December 6, 2024 Reinsurance

AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Orion Reinsurance (Bermuda) Ltd.

Business Wire

MEXICO CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B+ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb-” (Good) of Orion Reinsurance (Bermuda) Ltd. (Orion Re) (Hamilton, Bermuda). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect Orion Re’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

The ratings also reflect the company’s very strong risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), and the expertise of its management team. Partially offsetting these positive rating factors is the size of the company, which limits business diversification given the inherent concentration risk, and the sensitivity of the BCAR to changes in Orion Re’s balance sheet structure, and to the composition of the business portfolio.

Orion Re was founded in December 2004 and is licensed by the Bermuda Monetary Authority to act as a class III insurer without restrictions of any kind in its class. Orion Re’s main line of business is difference in conditions insurance, but the company also retains specific life and non-life insurance business. Orion Re has experience and recognition in the public services industry, as well as strategic alliances to support recognized Latin American reinsurers.

As of December 2023, Mexico represented 44% of the company’s gross written premium, with the rest distributed in 13 other countries, primarily throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Premium sufficiency was achieved in 2023, and Orion Re has maintained profitable bottom-line results during most years. Results are expected to improve as the business expansion plan takes place, supported by income from the Rent-a-Captive business, which has presented a consistent flow over the past years.

As of June 2024, the company posted USD 121,795 in net income, and the loss ratio stood at 36%, reflecting the management’s efforts to contain its claims.

Orion Re’s risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by BCAR, has shown improvement since 2019, mainly due to a more conservative approach in the investment policies, which has reduced asset risk. However, due to the company’s size and operation, the scores are sensitive to changes in its balance sheet structure, and the composition of Orion Re’s business portfolio.

Positive rating actions could take place with consistent strengthening of the company's balance sheet, supported by a successful development of the business strategy. Negative rating actions could occur if premium growth, changes in the asset structure and/or underwriting risk profile or deteriorating operating results reduce risk-adjusted capitalization to a level that no longer supports the ratings.

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 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.