (ratings) reflect West Bend’s balance sheet strength, which A.M. Best categorizes as strongest, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

The upgrade of the Long-Term ICR considers West Bend’s strict underwriting guidelines and strong claims handling practices leading to strong underwriting over the past five-year period, which have outperformed the commercial casualty composite. Furthermore, consistent reserving practices have resulted in favorable calendar and accident-year development trends. Partially offsetting factors include modest volatility, earlier in the past 10-year period, and average pre-tax return measures that are lagging the composite. Although West Bend has a spread of underwriting risk in multiple states, there is concentration within the Midwest United States, most notably in its state of domicile, Wisconsin.

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.

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A.M. Best

Janet Hernandez

Senior Financial Analyst

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5767

[email protected]

or

Richard Attanasio

Senior Director

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5432

[email protected]

or

Christopher Sharkey

Manager, Public Relations

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159

[email protected]

or

Jim Peavy

Director, Public Relations

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5644

[email protected]