First-time rating assignment
London, 04 December 2012 -- Moody's Investors Service has today assigned a first-time Ba1 insurance
financial strength rating (IFSR) to T'azur Takaful Insurance Company
K.S.C.C. ("T'azur"), based in
Kuwait. The rating outlook is stable.
RATINGS RATIONALE
T'azur is a Takaful insurer based in Kuwait and was established
in 2007. It writes a mix of non-life, health and takaful
life insurance. Moody's Ba1 rating reflects T'azur's
good market position within the domestic Takaful market, with a
market share of around 8% and 5th position in terms of Takaful
contributions. As at year end 2011, T'azur's
market share is a more modest 1.3% of the total Kuwaiti
insurance market (i.e. conventional and Takaful insurance).
T'azur has however grown strongly since inception, with growth
rates averaging 44% in the last 2 years. The rating also
benefits from the relatively lower-risk investment portfolio compared
to its Kuwaiti peers, with the majority of investments held as Wakala
receivables.
However, offsetting this is the challenge T'azur faces in
continuing to increase revenues to improve the current expense ratio,
a challenge facing many relatively new insurers in Kuwait, with
2011 gross contributions of KD 2.9m (US$10.6mn) leading
to an expense ratio of 50% on a Moody's basis. In
addition, T'azur's profitability remains modest,
with combined ratios averaging 113% over the last 3 years and a
2009-2011 3 year average RoC of around 1%. T'azur
also maintains a deficit in the policyholders' fund, standing
at KWD0.7mn (US$ 2.7mn) at year end 2011, and
this deficit has risen since inception.
"The stable rating outlook reflects T'azur Takaful's
good position in the Kuwait Takaful market, which should enable
it to participate in the insurance premium growth arising from the Kuwaiti
government's extensive economic stimulus package for the next few
years," says David Masters, a Moody's Vice President
-- Senior Analyst and lead analyst for T'azur.
According to Moody's, the rating could be upgraded if the
profitability, both within the policyholders' fund and on
a consolidated basis, were to improve to a RoC consistently above
5% and/or if there were significant improvements in the policyholder
deficit position. Further developments that might lead to positive
rating pressure include a greater diversification in the investment portfolio
away from Wakala receivables and into highly rated investment deposits.
Conversely, the rating may come under negative pressure if there
is a deterioration in the profitability, either through negative
RoC, or through a significant deterioration in the underwriting
profitability of T'azur. Further negative pressure could
arise in the event of a material increase in investment exposure to real
estate and/or equities.
The following rating was assigned with a stable outlook:
T'azur Takaful Insurance Company K.S.C.C.
Insurance Financial Strength Rating of Ba1
The methodologies used in this rating were Moody's Global Rating Methodology
for Property and Casualty Insurers published in May 2010 and Moody's Global
Rating Methodology for Life Insurers published in May 2010. Please
see the Credit Policy page on www.moodys.com for a copy
of these methodologies.
Based in Kuwait, T'azur Takaful reported a consolidated net
income of KWD0.2million in 2011, compared to the net loss
of KWD0.2million in 2010. T'azur Takaful's total
shareholders' equity (excluding policyholders' fund) slightly
improved to KWD6.1million at year-end 2011 from KWD5.9million
at year-end 2010, although the deficit of policyholder fund
increased to KWD0.7million in 2011 from KWD0.4million in
2010. Gross contributions increased to KWD 2.9million in
2011 from KWD2.0million recorded in 2010.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
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this announcement provides relevant regulatory disclosures in relation
to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive
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the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued
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David Masters
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service Ltd.
One Canada Square
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United Kingdom
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Simon Harris
MD - Financial Institutions
Financial Institutions Group
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Releasing Office:
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Moody's assigns Ba1 IFS rating to T'azur Takaful Insurance Company K.S.C.C.