investment risk: Additionally, the company has improved its risk-adjusted capitalization from the prior year through organic earnings and lower required capital due to de-risking the investment portfolio by reducing exposure to below investment grade bonds, according to Market Watch. There is modest financial leverage at the parent company, IHCC, which maintains some earnings diversification from other non-insurance subsidiaries. The ratings reflect IHLIC niche position in the preneed marketplace and increasing penetration into the traditional whole life and annuity markets. Partially offsetting rating factors are the high levels of competition in the preneed marketplace and some concentration within IHLIC distribution model and investment portfolio. Furthermore, the company is exposed to heightened investment risk due to the concentration of a few single large holdings and an increasing residential mortgage loan portfolio, albeit partially offset by the reduction in below investment grade bonds. Strategic changes within a key distribution partner led to a material decline in net premiums written in 2014, and the company is projecting premium trends to remain relatively flat in the near term.
(news.financializer.com). As
reported in the news.
Tagged under investment risk, parent company topics.