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Rating Action:

MOODY'S CONFIRMS SAFECO LIFE'S A2 INSURANCE FINANCIAL STRENGTH RATING FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT OF SALE TO INVESTOR GROUP

16 Mar 2004
MOODY'S CONFIRMS SAFECO LIFE'S A2 INSURANCE FINANCIAL STRENGTH RATING FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT OF SALE TO INVESTOR GROUP

New York, March 16, 2004 -- Moody's Investor Service has confirmed the A2 long-term insurance financial strength rating and the Prime-1 short-term insurance financial strength rating of Safeco Life Insurance Company (Safeco Life).

The rating actions follow the announcement by Safeco Corporation (Safeco), the owner of Safeco Life, of its agreement to sell its Life & Investment operations, including Safeco Life and its group health, life insurance, and annuity businesses, as well as mutual fund operations, to an investor group led by White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. (White Mountains) and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Berkshire) for approximately $1.35 billion.

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2004, subject to regulatory approvals and other closing conditions. These rating actions conclude the review with direction uncertain for Safeco Life that Moody's initiated on September 30, 2003.

Safeco had originally announced its intention to explore strategic alternatives for its life operations, including their possible sale, in September 2003. As a result of that announcement, Moody's downgraded Safeco Life's long-term insurance financial strength rating to A2 from A1.

At that time, Moody's had noted that the A2 rating represented Safeco Life's stand-alone intrinsic rating the benefits of its ownership by, and support from, Safeco. Thus, the A2 rating reflected, and continues to reflect Safeco Life's current financial profile, operating fundamentals and competitive position. Among the company's strengths are its profitable block of structured settlement annuities, stable block of tax-sheltered annuities, and high quality investment portfolio, which has low mortgage and real estate exposure.

The rating agency says that the risk of spread compression on Safeco Life's structured settlement and fixed annuity portfolios, its sizable exposure to the more volatile health insurance business, the credit-sensitive nature of its BOLI business, and a relatively low level of statutory capitalization offset some of these strengths.

Following the completion of the transaction, Safeco Life will continue to focus primarily on the sale of bank-distributed individual deferred annuities and group health insurance, distributed through specialized brokers and third-party administrators. Moody's says that these distribution arrangements, as well as the use of the Safeco property-casualty agency channel, will also continue under Safeco Life's new ownership. Safeco Life, which will be held by a new intermediate holding company and will have the right to use the Safeco brand name for one year following the close of the transaction.

Commenting on the nature of Safeco Life's new ownership, Moody's notes that private ownership, although possibly not long-term in tenure, should afford Safeco Life the time to improve its financial performance without the pressures of full public ownership. In addition, under its previous ownership, Safeco Life was a significant source of cash dividends for Safeco. Under the White Mountains- and Berkshire-led ownership group, Safeco Life's new private holding company will have fewer cash needs, thereby improving the financial flexibility and capital formation.

The rating agency points out that the acquisition will involve approximately $300 million of bank debt at the new holding company, resulting in financial leverage of about 22%. Although the debt will be serviced by cash dividends "upstreamed" from Safeco Life (about $10 million annually), Moody's says that Safeco Life's liquidity and interest coverage are expected to remain strong.

The rating agency adds that its outlook for Safeco Life's ratings is stable, given that Safeco Life's management, product portfolio, distribution arrangements, and business strategy will remain unchanged after the transaction closes.

Moody's notes that the separation of Safeco Life from Safeco into a private company could lead to disruptions and challenges with respect to distribution and sales. Safeco Life's business momentum has already been somewhat negatively impacted by uncertainty since Safeco's announcement that it was looking to sell its life operations. The announcement of this transaction, however, should eliminate much of that uncertainty, Moody's says.

The rating agency warns that any significant decline in premiums, earnings, or statutory capitalization, or any substantial increase in policy surrenders, could, over time, result in a rating downgrade. Conversely, a significant expansion of distribution and premiums, growth in earnings and statutory capitalization, greater product diversity, and/or a reduction in financial leverage could lead to an eventual upgrade in Safeco Life's ratings.

Safeco Life Insurance Company is currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Safeco Corporation. At December 31, 2003, it reported total statutory assets of approximately $19 billion and statutory capital and surplus of $1.1 billion. Safeco Corporation is a Seattle-based, publicly traded holding company that sells insurance and related financial products. At December 31, 2003, Safeco reported GAAP shareholders' equity of $5.0 billion and net income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2003 of $339 million.

Moody's Insurance Financial Strength Ratings are opinions of the ability of insurance companies to repay punctually senior policyholder claims and obligations. For more information, please visit our Website at www.moodys.com/insurance.

end

New York
Robert Riegel
Managing Director
Life Insurance Group
Moody's Investors Service
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653

New York
Laura Bazer
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Life Insurance Group
Moody's Investors Service
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653

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