-

Best’s Special Report: Best’s Impairment Rate and Rating Transition Study — 1977 to 2025

OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AM Best’s latest special report on the long-term impairment rates of U.S.-domiciled insurance companies states that no insurers rated by AM Best became impaired in 2025.

The Best’s Special Report, titled, “Best’s Impairment Rate and Rating Transition Study — 1977 to 2025,” covers 48 one-year periods from Dec. 31, 1977, to Dec. 31, 2025, and the term impairments refers to insurers that became impaired and had a Best’s Financial Strength Rating or Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating at the time of impairment. AM Best designates an insurer as a financially impaired company upon the public placement of the company, via public court order or other international equivalent, into conservation, rehabilitation and/or insolvent liquidation.

Because weather conditions have contributed to heightened impairments in the U.S. property/casualty industry, the report includes information about natural catastrophes that have caused impairments since 2012, with nearly all companies in this population having withdrew from the rating process prior to impairment or were never rated by AM Best. In the most recent five-year period through 2025, 22 companies became impaired due to natural catastrophes; all 13 impairments in 2021-2022 were domiciled in Florida or Louisiana and were due to hurricane losses; of the nine impairments in 2023-2025, eight were predominantly in Midwest states and driven by severe convective storm losses, with one other impairment in Florida.

To access a copy of this report, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=365724.

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 © 2026 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Emmanuel Modu
Managing Director, Global Reinsurance and Insurance-Linked Securities
+1 908 882 2128
emmanuel.modu@ambest.com

Wai Tang
Senior Director,
Insurance-Linked Securities
+1 908 882 2388
wai.tang@ambest.com

David Mautone
Senior Quantitative Specialist,
Insurance-Linked Securities
+1 908 882 2098
david.mautone@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Associate Director, Public Relations
+1 908 882 2310
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Al Slavin
Senior Public Relations Specialist
+1 908 882 2318
al.slavin@ambest.com

AM Best


Release Versions
Hashtags

Contacts

Emmanuel Modu
Managing Director, Global Reinsurance and Insurance-Linked Securities
+1 908 882 2128
emmanuel.modu@ambest.com

Wai Tang
Senior Director,
Insurance-Linked Securities
+1 908 882 2388
wai.tang@ambest.com

David Mautone
Senior Quantitative Specialist,
Insurance-Linked Securities
+1 908 882 2098
david.mautone@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Associate Director, Public Relations
+1 908 882 2310
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Al Slavin
Senior Public Relations Specialist
+1 908 882 2318
al.slavin@ambest.com

Social Media Profiles
More News From AM Best

AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Co-operative Life Limited

SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb+” (Good) of Co-operative Life Limited (Co-op Life) (New Zealand). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. The ratings reflect Co-op Life’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as adequate, as well as its strong operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. In addition, the ratings fact...

Best’s Commentary: Losses in Washington Wildfires Expected to be Sizable

OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AM Best expects insured losses from the ongoing wildfires in and around Spokane, WA, to be considerable, with more-concentrated individual insurers likely to be more negatively impacted. In its Best’s Commentary, “Insured Losses in Washington, Spokane-Area Wildfires Expected to be Sizable,” AM Best notes that ultimate insured losses will depend largely on the coverage secured by homeowners and the level of protection obtained by business owners. Demand surge and...

Best’s Special Report: Higher Exposure to Level 3 Bonds Brings Valuation Risk for US Life/Annuity Segment

OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The U.S. insurance industry’s investments in Level 3 assets more than doubled in the last 10 years to $592 billion in 2025 with the life/annuity segment driving the growth, according to a new AM Best report. Investments that classify as Level 3 come with some valuation and liquidity risk, as they are not actively traded, and therefore lack observable market inputs such as quoted prices and comparable market transactions. These investments are typically illiquid,...
Back to Newsroom