United States

Published on February 2017 | Categories: Documents | Downloads: 83 | Comments: 0 | Views: 1112
of 4
Download PDF   Embed   Report

Comments

Content

 

AMB Country Risk Report

September 28, 2011

United States Country Risk Tier  CRT-1

• The United States is a CRT-1 CRT-1 country with very low levels of economic, political and financial system risk. The United States experienced its worst financial crisis since the Great Depression from December 2007 to June 2009.

Economic Risk

• The U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 2.6% in 2009 and the unemployment rate hit double digits. While strong policy action has been taken, both monetary and fiscal, the recovery has been fragile and modest.

Moderate Low

High

 Very Low Low

 Very High High

• The map below depicts the countries A.M. Best evaluates in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean. Eco Eco-nomic performance in the region over the course of 2008 and 2009 echoes that of the United States, due to decreased tourtourism revenues, slumping financial services sectors, and sharp reduction in overseas remittances. The region grew modestly in 2010 and is experiencing a weak recovery in 2011.

Political Risk Moderate Low

• The Country Risk Tier (CRT) reflects A.M. Best’s assessassessment of three categories of risk: Economic, Political and Financial System Risk.

High

 Very Low Low

 Very High High

Financial System Risk Moderate Low

High

 Very Low Low

 Very High High

For information on companies followed Market Outlooks

Copyright © 2011 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this report may be r eproduced eproduced,, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means; electronic, mechanical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise.

 

1

 

AMB Country Risk Report 

United States

Regional Summary: North America  • The North America region is domidominated by the United States of America, which accounts for USD 14 trillion of the total USD 16 trillion in economic activity. • The United States experienced its worst recession in the post WWII era from December 2007 to June 2009. While the recession has officially ended, sluggish growth and stubstubbornly high unemployment continue to have a dampening effect on the region’s economic activity act ivity..

Economic Risk: Ver Very y Low 

Vital Vit al Statisti Statistics cs 2010 Nominal GDP Population GDP Per Capita Real GDP Growth Inflation Rate Premiums Written (Life) Premiums Written (Non-Life) Premiums Growth (09-10)

USD bn mil US D % % USD mil USD mil %

14657.8 310.0 47,284 2.8 1.7 508,735 455,981 0.1

Regional Comparison Country Risk Tier  CRT-1 CRT-1 CRT-1 CRT-1 CRT-3 CRT-1

United States France Canada Germany Mexico United Kingdom Source: IMF, Axco, Swiss Re and A.M. Best

• The U.S. economy is the largest and most advanced in the world, with GDP of more than USD 14 trillion. • In 2007-2009 the U.S. economy expeexperienced its worst economic contraccontraction since at least the early 1980s. The economy rebounded modestly by 2.8% in 2010, but stalled in early 2011, partially due to effects from the earthearth quake in Japan and severe weather. Growth has been modest in 2011 and is expected to be slow and uneven moving forward.

5.0 Re al al GD P

CP I I nf nf la titi on on

4.0

3.0

2.0

     % 1.0

• In August 2011, the U.S. sovereign credit rating was downgraded for the first time in its history, amid concerns over rising federal debt. Despite the downgrade, investors maintained their favorable view of U.S. credit quality and fled to U.S. bonds. • Uncertain Uncertainties ties remain regarding potential fall-out from the sovereign

0.0 2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

-1.0

-2.0

-3.0

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook and A.M. Best

debt crisis thelawmakers eurozone, to as well as the looming ability ofinU.S. rein in the U.S. fiscal deficit.

2

 

AMB Country Risk Report 

United States

Political Risk Summary

Political Risk: Ver Ver y Low 

Score 1 (best) to 5 (worst) United t ed Sta States tes

• The United States has a stable demo demo-cratic political system and a strong legal system.

World Wor ld Ave Averag rage e International Transactions Policy

5

4

Legal System

Monetary Policy

3

2

1

Regional Stability

Fiscal Policy

0

Social Stability

Business Environme

Government Stability

Labor Flexibility

Source: A.M. Best

• U.S. combat forces are in the process of exiting Iraq, but are still involved in armed combat in Afghanistan, which has strained the relationships between the United States and much of the international community. • The United States has used expansion expansion-ary fiscal policy to stimulate the economy, leading to a substantial increase in the budget deficit and a subsequent downdowngrade in its sovereign credit rating by one ratings agency. agency. Lawmakers are working to rein in the fiscal deficit, but permanent progress has not yet been made. • Interest rates are at historic lows due to expansionary monetary policy, which may resume if the economy shows signs of continued weakness.

50,000

350 GDP Per Cap Capita ita

Popula Pop ulatio tion n

45,000 300

Financial System Risk: Ver Ver y Low 

40,000

250

35,000

30,000 200     s     n     o      i      l      l      i      M

     D      S 25,000      U

150 20,000

15,000

100

10,000 50 5,000

0

0 United States

France

Source: IMF and A.M. Best

Canada

Germany

 

Mexico

• Insurance regulation in the United States is decentralized and handled on a state-by-state basis. • As of July 2010, the Federal InsurInsurance Office, under the Department of the Treasury, is responsible for monimoni toring the insurance industry for reguregulatory gaps, systemic risk, and internainterna tional issues.

United Kingdom

• The government bailed out and restructured a number of financial institutions during the financial crisis. While the banking sector is recovering, it remains vulnerable to risks, espeespecially exposure to the eurozone, which is facing sovereign debt issues. 3

 

 

GUIDE TO BEST’S COUNTRY RISK TIERS  A.M. Best defines country country risk as the risk that country-specific country-specific factors could could adversely adversely affect the claims paying paying ability of an insurer. insurer. Country risk is evaluated and factored factored into all Best’s Credit Ratings. Countries are placed into one of five tiers, ranging from “CRT-1” “CRT-1” (Country Risk Tier 1), denoting a stable environment with the least amount of risk, to “CRT-5” (Country Risk Tier 5) for countries that pose the most risk and, therefore, the greatest challenge to an insurer’s financial stability, strength and performance.  A.M. Best’s Country Risk Risk Tiers are not credit ratings and are not directly comparable comparable to a sovereign sovereign debt rating, which which evaluates the ability ability and willingness of a government to service its debt obligations.

Country Risk Tiers Country Risk Tier 

Definition

CRT-1

Predictable and transparent legal environment, legal system and business infrastructure; sophisticated financial system regulation with deep capital markets; mature insurance industry framework.

CRT-2

Predictable and transparent legal environment, legal system and business infrastructure; sufficient financial system regulation; mature insurance industry framework. Developing legal environment, legal system and business environment with developing capital markets; developing insurance regulatory structure. Relatively unpredictable and nontransparent political, legal and business environment with underdeveloped capital markets; partially to fully inadequate regulatory structure.

CRT-3 CRT-4

Unpredictable and opaque political, legal and business environment with limited or nonexistent capital markets; low human development and social instability; nascent insurance industry.

CRT-5

Country Risk Reports  A.M. Best Country Risk Reports Reports are designed designed to provide a brief, high level, explanation of some of the key factors that determine a country’s country’s Country Risk Tier assignment. assignment. It is not intended to summarize A.M. Best’s opinion on any any particular insurance market, or the prospects prospects for that market.

Categories of Risk Country Risk Reports provide “scores” for three categories of risk for each country. These “scores” are: (1) Very Low; (2) Low; (3) Moderate; (4) High and (5) Very High. Category of Risk

Definition The likelihood that fundamental weaknesses in a country’s economy will cause adverse developments developments for an

Economic Risk

insurer. A.M. Best’s assessment of economic evaluates the state ofand the stability. domestic economy, government government finances and international transactions, as wellrisk as prospects for growth The likelihood that government or bureaucratic inefficiencies, societal tensions, inadequate legal system or international tensions will cause cause adverse developments developments for an insurer. Political risk comprises the stability of the governmentt and society, the effectiveness of international diplomatic relationships, the reliability and integrity of governmen the legal system and of the business infrastructure, the efficiency of the government bureaucracy and the appropriateness appropriatenes s and effectiveness of the government’s economic policies. Financial system risk (which includes both insurance and non-insurance financial system risk) i s the risk that financial volatility may erupt due to inadequate reporting standards, weak banking system or asset markets and/or poor regulatory structure. structure. Along with the risk that the insurance industry’s industry’s level of development and public awareness, transparent and effective regulation and reporting standards and sophisticated regulatory body will contribute to a volatile financial system and compromise the ability of an insurer to pay claims.

Political Risk

Financial System Risk

Political Risk Summary To provide additional detail on the political risk in a given domicile the Country Risk Reports include the Political Risk Summary. The Political Risk Summary is a radar chart that displays scores for nine different aspects of political risk scored on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being the least amount of risk and 5 being the highest amount of risk. Category Definition International Transactions Measures the effectiveness of the exchange rate regime and currency management. Policy Monetary Policy Fiscal Policy

Measures the ability of a country to effectively implement monetary policy. Measures the ability of a country to effectively implement fiscal policy.

Business Environment

Measures the overall quality of the business environment, and ease of doing business.

Labor Flexibility

Measures the flexibility of the labor market, including the company’s ability to hire and fire employees.

Government Stability

Measures the degree of stability in a government.

Social Stability

Measures the degree of social stability including human development and political rights.

Regional Stability

Measures the degree of stability in the region

Legal System

Measures the transparency and level of corruption in the legal system.

Country Risk Tier Disclosure  A Country Risk Tier (CRT) (CRT) is not a credit rating, rather it represents represents a component component of A.M. Best’s credit rating methodology methodology that that is applied to all insurers. A CRT is not a recommenda recommendation tion to purchase, hold or terminate any security, insurance policy, contract or any other financial obligation issued by a government, an insurer or other rated issuer, nor do they address the suitability of any particular policy, contract or other f inancial obligation for a specific purpose or purchaser.

 

Financial Strength Ratings are distributed via press release and/or the A.M. Best Web site at www.ambest.com and are published in the Rating  Actions section of BestWeek ®. Financial Strength Ratings are proprietary and may not be reproduced without permission. Copyright © 2011 by A.M. Best Company, Inc.  Version 070208 070208

Copyright © 2011 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this report may be r eproduced eproduced,, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means; electronic, mechanical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise.

 

4

Sponsor Documents

Or use your account on DocShare.tips

Hide

Forgot your password?

Or register your new account on DocShare.tips

Hide

Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link to create a new password.

Back to log-in

Close