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AM Best Revises Credit Rating Outlooks to Positive for ECGC Ltd.

BY Business Wire | CORPORATE | 09/20/24 09:56 AM EDT

SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AM Best has revised the outlooks to positive from stable and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of ?bbb+? (Good) of ECGC Ltd (ECGC) (India). Concurrently, AM Best has affirmed the company?s India National Scale Rating (NSR) of aaa.IN (Exceptional) of ECGC Ltd (ECGC) (India) with a stable outlook.

The ratings reflect ECGC?s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. In addition, the ratings factor in a neutral impact from the company?s ownership by the government of India.

The revision of the FSR and Long-Term ICR outlooks to positive from stable reflects an improvement in AM Best?s view of ECGC?s operating performance assessment supported by an improving trend in the company's underwriting performance, particularly within its export credit insurance to banks segment. The company recorded strong technical earnings in fiscal years 2023 and 2024. ECGC has also benefited from favorable prior?period claims reserve development, driven by better than expected claims experience and its conservative reserving methodology, notwithstanding the volatility in preceding years stemming from heightened geopolitical risks and economic uncertainty. In addition, favourable investment income continues to support overall profitability.

ECGC?s balance sheet strength is underpinned by its risk-adjusted capitalisation, which is expected to remain at the strongest level over the medium term, as measured by Best?s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). ECGC benefits from good financial flexibility, supported by capital contributions from India?s government. In addition, the company has a low to moderate risk investment portfolio. An offsetting balance sheet strength factor includes the company?s net exposure to severe stress scenarios, although the risk is mitigated in part by the company?s robust capitalisation level.

ECGC?s business profile is assessed as neutral. The company is a monoline credit insurer providing export credit insurance to banks and Indian exporters. As a market leader in the export credit insurance market in India, ECGC insures approximately 40% of the total export credit disbursement by banks. However, the company?s book of business exhibits limited product line diversification and high concentration of risk exposure to a small group of exporters. Furthermore, its underwriting portfolio is exposed to moderate to high reserving risk given the long-tail nature of credit insurance claims.

Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication. Unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that communication.

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 specialising 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.

Copyright ? 2024 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Source: AM Best

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