AM Best Upgrades Credit Ratings of CNA Financial Corporation and Its Subsidiaries
CNACNA(US:CNA) Businesswire·2025-12-03 20:17

Core Viewpoint - AM Best has upgraded the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) and Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICRs) for CNA Financial Corporation's property/casualty subsidiaries, reflecting strong balance sheet strength and operating performance [1] Group 1: Ratings Upgrade - The FSR has been upgraded to A+ (Superior) from A (Excellent) for CNA Insurance Companies and Western Surety Group, with Long-Term ICRs upgraded to "aa-" (Superior) from "a+" (Excellent) [1] - The outlook for these ratings has been revised to stable from positive [1] Group 2: Financial Strength and Performance - CNA's ratings reflect very strong balance sheet strength, strong operating performance, and a favorable business profile, supported by its commercial casualty underwriting and investment metrics [1] - The ratings acknowledge the historical financial support from Loews Corporation, which holds a 92% stake in CNA [1] Group 3: Risk Management and Profitability - CNA has demonstrated consistently positive operating performance over the last five years, with significant profitability from commercial insurance operations due to effective underwriting and expense management [1] - The ratings also consider CNA's enterprise risk management (ERM) structure and the support from its parent company [1] Group 4: Western Surety Group Ratings - Western Surety Group's ratings reflect its strongest balance sheet strength and strong operating performance, with a favorable loss reserve position and modest underwriting leverage [1] - WSG maintains a strong market position in the surety bond markets, consistently reporting profitable performance [1] Group 5: Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings - Long-Term IRs for CNA Financial Corporation have been upgraded to "a-" (Excellent) from "bbb+" (Good) for multiple senior unsecured notes totaling $500 million each, with various due dates from 2027 to 2035 [1] - The outlooks for these Long-Term IRs have been revised to stable from positive [1]