HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B+ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb-” of Tugu Insurance Company Limited (TIC) (Hong Kong). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is negative.
The ratings reflect TIC’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best categorizes as strong, as well as its marginal operating performance, limited business profile and marginal enterprise risk management.
The company’s strongest level of risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), is supported by its low underwriting leverage. Offsetting factors are the company’s high asset concentration and low on-balance-sheet liquidity. These factors resulted from the company’s high asset concentration in a small number of invested properties, which accounted for half of total assets at the end of 2018.
TIC is a small non-life insurer in Hong Kong. Premium volume has declined sharply over the past five years as the company discontinued some unprofitable business in Hong Kong and increased its reinsurance cession. As a result of having a small net premium base, the high expense ratios increased over the same period. In 2018, TIC reported an underwriting profit mainly contributed by a reserve release. AM Best believes that a similar scale of reserve release is unlikely to repeat year-over-year, so the operating profitability will remain dependent on investment income.
The company applies basic tools in risk management, such as investment and underwriting guidelines. Nevertheless, capabilities are lacking in areas such as underwriting, strategy and reserving, the last of which has a track record of volatility.
The negative outlooks are based primarily on uncertainty regarding TIC’s capitalization and business profile. It also reflects the company’s low liquidity buffers.
Positive rating actions are unlikely in the near term. Negative rating actions could occur if there is a material decline in the company’s risk-adjusted capitalization and liquidity position, or if the company’s business volume shrinks materially.
Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication. Unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that communication.
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