Rating Action
Johannesburg, 14 November 2019 – GCR Ratings (“GCR”) has revised Kenya Reinsurance Corporation Limited’s
(“Kenya Re”) national scale financial strength (formerly claims ability) rating to AA+(KE), from AA(KE), with a Stable Outlook. Furthermore, Kenya Re’s international scale financial strength (formerly claims paying ability) rating has been revised to B+, from BB, with a Stable Outlook.
| Rated Entity / Issue | Rating class | Rating scale | Rating | Outlook/Watch |
| Kenya Reinsurance Corporation Limited | Financial strength | National | AA+(KE) | Stable Outlook |
| Financial strength | International | B+ | Stable Outlook |
GCR announced that it had released new criteria for rating insurance companies in May 2019. Consequently, the rating for Kenya Re was placed ‘Under Criteria Observation’. GCR finalised the review for Kenya Re under the released Criteria for Rating Insurance Companies, May 2019. As a result, the rating for Kenya Re has been reviewed in line with the new methodology and subsequently removed from ‘Under Criteria Observation’.
Rating Rationale
The ratings of Kenya Re are driven by very strong risk adjusted capitalisation and strong earnings, coupled with healthy liquidity and an intermediate business profile.
Kenya Re’s ratings are supported by very strong risk adjusted capitalisation, which trended within a consistent range over the review period, due to the capital base adequately catering for the relatively stable quantum of insurance, market and credit risks. This was despite reduced capital growth of 4% to USD279m (FY17: 13% to USD264), because of lower internal capital generation. GCR expects risk adjusted capital to be managed within a rating adequate range over the outlook period, albeit noting increasingly complex market dynamics.
Earnings capacity is assessed within a strong range, with a net return on revenue of 25% (FY18: 16%) registered over the review period. However, review-year metrics were constrained by claims pressures from the short-term business, which resulted in a net claims ratio of 62%, measuring above the five-year average of 57%. Consequently, the short-term business posted a negative underwriting margin of 10% (five-year average: -1%), while the net profits of the reinsurer halved to KES1.8bn (FY17: KES3.6bn), albeit with sound investment income from the reinsurer’s sizeable investment portfolio expected to maintain solvency strength over the rating period. Going forward, earnings could remain under pressure due to claims volatility, offsetting the impact of prudent underwriting policies.
Liquidity registered within a healthy range, supported by the adoption of a balanced asset allocation, with liquid assets representing 53% of the total investment portfolio. As such, liquidity coverage of net technical liabilities and operational cash coverage remained fairly stable at 1.7x and 17 months respectively over the last three years, though likely to moderate if claims and operational cash requirements remain elevated.
The business profile of the reinsurer was assessed at an intermediate level, a function of average competitive position and premium diversification. In this respect, the reinsurer’s strong market share in its domestic market was diluted by limited presence in other jurisdictions. Meanwhile, premium diversification registered within intermediate levels, with the portfolio materially spread across four lines of business, moderated by significant exposure to two countries, with 49% of gross premiums generated from Kenya and 20% from India. The balance is comprised of small presences in multiple markets, which represent potential for further premium diversification over the longer term, although noting increasing premium domestication in covered markets.
Outlook Statement
The Stable Outlook is premised on expectations of very strong risk adjusted capitalisation and a stable business profile, counterbalancing earnings and liquidity risks.
Rating triggers
A sustainable improvement in earnings, while strengths and stability in risk adjusted capitalisation and liquidity are maintained, could result in positive rating action. Conversely, negative rating action may follow a sustained deterioration in earnings and/or a material reduction in liquidity.
Analytical Contacts
| Primary analyst |
Yvonne Mujuru |
Deputy Sector Head: Insurance Ratings | ||||
| Johannesburg, ZA | GodfreyC@GCRratings.com | +27 11 784 1771 | ||||
| Secondary analyst | Fleur Ngassa | Associate Analyst | ||||
| Johannesburg, ZA | MarlaineN@GCRratings.com | +27 11 784 1771 | ||||
| Committee chair | Yvonne Mujuru | Sector Head: Insurance Ratings | ||||
| Johannesburg, ZA | YMujuru@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 Scales, Symbols & Definitions, May 2019 |
| GCR Country Risk Scores, June 2019 |
| GCR Insurance Sector Risk Scores, November 2019 |
Ratings History
Kenya Reinsurance Corporation Limited
| Rating class | Review | Rating scale | Rating | Outlook | Date |
| Claims paying ability | Initial | National | AA(KE) | Stable | September 2009 |
| Last | AA(KE) | Stable | July 2018 | ||
| Claims paying ability | Initial | International | BB+ | Stable | September 2009 |
| Last | BB | Stable | July 2018 |
Risk Score Summary
Glossary
| Accident | An unplanned event, unexpected and undesigned, which occurs suddenly and at a definite place. |
| Accounting | A process of recording, summarising, and allocating all items of income and expense of the company and analysing, verifying and reporting the results. |
| Agency | An insurance sales office which is directed by an agent, manager, independent agent, or company manager. |
| Assets | A resource with economic value that a company owns or controls with the expectation that it will provide future benefit. |
| Balance Sheet | Also known as a Statement of Financial Position. A statement of a company’s assets and liabilities provided for the benefit of shareholders and regulators. It gives a snapshot at a specific point in time of the assets the company holds and how they have been financed. |
| Budget | Financial plan that serves as an estimate of future cost, revenues or both. |
| 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. |
| Captive Insurance Company | A company owned solely or in large part by one or more non- insurance entities for the primary purpose of providing insurance coverage to the owner or owners. |
| Cash | Funds that can be readily spent or used to meet current obligations. |
| Catastrophe | An event, which causes a loss of extraordinary magnitude. |
| Claim | A request for payment of a loss, which may come under the terms of an insurance contract. |
| Commission | A certain percentage of premiums produced that is received or paid out as compensation by an insurer. |
| Contract | An agreement by which an insurer agrees, for a consideration, to provide benefits, reimburse losses or provide services for an insured. A ‘policy’ is the written statement of the terms of the 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. |
| Debt | An obligation to repay a sum of money. More specifically, it is funds passed from a creditor to a debtor in exchange for interest and a commitment to repay the principal in full on a specified date or over a specified period. |
| Diversification | Spreading risk by constructing a portfolio that contains different investments, whose returns are relatively uncorrelated. The term also refers to companies which move into markets or products that bear little relation to ones they already operate in. |
| Dividend | The portion of a company’s after-tax earnings that is distributed to shareholders. |
| Equity | Equity is the holding or stake that shareholders have in a company. Equity capital is raised by the issue of new shares or by retaining profit. |
| Experience | A term used to describe the relationship, usually expressed as a percent or ratio, of premiums to claims for a plan, coverage, or benefits for a stated time period. |
| 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. |
| Facultative | Facultative reinsurance means reinsurance of individual risks by offer and acceptance wherein the reinsurer retains the “faculty” to accept or reject each risk offered. |
| Financial Flexibility | The company’s ability to access additional sources of capital funding. |
| Financial Statements | Presentation of financial data including balance sheets, income statements and statements of cash flow, or any supporting statement that is intended to communicate an entity’s financial position at a point in time. |
| Income Statement | A summary of all the expenditure and income of a company over a set period. |
| International Scale Rating LC | 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. |
| Interest | Money paid for the use of money. |
| Interest Rate | The charge or the return on an asset or debt expressed as a percentage of the price or size of the asset or debt. It is usually expressed on an annual basis. |
| Investment Income | The income generated by a company’s portfolio of investments. |
| Investment Portfolio | A collection of investments held by an individual investor or financial institution. |
| Liabilities | All financial claims, debts or potential losses incurred by an individual or an organisation. |
| 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. |
| Loss | The happening of the event for which insurance pays. |
| Market Risk | Volatility in the value of a security/asset due to movements in share prices, interest rates, currencies, commodities or wider economic factors. |
| Net Profit | Trading/operating profits after deducting the expenses detailed in the profit and loss account such as interest, tax, depreciation, auditors’ fees and directors’ fees. |
| Net Retention | The amount of insurance that a ceding company keeps for its own account and does not reinsure. |
| Operational Risk | The risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people or systems or from external events. This includes legal risk, but excludes strategic risk and reputational risk. |
| Personal Lines | Types of insurance, such as auto or home insurance, for individuals or families rather than for businesses or organisations. |
| Policy | The legal document issued by the company to the policyholder, which outlines the conditions and terms of the insurance. |
| Policyholder | The person in actual possession of an insurance policy. |
| Pool | An organisation of insurers or reinsurers through which particular types of risk are underwritten and premiums, losses and expenses are shared in agreed-upon amounts. |
| Preference Share | Preference or preferred shares entitle a holder to a first claim on any dividend paid by the company before payment is made on ordinary shares. Such dividends are normally linked to an interest rate and not determined by company profits. Preference shares are normally repayable at par value in the event of liquidation. They do not usually carry voting or pre-emptive rights. Preference shares can be redeemable or perpetual. |
| Premium | The price of insurance protection for a specified risk for a specified period of time. |
| Rating Horizon | The rating outlook period |
| Reinstatement | The resumption of coverage under a policy, which has lapsed. |
| 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. |
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 ratings were based solely on the merits of rated entity, security or financial instrument being rated; and c.) such ratings are an independent evaluation of the risks and merits of the rated entity, security or financial instrument.
The credit ratings have been disclosed to Kenya Reinsurance Corporation Limited. The ratings above were solicited by, or on behalf of, the rated entity, and therefore, GCR has been compensated for the provision of the ratings.
Kenya Reinsurance Corporation Limited participated in the rating process via face-to-face 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 Kenya Reinsurance Corporation Limited and other reliable third parties to accord the credit rating included:
- Audited financial statements as at 31 December 2018;
- Four years of comparative audited financial statements to 31 December
- Full year budgeted financial statements for 2019;
- Unaudited interim results to 30 June 2019;
- Reinsurance cover for 2019; and
- Other relevant documents.