AM Best Downgrades Issuer Credit Ratings of Members of Nodak Insurance Group and NI Holdings, Inc.
AM Best has downgraded the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) to "a" (Excellent) from "a+" (Excellent) and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) of the members of Nodak Insurance Group (Nodak). The outlook of the Long-Term ICRs has been revised to stable from negative, while the outlook of the FSR is stable. Concurrently, AM Best has downgraded the Long-Term ICR to "bbb" (Good) from "bbb+" (Good) of NI Holdings, Inc. (Fargo, ND) (NASDAQ:NODK), a publicly traded holding company. The outlook of this Credit Rating (rating) has been revised to stable from negative. (See below for a full listing of companies and ratings.)
The ratings reflect Nodak's balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.
The downgrade of the Long-Term ICRs reflects the volatility in Nodak's operating results over the most recent five-year period. This has been driven by weather-related losses and inflationary pressures on rising loss costs, and more recently, adverse trends in the non-standard auto lines and prior-year reserve development associated with these trends. Furthermore, the group suffered challenges with its commercial habitational lines of business over recent years through its previously owned company, Westminster American Insurance Company, which contributed to the volatile results of the Nodak pool. As of June 30, 2024, NI Holdings, Inc. sold that company and subsequently removed it as a member of the pool.
The group reported its highest combined ratio over the past five-year period, 118.5%, in 2022. Although operating results have shown relative improvement since this time, Nodak has fallen out of alignment with companies that maintain a strong operating performance assessment. Its five-year average pre-tax and total returns on revenue and equity fall short of the private passenger standard auto and homeowners industry composite, and on a statutory basis, the group's combined ratio has been above break-even in four consecutive years. Management continues to address the volatility through sizable rate increases, underwriting revisions, and strategic non-renewals in underperforming lines of business, with a renewed focus on its core lines of business in the Midwestern region of the United States. AM Best expects that these efforts will impact the group's results favorably, affording Nodak the ability to perform comfortably in alignment with the adequate operating performance assessment level.
The Long-Term ICRs have been downgraded to "a" (Excellent) from "a+" (Excellent) and the FSR of A (Excellent) has been affirmed, with the outlook of the Long-Term ICRs revised to stable from negative and the outlook of the FSR at stable for the following members of the Nodak Insurance Group:
- American West Insurance Company
- Battle Creek Insurance Company
- Direct Auto Insurance Company
- Nodak Insurance Company
- Primero Insurance Company
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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