Privately-Owned Insurer’s Exposure to Less Liquid Bonds
Life insurers have long held a mix of assets with various liquidity profiles, from the very liquid to the
nearly illiquid. Investments with the highest liquidity include investment grade bonds (especially
government bonds), securities with a short remaining duration, and cash and cash equivalents. Less liquid securities include mortgage loans, below investment grade bonds, and alternative investments.
Prudential to Change Strategic Direction in Individual Life Insurance and Annuities
Prudential Financial Inc. (PRU) announced yesterday (September 15, 2021) that it intends to sell a large
portion of its existing variable annuity business to Fortitude Group Holdings LLC (FGH), a Bermuda based
holding company. FGH is the parent company of Fortitude Re (FRE), one of Bermuda’s largest multi-line
reinsurers.
Crusader Insurance Company Downgraded 2 Additional Pegs to B
Crusader Insurance Company (CIC), a property & casualty subsidiary of publicly-traded Unico American Corporation, was downgraded 2 pegs today by A.M. Best, from B++ (5th highest) to B (7th highest). This comes after a critical downgrade below A- two years ago (January 2019).
Principal Financial Exiting U.S. “Retail” Individual Life Insurance & Annuity Businesses
On June 28, 2021, Principal Financial Group (PFG) announced the results of a strategic review of all of its
business, which will result in the group increasing its focus on higher-growth retirement, asset management, and
group benefit business with the aim of “making it a more capital-efficient company.”
James River Insurance Company Update
On May 7, 2021 AM Best downgraded the financial strength rating of the James River Group Holdings, Ltd. insurance subsidiaries (including James River Insurance Company; JRIC)) to an “A-” (4th highest) from an “A” (3rd highest). This rating action followed AM Best’s decision to revise the group’s rating outlook from stable to negative in early March 2021.
Tower Hill Prime – A- Rating Questioned
ALIRT has always been a bit confused by Tower Hill Prime’s (THP) A- rating by AM Best, which was reissued in 2015. In 2004, the company received its first A- rating which was subsequently downgraded and removed in 2009. We note that THP’s rating was downgraded to B++ in December 2020 before being lowered again to B+ last week, with a negative outlook. It seems like history is repeating itself.
Mortality for the Life Insurance Industry in 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic significantly impacted the U.S. life insurance industry in 2020. The emergence of the
virus in late winter 2020 greatly limited economic and social activities in almost every quadrant of the country,
and virtually every government (state, federal, local) in the U.S. and other western countries took significant
actions to attempt to limit the spread of the virus.
Genworth Financial Inc. Terminates Merger Agreement with China Oceanwide
On April 6, 2021 Genworth Financial Inc. (GNW) exercised its right to terminate its merger agreement with China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co. Ltd. (CO). This ends a nearly 4½ year process, characterized by 17 extensions, the receipt of numerous regulatory approvals in the U.S., and the sale of GNW’s ownership interest in its Canadian mortgage insurance business.
Ohio National Mutual Holdings to Convert to Stock Company: Shares to be issued to Constellation Insurance Holdings
On March 23, 2021 Ohio National Mutual Holdings, Inc. (ONMH)’s Board of Directors unanimously approved a strategic transaction with Constellation Insurance Holdings Inc. (CIH). The transaction includes the sponsored demutualization of ONMH to a stockholder owned company, and the issuance of all its newly issued stock to CIH.
Prudential plc to “Demerge” Jackson National; Jackson National RBC Ratio Changes
U.K.-based Prudential Plc (PRUplc) made several announcements last week (January 28, 2021), which included the following: