Famguard questions A.M. Best downgrade

Thu, Jul 19th 2012, 09:49 AM

A recent downgrade of Family Guardian Insurance Company is the result of a "one-size-fits-all" approach, says the president of the firm's parent company Famguard Corporation Limited, as the standards of the U.S. economy are not necessary "in sync" with the situation in The Bahamas.
"The focus on mortgage loans, we felt, was out of sync with this market. Our loan concentration has actually improved when we had a rating of 'A-'," said Patricia Hermanns.
A.M Best, the top rating agency, downgraded Family Guardian by revising its financial strength from "A-" to "B++", or from excellent to good. Its issuer rating also fell down a notch. However, the rating agency has now classified the overall outlook from negative to stable.
The top executive at Famguard told Guardian Business that the BISX-listed firm's delinquency rate within the mortgage portfolio is in good standing at 7 percent, which is well below the national average of 13 percent.
Hermanns said it is unclear on what basis A.M Best focused so heavily on mortgage loans. In The Bahamas, she said, mortgage loans are often administered on a more intimate, individual basis.
This country does not have the same kind of experience as North America, she explained.
Hermanns noted that A.M Best claimed that Family Guardian's growth opportunities are limited, and yet at the same time, the rating agency acknowledged that it had achieved meaningful growth despite the harsh economic conditions.
In fact, Family Guardian recorded growth in premium income, and over the past five years achieved an annual rate of premium growth of 13 percent.
Eva Sverdlova, a senior financial analyst at A.M. Best, explained to Guardian Business from New Jersey that the limited investment market, combined with a relatively sluggish economy, could not be ignored.
Pointing out that Family Guardian's financials "are not poor", macro economic factors nevertheless placed the firm at risk, and conditions are not getting any better.
"The prolonged exposure to these risks contributed to the downgrade. It is part of a perfect storm that forced us to make that step," according to Sverdlova.
When asked if other companies in The Bahamas should be wary of a downgrade, the senior analyst said: "Probably not this year".
"I can't say for sure. There could be rating changes next year, when the annual rating comes about. It will depend mostly on the economic conditions, and the fact that in June of last year you had the downgrade to the economy. That also didn't help Family Guardian."
The A.M Best senior analyst highlighted that, for now, the insurance industry as a whole enjoys a stable outlook. The ratings are considered global, she noted, and a person looking at a Bahamian rating in the U.S. should expect it to be at the same level and standards.
While exposure in the mortgage portfolio was a strong reason for the downgrade, Sverdlova further explained that A.M. Best "does not look positively" on any concentration of assets. It noted overall performance poses a challenge to the longer-term financial results and growth opportunities.
Famguard, the parent company, was issued a rating of stable by A.M Best.

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