All Four Rating Agencies Affirm New York Life’s Financial Strength Ratings, with Stable Outlook

A.M. Best, Fitch, Moody’s and S&P Cite Superior Capitalization, Market Leadership, Mutuality and Career Agency System as Strengths

New York Life Continues to Hold the Highest Possible Ratings for Financial Strength Currently Awarded to Any Life Insurer from All Four of the Major Rating Agencies

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- New York Life, America’s largest mutual life insurer, today announced that over the summer, all four major rating agencies have affirmed the company’s highest possible ratings for financial strength, with a stable outlook.

Fitch Ratings affirmed the company’s financial strength rating of AAA, its highest possible rating, on August 11, 2015. Earlier this month, on August 6, Moody’s affirmed its highest financial strength rating, Aaa, on New York Life. Also, this past July, A.M. Best affirmed its A++ (superior) financial strength rating on New York Life, its highest possible rating, and Standard & Poor’s affirmed New York Life’s top rating for life insurers in June. All four rating agencies maintained their stable outlook on New York Life’s ratings.

New York Life remains one of only two life insurers with the highest financial strength ratings currently awarded by all four of the major rating agencies, out of 800 life insurers operating in the United States today.

Among the highlights from the major rating agencies’ comments in affirming New York Life’s ratings are:

Fitch Ratings – Rating of AAA (highest) affirmed August 11, 2015

• Market leadership in life insurance and leading writer of guaranteed income annuities;
• Extremely strong capital;
• Conservative product profile;
• Consistently solid operating earnings;
• Strong brand recognition;
• Effective career distribution system; and
• Enhanced operating scale of its whole life business with acquisition of John Hancock Financial’s closed block of primarily participating whole life insurance policies.

Moody’s Investors Service – Rating of Aaa (highest) affirmed August 6, 2015

• Leading position in U.S. life insurance market;
• Productive and well-established career agency distribution force;
• Strong underwriting skills;
• Robust and resilient balance sheets; and
• Well diversified investment portfolio, strong liquidity and outstanding capitalization.

A.M. Best – Rating of A++ (highest) affirmed July 1, 2015

• Leading market position in the U.S. life insurance industry;
• Strength of its career agency distribution force;
• Excellent risk-adjusted capitalization;
• Favorable liability profile;
• Consistent operating earnings;
• Commitment to mutuality; and
• Competitive advantage of its core career agency force.

Standard & Poor’s – Rating of AA+ (highest for life insurers) affirmed June 24, 2015

• Excellent business risk profile which is complemented by an extremely strong financial risk profile;
• Very strong competitive position, reflecting its widely recognizable brand and significant controlled distribution;
• The company’s career agency force with significant size, market penetration and productivity;
• Extremely strong capital adequacy and strong earnings;
• Strong enterprise risk management; and
• Mutual status.

For the agencies’ complete and current public commentary on New York Life, click here:

• A.M. Best
• Fitch
• Moody’s
• Standard & Poor’s

New York Life Insurance Company, a Fortune 100 company founded in 1845, is the largest mutual life insurance company in the United States* and one of the largest life insurers in the world. New York Life has the highest possible financial strength ratings currently awarded to any life insurer from all four of the major credit rating agencies: A.M. Best (A++), Fitch (AAA), Moody’s Investors Service (Aaa), Standard & Poor’s (AA+).** Headquartered in New York City, New York Life’s family of companies offers life insurance, retirement income, investments and long-term care insurance. New York Life Investments*** provides institutional asset management. Other New York Life affiliates provide an array of securities products and services, as well as retail mutual funds. Please visit New York Life’s website at www.newyorklife.com for more information.

*Based on revenue as reported by “Fortune 500 ranked within Industries, Insurance: Life, Health (Mutual),” Fortune magazine, 6/15/15. For methodology, please see http://fortune.com/fortune500/. 
**Individual independent rating agency commentary as of 8/11/15. 
***New York Life Investments is a service mark used by New York Life Investment Management Holdings LLC and its subsidiary, New York Life Investment Management LLC.

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New York Life

William Werfelman, 212-576-5385

[email protected]

or

Sloane & Company

John Hartz, 857-598-4779

[email protected]

Source: New York Life