Lagos, 14 December 2021 – GCR Ratings (“GCR”) has affirmed Tangerine General Insurance Limited’s national scale financial strength (formerly claims paying ability) rating of A-(NG), with a Stable Outlook.
Rated Entity / Issue | Rating class | Rating scale | Rating | Outlook / Watch |
Tangerine General Insurance Limited | Financial strength | National | A-(NG) | Stable Outlook |
Rating rationale
The rating of Tangerine General Insurance Limited (“Tangerine General”, “the insurer”) reflects the insurer’s strong financial position, attributed to very strong risk adjusted capitalisation and sound liquidity. These strengths are partially offset by limited competitiveness in the highly fragmented Nigerian insurance industry.
Law union and Rock Insurance Plc became a wholly owned subsidiary of Verod Capital Management Limited, under the Tangerine Africa brand, following a 100% acquisition of its shares in 2020. A change of name to Tangerine General Insurance Limited followed this acquisition. Tangerine Africa (“the Group”) has subsidiaries operating across various sectors of the economy, albeit the key focus remains the financial services space. The Group has interests in subsidiaries that operate in insurance (life, non-life, and health), banking, e-commerce, travel and tourism, logistics, and gaming among others.
Tangerine General is a small sized player within the short-term Nigerian Insurance industry, with review year estimated market and relative market shares of about 1.7% and 0.5x respectively. The insurer’s premium base is well diversified, with four lines of business contributing over 10%. However, note is taken of distribution channel concentration, where brokers contribute about 95% to the premium base. Going forward, the insurer expects to reduce its reliance on brokers and increase direct sales business using technology, which is being actively deployed. Also, the insurer intends to leverage on group synergies to boost its competitive profile.
Earnings capacity is a rating constraint, underpinned by the high-cost structure. Net profit has largely been supported by investment income over the years, thus exposing earnings to some level of volatility. This was evidenced by a decline in realised investment income in FY20, and losses reported on fair valuation of investment property, which led to about 95.3% year-on-year decline in net profit. Looking ahead, the earnings trend is unlikely to change over the medium term, with an elevated cost structure expected to persist, given recent investments in technology, rebranding, and the ongoing publicity campaign.
Capitalisation is a positive rating factor. Tangerine General has maintained very strong risk adjusted capitalisation over the review period, with the sizeable capital base sufficiently catering for the insurance and market risks assumed. In this regard, the GCR capital adequacy ratio (“CAR”) stood at 3.9x at FY20 (FY19: 3.2x), evidencing good loss absorbing capacity. Shareholders’ funds rose notably (58.1%) year-on-year to N11.3bn at FY20, following additional capital injection during the year. On a statutory basis, the insurer’s statutory solvency remained sound at FY20, with assets coverage of liabilities equating to 2.5x (FY19: 1.1x) against the regulatory minimum of 1x. Going forward, consistent earnings generation and retention could continue to underpin internal capital build, with the GCR CAR expected to be maintained at very strong levels over the rating horizon.
Liquidity measured at a sound level, with about 60% of the insurer’s investment pool held in cash and equivalents. Liquidity coverage of net technical liabilities registered at a higher 2.5x at FY20 (FY19: 2.0x), while operational cash coverage stood at 34.5 months (FY19: 25 months). Furthermore, claims cash coverage stood at a strong 95.3 months (FY19: 66.3 months). We expect liquidity metrics to remain sound over the rating horizon on the back of conservative asset allocation.
Outlook statement
The Stable Outlook reflects our expectation that Tangerine General will maintain sufficient earnings to support the overall credit profile, with strong risk adjusted capitalisation and sound liquidity expected to be sustained over the outlook horizon. There is potential for the insurer to leverage group synergies to boost its competitive profile but this is likely to be over the medium term.
Rating triggers
Positive rating action may stem from the strengthening of the insurer’s earnings, while maintaining liquidity and capitalisation at current levels. Conversely, a negative rating action could be triggered by a further deterioration in earnings capacity.
Analytical contacts
Primary analyst | Adeyinka Olowofela | Senior Analyst |
Lagos, NG | Yinka@GCRratings.com | +234 1 904 9462 |
Secondary analyst | Ifeoluwa Haruna | Analyst |
Lagos, NG | IfeoluwaH@GCRratings.com | +234 1 904 9462 |
Committee chair | Godfrey Chingono | Deputy Sector Head: Insurance Ratings |
Johannesburg, ZA | GodfreyC@GCRratings.com | +27 11 784 1771 |
Related criteria and research
Criteria for the GCR Ratings Framework, May 2019 |
Criteria for Rating Insurance Companies, May 2019 |
GCR Ratings Scale, Symbols & Definitions, May 2019 |
GCR Country Risk Scores, December 2021 |
GCR Insurance Sector Risk Scores, September 2021 |
Ratings History
Tangerine General Insurance Limited
Rating class | Review | Rating scale | Rating class | Outlook | Date |
Claims paying ability | Initial | National | BBB+(NG) | Positive | September 2014 |
Claims paying ability | Last | National | A-(NG) | Stable | December 2020 |
Risk score summary
Rating Components & Factors | Risk scores |
Operating environment | 7.00 |
Country risk score | 3.75 |
Sector risk score | 3.25 |
Business profile | (1.75) |
Competitive position | (1.25) |
Premium diversification | (0.50) |
Management and governance | 0.00 |
Financial profile | 2.25 |
Earnings | (0.75) |
Capital | 2.00 |
Liquidity | 1.00 |
Comparative profile | 0.00 |
Group support | 0.00 |
Peer analysis | 0.00 |
Total Score | 7.50 |
Glossary
Premium | The price of insurance protection for a specified risk for a specified period of time. |
Provision | The amount set aside or deducted from operating income to cover expected or identified loan losses. |
Rating Horizon | The rating outlook period |
Rating Outlook | See GCR Rating Scales, Symbols and Definitions. |
Recovery | The action or process of regaining possession or control of something lost. To recoup losses. |
Reinsurance | The practice whereby one party, called the Reinsurer, in consideration of a premium paid to him agrees to indemnify another party, called the Reinsured, for part or all of the liability assumed by the latter party under a policy or policies of insurance, which it has issued. The reinsured may be referred to as the Original or Primary Insurer, or Direct Writing Company, or the Ceding Company. |
Risk | The chance of future uncertainty (i.e. deviation from expected earnings or an expected outcome) that will have an impact on objectives. |
Securities | Various instruments used in the capital market to raise funds. |
Security | One of various instruments used in the capital market to raise funds. |
Senior | A security that has a higher repayment priority than junior securities. |
Spread | The interest rate that is paid in addition to the reference rate for debt securities. |
Statutory | Required by or having to do with law or statute. |
Valuation | An assessment of the property value, with the value being compared to similar properties in the area. |
SALIENT POINTS OF ACCORDED RATINGS
GCR affirms that a.) no part of the rating process was influenced by any other business activities of the credit rating agency; b.) the rating is based solely on the merits of the rated entity, security or financial instrument being rated; and c.) such rating is an independent evaluation of the risks and merits of the rated entity, security or financial instrument.
The credit rating has been disclosed to the rated entity. The rating above was solicited by, or on behalf of, the rated entity, and therefore, GCR has been compensated for the provision of the rating. The rated entity participated in the rating process via virtual management meetings, and other written correspondence. Furthermore, the quality of information received was considered adequate and has been independently verified where possible.
The information received from the entity and other reliable third parties to accord the credit rating included:
- Audited financial results as at 31 December 2020
- Four years of comparative audited financial statements
- Management account as at 30 September 2021
- Other relevant documents.