AM Best Assigns Credit Ratings to PURE Specialty Exchange

OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
AM Best has assigned a Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) and a Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a” (Excellent) to PURE Specialty Exchange (PSE) (Scottsdale, AZ). The outlook assigned to these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

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

The ratings also consider the implicit and explicit support provided by its affiliate, Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc. and its lead insurance operating company, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.

The very strong balance sheet assessment reflects PSE’s strongest level of risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), on a pro forma basis for an expected initial capitalization via surplus notes issued by PSE to Privilege Underwriters, Inc. AM Best expects PSE’s risk-adjusted capitalization to remain within the strongest category with additional positive assessment factors contributing, including financial flexibility, quality of assets and its conservative investment portfolio. Partially offsetting these strengths is PSE’s exposure to catastrophe losses, expected reliance on reinsurance and an initial capital structure that is comprised entirely of surplus notes issued by PSE to Privilege Underwriters, Inc. The reliance on surplus notes is expected to gradually decrease over time due to organic surplus growth via member surplus contributions and operating profitability.

AM Best assesses the company’s operating performance as adequate based on PSE’s projections and the fact that the anticipated writings and associated historical loss ratios are well known to the company. AM Best views the company’s business profile as limited given that PSE is a startup entity and will be geographically concentrated in New York, California, South Carolina, North Carolina and Massachusetts. PSE’s ERM capabilities benefit from overall framework developed at the ultimate parent level.

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.

Copyright © 2022 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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Edin Imsirovic
Associate Director

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5740

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Greg Williams
Senior Director

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Christopher Sharkey
Manager, Public Relations

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Jeff Mango
Managing Director,

Strategy Communications

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Source: AM Best