Rembrandt gets ratings affirmation from AM Best
AM Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of A and the long-term issuer credit rating of "a" of Rembrandt Insurance Company, a Bermuda-registered captive re/insurer of Vitol Holding, a group engaged in the trading of energy-related products.
The outlook of these ratings is stable.
According to AM Best the ratings reflect Rembrandt’s balance sheet strength, which it assesses as very strong, as well as its strong operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.
Rembrandt’s balance sheet strength is underpinned by risk-adjusted capitalisation at the strongest level, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). AM Best expects Rembrandt’s risk-adjusted capitalisation to remain comfortably at the strongest level, supported by low net underwriting leverage, an outward reinsurance programme that is placed with a panel of financially strong reinsurers and excellent internal capital generation. Partly offsetting factors in the balance sheet strength assessment are the captive’s moderate reliance on reinsurance and an intercompany loan, which although represented approximately 3% of the captive’s total investments at year-end 2023, has been significantly larger in the recent past.
“Rembrandt’s strong operating performance is demonstrated by its five-year (2019-2023) weighted average return on equity (ROE) of 39.5%, which has been driven primarily by its excellent underwriting results, represented by a five-year weighted average combined ratio of 15.0% over the same period, as calculated by AM Best,” the rating agency said in a statement. “Operating performance in 2023 was exceptionally strong, evidenced by a ROE of 89.6%. The result is attributable to a material reserve release during the year, which lowered the combined ratio to -37.7% in 2023. Operating profitability is projected to normalise in 2024.”
Rembrandt’s business profile assessment reflects its strategic importance to its parent. The captive is embedded within Vitol’s risk management framework; however, it covers only part of its parent’s insurance needs. Rembrandt has a concentrated insurance portfolio focused on the core operations of Vitol, with approximately 90% of its premiums derived from marine cargo and liability risks.
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