AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Members of Aegon Ltd.'s U.S. Subsidiaries
AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings of "a+" (Excellent) of the U.S. life/health (L/H) subsidiaries of Aegon Ltd. (Bermuda) (NYSE:AEG). Aegon Ltd.'s U.S. L/H companies are Transamerica Life Insurance Company (Cedar Rapids, IA) and Transamerica Financial Life Insurance Company (Harrison, NY) and referred to collectively as Aegon USA Group (Aegon USA). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.
The ratings reflect Aegon USA's balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its strong operating performance, favorable business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.
AM Best expects Aegon USA to maintain its very strong balance sheet strength assessment in the near term, with a strong level of risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Best's Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). Aegon USA has additional access to liquidity as a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank, which together with its access to capital markets provides substantial financial flexibility. While the asset allocation within Aegon USA's investment portfolio is typical for the U.S. life insurance industry, there is some continued exposure to higher risk assets, though allocations have declined in recent years. Aegon USA retains some interest rate sensitivity risk on the balance sheet and has increased usage of reinsurance to manage its liabilities.
Aegon USA's pretax operating earnings have been positive over the longer term with double-digit returns on equity and diversified earnings across different product lines. The group's operating earnings had been impacted by higher mortality in recent years due to COVID-19, but mortality has improved since mid-2022.
Aegon USA's overall top-line premium growth has been pressured in recent years as direct premiums written declined from 2021 to 2023. Aegon USA's overall business profile remains favorable with a long-term strategy toward building a less capital-intensive book of business, driven by targeted growth and strategic exits and buyouts in certain lines, as well as competitive market positions across an array of product lines. The group's diverse lines of traditional life, indexed universal life, variable annuities (VA) without interest-sensitive living and death benefit riders, mutual funds, retirement plans and accident and health insurance contribute to operating earnings. Aegon USA's business also is viewed as geographically diversified. AM Best continues to view the group's variable annuities with living benefit riders as displaying some of the highest risk characteristics, as well as being vulnerable to tail risks, though Aegon USA has taken actions to manage and mitigate these risks through increased hedging and closing this product line for new business.
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 specializing 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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Louis Silvers
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