AM Best Revises Outlooks to Stable for Members of Western Reserve Group

AM Besthas revised the outlooks to stable from negative and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings of “a” (Excellent) for the following pooled members of Western Reserve Group: Western Reserve Mutual Casualty Company, Lightning Rod Mutual Insurance Company and Sonnenberg Mutual Insurance Company. These companies are domiciled in Wooster, Ohio and collectively referred to as Western Reserve Group (WRG or the group).

These Credit Ratings reflect WRG’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strongest, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).

The revision of the outlooks to stable from negative reflects WRG’s return to operating profitability, which has driven increasing surplus growth over the last two years. These results reversed the previous trend of increasing underwriting losses that were driven by a historic number of weather-related event losses and increasing inflationary loss costs in the group’s property lines.

To return to operating profitability, WRG’s management implemented a wide range of initiatives to improve its underwriting performance and capital position. This was done by placing a personal lines moratorium on new business, reducing property exposures, improving rate adequacy, increasing property deductibles and terminating unprofitable agencies. These corrective actions have gained traction, which led to stabilized operating results over the last two years and supports WRG’s adequate assessment. Additionally, these actions have helped the group progress toward attaining its strategic goal of increasing its commercial lines of business.

WRG’s strongest balance sheet strength assessment remains well-supported by its risk-adjusted capitalization, which is at the strongest level, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). Additionally, the group maintains favorable levels of liquidity, favorable underwriting leverage compared to its private passenger standard auto and homeowner composite, conservative loss reserving practices and a low dependence on reinsurance that further solidifies its balance sheet position.

The business profile assessment of neutral reflects WRG’s varied product lines of business and geographic diversification. WRG’s ERM is assessed as appropriate given the organization’s developed risk management capabilities, which supports the group’s overall risk profile.

Source: AM Best

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