AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Foundation Life (NZ) Limited

SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a-” (Excellent) of Foundation Life (NZ) Limited (FLNZ) (New Zealand). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect FLNZ’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

FLNZ’s balance sheet strength assessment is underpinned by its risk-adjusted capitalisation, which remained at the strongest level as at fiscal year-end (30 September) 2021, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). The company has maintained a prudent regulatory solvency position over recent years. This has been supported by appropriate asset-liability management on its interest rate exposed in-force life insurance portfolio, limiting the impact of fluctuating interest rates. The company’s moderate-size absolute capital base remains as a partially offsetting balance sheet strength factor, which exposes its capital adequacy to potential volatility in the event of stressed scenarios. FLNZ’s balance sheet strength assessment also factors in a neutral holding company assessment, following a review of Foundation Life (NZ) Holdings Limited (FLNZH), which owns 100% of FLNZ. AM Best views FLNZH’s financial leverage as elevated, with debt historically serviced by

FLNZ’s earnings. However, AM Best considers the risk of material capital extraction from FLNZ to service these debt obligations as being partially mitigated by the strong alignment of interest between the group’s ultimate equity and debt holders.

FLNZ has a track record of adequate operating performance, with a five-year weighted average return-on-equity ratio of 6.0% (fiscal years 2017-2021). The company’s expense ratio has increased over the past five years due to costs associated with Project Scholar (a process aimed at restructuring the remaining insurance portfolio by undertaking a scheme of arrangement proposal for its policyholders) and reducing economies of scale, as the company’s run-off business continues to decrease in size. Prospectively, AM Best expects FLNZ’s operating performance metrics to remain at an adequate level over the near to medium term. However, potential expense burdens arising from future project costs and exposure to economic factors such as movements in interest rates may drive volatility.

AM Best views the company’s business profile as limited given its position as a run-off life insurer and its moderate scale of operations in New Zealand. Since 2018, the company has engaged in executing Project Scholar. This would result in existing FLNZ policyholders being offered a cash buyout option, replacement cover with another New Zealand life insurer or a combination of both. Execution of Project Scholar has taken longer than expected, partially due to prevailing market conditions including movements in interest rates, and disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As of August 2022, the proposed scheme remains subject to regulatory, legal and policyholder approvals. If successfully implemented, AM Best expects FLNZ to cease insurance activities.

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.

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