AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Saturn Insurance Inc.

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a-” of Saturn Insurance Inc. (Saturn) (Burlington, VT). Saturn is a captive of BP p.l.c. (BP), an integrated global oil and gas company. The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect Saturn’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best categorises as strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. The ratings also consider rating lift from Saturn’s reinsurer, Jupiter Insurance Limited, which is the principal captive of the BP group and provides substantial reinsurance support to Saturn.

Saturn’s balance sheet strength is supported by its risk-adjusted capitalisation categorised as strongest, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). The captive has a highly liquid investment portfolio, with approximately half of its assets invested in cash and cash equivalents at year-end 2019. The remainder of the portfolio is composed of callable short-term loans to a BP affiliate, with excellent liquidity terms. Offsetting rating factors include the captive’s high dependence on reinsurance to protect its balance sheet against high severity, low frequency losses, and relatively small capital base, which, considering the large limits offered, exposes risk-adjusted capitalisation to potential volatility.

Saturn recorded solid underwriting profitability in the 2015–2019 period, as demonstrated by a five-year weighted combined ratio of 47.7%, which was achieved despite a large workers’ compensation (WC) claim that negatively impacted performance in 2017. The claim also demonstrates the exposure of the captive’s performance to volatility, which is an offsetting rating factor. Saturn’s track record of adequate operating performance and full retention of earnings have supported growth in capital and surplus of 60% since the company’s incorporation in 2011.

AM Best assesses Saturn’s business profile as limited, reflecting its small and concentrated portfolio of high-risk business emanating from the BP group in the United States. Saturn’s portfolio consists primarily of terrorism cover, certificate of financial responsibility, WC insurance and environmental protection agency cover. The soft rate environment over the past years has led to a decline in the captive’s gross written premium, by approximately 60% since 2014.

AM Best remains the leading rating agency of alternative risk transfer entities, with more than 200 such vehicles rated throughout the world. For current Best’s Credit Ratings and independent data on the captive and alternative risk transfer insurance market, please visit www.ambest.com/captive.

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 media use of Best’s Credit Ratings and AM Best press releases, please view Guide for Media - Proper Use of Best’s Credit Ratings and AM Best Rating Action Press Releases.

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