Announcements

GCR affirms ICEA LION General Insurance Company Limited’s rating of AA-(KE); Outlook Stable.

Johannesburg, 18 June 2018 — Global Credit Ratings has today affirmed the national scale claims paying ability rating assigned to ICEA LION General Insurance Company Limited of AA-(KE), with the outlook accorded as Stable. The rating is valid until June 2019.

SUMMARY RATING RATIONALE

Global Credit Ratings (“GCR”) has accorded the above credit rating to ICEA LION General Insurance Company Limited (“ICEA LION General”) based on the following key criteria:

ICEA LION General’s risk adjusted capitalisation remained strong, supported by a sizeable capital base catering for the quantum of insurance and asset risks. Accordingly, the adjusted international solvency margin equated to a high 107% at FY17 (FY16: 77%). Risk adjusted capital adequacy is expected to remain strong over the outlook horizon supported by moderately strong internal capital generation together with well contained dividend distributions and strict debt management practices. Maximum net deductibles per risk and event are limited to conservative levels relative to capital, while the reinsurance panel reflects a strong level of aggregated credit strength.

The insurer’s liquidity profile is viewed to be strong. This view is underpinned by ICEA LION General’s strong cash coverage of net technical liabilities of 1.2x at FY17 (FY16: 1.0x) and high claims cash coverage ratio of 27 months (FY16: 23 months). GCR expects sound cash flow generation and balanced asset allocation to support liquidity metrics within a strong range over the outlook horizon.

ICEA LION General’s business profile is viewed to be moderately strong, supported by healthy competitive positioning and fairly well diversified earnings. In this regard, the insurer’s estimated share of total short term insurance industry premiums equated to 5% in FY17, while three lines of business materially contributed to gross premiums. GCR expects the insurer to maintain strong competitive positioning, supported by the company’s strong brand recognition, solid broker relationships and established market presence.

Earnings capacity was largely a function of sound investment returns, offsetting comparatively weak aggregated underwriting performance over the last three years. In this regard, the return on revenue averaged a healthy 15%, while the three year underwriting margin equated to -2% (FY17: 2%; FY16: -5%). Cognisance is taken of the improvement in underwriting profitability recorded in FY17, which was largely supported by operational efficiencies. While management plans for moderately strong underwriting margins, supported by improved claims and operational efficiencies, GCR expects underwriting performance to register within an intermediate range over the outlook horizon.

ICEA LION General’s asset quality is viewed to be intermediate, given significant market risk exposures to high risk financial assets (1.9x capital at FY17). These are, however, considered manageable in view of the insurer’s sizeable capital base.

The rating currently matches the national scale ceiling applicable to entities operating within the Kenyan insurance industry. As a result, upward movement of the rating may follow an assessment of country and industry risk factors. Conversely, downward rating movement may arise if a substantial or sustained weakening in capitalisation levels were to be evidenced. This could also be triggered by a significant loss in market share or a sustained reduction in operating performance.

NATIONAL SCALE RATINGS HISTORY

    
Initial rating (October 2000)    
Claims paying ability: A+(KE)    
Outlook: Stable

    
Last rating (July 2017)    
Claims paying ability: AA-(KE)    
Outlook: Stable    

ANALYTICAL CONTACTS

Primary Analyst    
Sylvia Mhlanga    
Credit Analyst    
(011) 784-1771    
sylviam@globalratings.net    
     
Committee Chairperson    
Yvonne Mujuru    
Sector Head: Insurance Ratings    
(011) 784-1771    
ymujuru@globalratings.net    

APPLICABLE METHODOLOGIES AND RELATED RESEARCH

Criteria for Rating Short Term Insurance Companies, updated May 2018

ICEA LION General rating reports, 2012-2017

Lion of Kenya Insurance Company Limited and Insurance Company of East Africa Limited rating reports, 2000-2011

Kenya Short Term Insurance Industry Bulletins, 2014-2017

RATING LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS

ALL GCR’S CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTP://GLOBALRATINGS.NET/UNDERSTANDING-RATINGS. IN ADDITION, GCR’S RATING SCALES AND DEFINITIONS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD AT THE FOLLOWING LINK: HTTP://GLOBALRATINGS.NET/RATINGS-INFO. GCR’S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, PUBLICATION TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT HTTP://GLOBALRATINGS.NET.

SALIENT FEATURES OF ACCORDED RATINGS

GCR affirms that a.) no part of the rating was influenced by any other business activities of the credit rating agency; b.) the rating was based solely on the merits of the rated entity, security or financial instrument being rated; c.) such rating was an independent evaluation of the risks and merits of the rated entity, security or financial instrument.

ICEA LION General Insurance Company Limited participated in the rating process via face-to-face management meetings, teleconferences and other written correspondence. Furthermore, the quality of information received was considered adequate and has been independently verified where possible.

The credit rating has been disclosed to ICEA LION General Insurance Company Limited with no contestation of the rating.

The information received from ICEA LION General Insurance Company Limited and other reliable third parties to accord the credit rating included:

  • The audited financial results as at 31 December 2017
  • Unaudited interim results to 31 March 2018
  • Budgeted financial statements for 2018
  • Financial Condition Report 2017
  • The current year reinsurance cover notes
  • Actuarial valuation report for 2017
  • Other relevant company specific information

The rating above was solicited by, or on behalf of, the rated client, and therefore, GCR has been compensated for the provision of the rating.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS/ACRONYMS USED IN THIS DOCUMENT AS PER GCR’S INSURANCE GLOSSARY

Capacity The largest amount of insurance available from a company. In a broader sense, it can refer to the largest amount of insurance available in the marketplace.
Capital The sum of money that is invested to generate proceeds.
Capitalisation The provision of capital for a company, or the conversion of income or assets into capital.
Capital Adequacy A measure of the adequacy of an entity’s capital resources in relation to its risks.
Cash Funds that can be readily spent or used to meet current obligations.
Claim A request for payment of a loss, which may come under the terms of an insurance contract.
Credit Rating An opinion regarding the creditworthiness of an entity, a security or financial instrument, or an issuer of securities or financial instruments, using an established and defined ranking system of rating categories.
Distribution Channel The method utilised by the insurance company to sell its products to policyholders.
Enterprise Risk Management ERM refers to an integrated or holistic approach to managing risk across an organisation, using clearly articulated frameworks and processes controlled from board level.
Exposure Exposure is the amount of risk the holder of an asset or security is faced with as a consequence of holding the security or asset. For an insurer, its exposure may also relate to the risk related to policies issued.
International Scale Rating (“ISR”) International local currency (International LC) ratings measure the likelihood of repayment in the currency of the jurisdiction in which the issuer is domiciled. Therefore, the rating does not take into account the possibility that it will not be able to convert local currency into foreign currency or make transfers between sovereign jurisdictions.
Intermediary A third party in the sale and administration of insurance products.
Interest Money paid for the use of money.
Investment Portfolio A collection of investments held by an individual investor or financial institution.
Liquidity The speed at which assets can be converted to cash. The ability of an insurer to convert its assets into cash to pay claims if necessary. Market liquidity refers to the ease with which a security can be bought or sold quickly and in large volumes without substantially affecting the market price.
Market Risk Volatility in the value of a security/asset due to movements in share prices, interest rates, currencies, commodities or wider economic factors.
National Scale Rating (“NSR”)  
Policyholder The person in actual possession of an insurance policy.
Portfolio All of the insurer’s in-force policies and outstanding losses, with respect to described segments of its business.
Premium The price of insurance protection for a specified risk for a specified period of time.
Rating Horizon The rating outlook period
Risk The chance of future uncertainty (i.e. deviation from expected earnings or an expected outcome) that will have an impact on objectives.
Risk Management Process of identifying and monitoring business risks in a manner that offers a risk/return relationship that is acceptable to an entity’s operating philosophy.
Short Term Current; ordinarily less than one year.
Solvency With regard to insurers, having sufficient assets (capital, surplus, reserves) and being able to satisfy financial requirements (investments, annual reports, examinations) to be eligible to transact insurance business and meet liabilities.
Statutory Required by or having to do with law or statute.
Subordinated Debt Debt that in the event of a default is repaid only after senior obligations have been repaid. It is higher risk than senior debt.
Underwriting The process of selecting risks and classifying them according to their degrees of insurability so that the appropriate rates may be assigned. The process also includes rejection of those risks that do not qualify.
Underwriting Margin Measures efficiency of underwriting and expense management processes.

For a more detailed glossary of terms please click here

GCR affirms ICEA LION General Insurance Company Limited’s rating of AA-(KE); Outlook Stable.

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