MEXICO CITY–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a-” (Excellent) of Virginia Surety Seguros de México S.A. de C.V. (VSSM) (Mexico City, Mexico). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is positive. AM Best also has affirmed the Mexico National Scale Rating (NSR) of “aaa.MX” (Exceptional) of VSSM. The outlook of the NSR is stable.
The ratings reflect VSSM’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 positive outlooks reflect the company’s consistent reinforcement of its strong balance sheet strength while maintaining the strongest level of risk-adjusted capitalization on a consolidated basis, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), underpinned by positive bottom-line results in conjunction with strategies to become more efficient.
The company’s balance sheet strength has been assessed at a strong level since it began operations in Mexico. The ratings of VSSM also factor its recent affiliation and strategic importance to Assurant, Inc., the ultimate parent, as well as its risk-adjusted capitalization at the strongest level, as measured by BCAR.
VSSM is a subsidiary of Virginia Surety Company, Inc., a general underwriting entity part of The Warranty Group, Inc. In 2017, The Warranty Group, Inc. completed a merger agreement with Assurant, Inc., with the purpose of combining insurance operations in various jurisdictions, including the operation in Mexico. VSSM started operations in Mexico in January 2017, underwriting premiums in the property/casualty segment, focused on the auto insurance line of business and other miscellaneous business lines. VSSM also underwrites specialty products, providing coverage for risks that usually are not underwritten in the traditional automobile insurance. In its miscellaneous lines of business, VSSM mainly offers coverage in case of theft or accidental damage for consumer technology products, such as cellphones, photographic and sound equipment and home appliances. VSSM places its coverage products through its network of business partners, which include manufacturers, distributors and retailers.
VSSM operates under the same management as Assurant Daños México, S.A. and Assurant Vida México, S.A., subsidiaries of Assurant, Inc. These companies operate separately but do not compete against each other; moreover, VSSM takes advantage of the operational synergies derived from being part of the Assurant group.
Factors that could lead to positive rating actions for VSSM include a sustained reinforcement of its strong balance sheet strength, underpinned by risk-adjusted capitalization at the strongest level, as measured by BCAR, and favorable results in operating performance. Conversely, negative rating actions could take place if operating performance substantially deteriorates, resulting in a decline in risk-adjusted capitalization to a level no longer supportive of the current ratings.
Negative rating actions also could occur if the subsidiaries’ parental support or its strategic importance to the group deteriorates in AM Best’s view.
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.
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Contacts
Ricardo Rodríguez
Financial Analyst
+52 55 1102 2720, ext. 139
[email protected]
Salvador Smith
Senior Financial Analyst
+52 55 1102 2720 ext. 109
[email protected]
Christopher Sharkey
Manager, Public Relations
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159
[email protected]
Al Slavin
Senior Public Relations Specialist
+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5098
[email protected]
