AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of MAPFRE México, S.A.

MEXICO CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent), the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a+” (Excellent) and the Mexico National Scale Rating of “aaa.MX” (Exceptional) of MAPFRE México, S.A. (MM) (Mexico City, Mexico). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

MM is a member of MAPFRE S.A., which on a consolidated basis has a balance sheet strength that AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its strong operating performance, favorable business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).

MM’s ratings also reflect its strategic importance to and alignment with MAPFRE Internacional S.A., as well as the synergies and operating efficiencies derived from being a group member of MAPFRE S.A., the leading insurer in Spain.

MM’s ratings are derived from its solid risk-adjusted capitalization and underwriting strategy, as well as its competitive position in Mexico’s insurance industry and appropriate ERM practices. Partially offsetting these positive rating factors are uncertain prospective opportunities for growth in Mexico’s unwinding economy that has been slowing since 2018.

MM operates as a composite insurer of life and non-life business and ranks among the top 10 largest insurers in Mexico, based on gross written premium (GWP).

MM’s GWP has presented stable growth after adjusting for the biannual property-liabilities policy of Petróleos Mexicanos, a state-owned oil and gas company that MM started underwriting in 2015 and renewed in 2019, 2021 and 2023 the latter for more than USD 676 million.

Despite underwriting losses since 2021 driven by life business, MM continues adjustments in claims controls and pricing done within its main segments, in conjunction with contained acquisition expenses. Financial income continued to influence the net result positively, which for 2022 was MXN 278 million.

The very strong assessment for MM’s balance sheet strength, as measured on a consolidated basis, remains slightly dependent upon dividend payments to its holding company. In the medium term, AM Best expects MM’s continued fine-tuning in underwriting strategy to enhance net results, and therefore, the continued expansion of its capital base.

MM’s ERM practices are well-established and implemented throughout the company and closely follow those set by MAPFRE S.A. This integration has benefited the company’s implementation of Mexico’s Solvency II-type regulations.

If there are negative rating actions on the MAPFRE group, as a result of a sustained decline in operating performance below, AM Best’s expectation for the strong assessment level, or a sustained deterioration in MAPFRE S.A.’s consolidated risk-adjusted capitalization, the ratings of MM would mirror those same actions.

A change in AM Best’s perception regarding the actual or perceived level of MM’s strategic importance to the MAPFRE group also could impact the company’s ratings.

The methodology used in determining these ratings is Best’s Credit Rating Methodology (Version Nov. 13, 2020), which provides a comprehensive explanation of AM Best’s rating process and contains the different rating criteria employed in the rating process. Best’s Credit Rating Methodology can be found at www.ambest.com/ratings/methodology.

Key insurance criteria reports utilized:

• AM Best´s Ratings On a National Scale (Version June 15, 2023)

• Available Capital & Holding Company Analysis (Version Oct. 13, 2017)

• Catastrophe Analysis in AM Best Ratings (Version March 10, 2023)

• Evaluating Country Risk (Version May 4, 2023)

• Scoring and Assessing Innovation (Feb. 27, 2023)

• Understanding Global BCAR (Version July 6, 2023)

View a general description of the policies and procedures used to determine credit ratings. For information on the meaning of ratings, structure, voting and the committee process for determining the ratings and monitoring activities, relevant sources of information and the frequency for updating ratings, please refer to Guide to Best’s Credit Ratings.

• Previous Rating Date: Oct. 19, 2022

• Initial Rating Date: Oct. 22, 1999

• Date Range of Financial Data Used: Dec. 31, 2017-Dec. 31, 2022

Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication. Unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that communication.

This press release relates to rating(s) that have been published on AM Best's website. For additional 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.

If the ratings referred in this press release do not indicate a specific country suffix, it is understood that they are granted globally and not on a national scale.

AM Best does not validate or certify the information provided by the client in order to issue a credit rating.

While the information obtained from the material source(s) is believed to be reliable, its accuracy is not guaranteed. AM Best does not audit the company’s financial records or statements, or otherwise independently verify the accuracy and reliability of the information; therefore, AM Best cannot attest as to the accuracy of the information provided.

AM Best’s credit ratings are independent and objective opinions, not statements of fact. AM Best is not an Investment Advisor, does not offer investment advice of any kind, nor does the company or its Ratings Analysts offer any form of structuring or financial advice. AM Best’s credit opinions are not recommendations to buy, sell or hold securities, or to make any other investment decisions. View our entire notice for complete details.

AM Best receives compensation for interactive rating services provided to organizations that it rates. AM Best may also receive compensation from rated entities for non-rating related services or products offered by AM Best. AM Best does not offer consulting or advisory services. AM Best keeps certain activities of its business units separate from each other to preserve the independence and objectivity of their respective activities. As a result, certain business units of AM Best may have information that is not available to other AM Best business units. AM Best has established policies and procedures to maintain the confidentiality of certain confidential (non-public) information received in connection with each analytical process. For more information regarding AM Best’s rating process, including handling of confidential (non-public) information, independence, and avoidance of conflicts of interest, please read the AM Best Code of Conduct. 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 specializing 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.

src="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=bwnewssty=20231018805455r1sid=acqr8distro=nxlang=en" style="width:0;height:0" />

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231018805455/en/

Salvador Smith
Senior Financial Analyst

+52 55 9085 7506

[email protected]

Christopher Sharkey
Associate Director, Public Relations

+1 908 882 2310

[email protected]

Eli Sanchez
Director, Analytics

+52 55 9085 7503

[email protected]

Al Slavin
Senior Public Relations Specialist

+1 908 882 2318

[email protected]

Source: AM Best