AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Delvag Versicherungs-AG

AMSTERDAM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a-” (Excellent) of Delvag Versicherungs-AG (Delvag) (Germany). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect Delvag’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its strong operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. The ratings also reflect a rating drag due to the company’s association with its financially weaker parent, Deutsche Lufthansa Aktiengesellschaft (Lufthansa).

Delvag is the captive insurer for Lufthansa, a global aviation group domiciled in Germany.

The captive’s balance sheet strength is underpinned by its risk-adjusted capitalisation, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), which remained at the strongest level at year-end 2022. AM Best expects the captive’s prospective risk-adjusted capitalisation to be maintained at the strongest level further supported by a profit and loss absorption agreement with Lufthansa, which provides Delvag with added balance sheet protection. The balance sheet strength assessment also factors in Delvag’s conservative and prudent reserving practices, as well as its good liquidity profile. A partly offsetting rating factor is Delvag’s moderately high dependence on reinsurance to protect its aviation fleet business. However, the associated credit risk is mitigated by the use of a financially strong and diverse reinsurance panel.

Delvag has a good historical earnings track record, as demonstrated by a five-year weighted average operating ratio of 65% (2018-2022), as calculated by AM Best, supported by a good balance of underwriting and investment income. Delvag recorded a strong technical performance in 2022 tied to a low claims experience, as demonstrated by a combined ratio of 72%, as calculated by AM Best, which was below the five-year weighted average combined ratio of 83% (2018-2022). The company has undertaken remedial actions since 2020 on underperforming lines of business and partial discontinuation of non-group-related reinsurance business.

Delvag’s profile is enhanced by its strategic importance to and integration within the Lufthansa group. It continues to leverage its expertise in the aviation and transport sectors to write a book of third-party business alongside its core Lufthansa portfolio.

AM Best remains the leading rating agency of alternative risk transfer entities, with more than 200 such vehicles rated throughout the world. For current Best’s Credit Ratings and independent data on the captive and alternative risk transfer insurance market, please visit www.ambest.com/captive.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM 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 AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright © 2023 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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Morgane Hillebrandt
Senior Financial Analyst

+31 20 308 5422

[email protected]

Dr. Angela Yeo
Senior Director, Analytics

+31 20 308 5421

[email protected]

Christopher Sharkey
Associate Director, Public Relations

+1 908 882 2310

[email protected]

Al Slavin
Senior Public Relations Specialist

+1 908 822 2318

[email protected]

Source: AM Best