Hong Kong, November 14, 2016 -- Moody's Investors Service has assigned an A2 insurance financial strength
rating (IFSR) to China Railway Captive Insurance Co., Ltd.
The rating outlook is negative, in line with the negative outlook
on China's sovereign Aa3 rating.
This is the first time that Moody's has assigned a rating to China
Railway Captive Insurance.
China Railway Captive Insurance is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
China Railway Corporation (CRC, unrated), the state-owned
railway operator of China. CRC - the former Ministry of
Railway - was incorporated in March 2013, and is the central
government's unique platform for railway ownership and operations
across the country. It is wholly owned by the State Council through
the Ministry of Finance, and administered by the Ministry of Transportation
and National Railway Administration.
RATINGS RATIONALE
The A2 IFSR reflects Moody's view that China Railway Captive Insurance's
credit profile is closely aligned to that of CRC, as well as its
assessment of a high level of support from CRC because of its captive
status. Moody's expects the parent will provide operational
and timely capital support for China Railway Captive Insurance's
business growth.
Moody's assessment of support also considers the requirement of
the China Insurance Regulatory Commission that a parent company inject
capital into their captive insurance subsidiaries when they fail to meet
the regulatory solvency requirement.
China Railway Captive Insurance maintains a short-tail focused
business profile with low reserving risk. It mainly covers engineering
(54.7% in H1 2016), corporate motor (30.8%),
and personal accident (13.6%) risks. Being a captive
insurer, the company also underwrites third-party risk,
mainly for railway-related companies such as China Railway Group
Limited (A3 stable) and China Railway Construction Corporation Limited
(A3 stable).
The insurer's capitalization was RMB 2.05 billion at end-June
2016, which is considered strong relative to the risks taken,
and will support its planned business growth. It had a very strong
local solvency ratio at end-September 2016 under China's
Risk-Oriented Solvency System (C-ROSS), the new regulatory
capital regime that was implemented in January.
Moody's expects its gross underwriting leverage -- as measured
by gross premiums and reserves relative to adjusted shareholders' equity
for asset risk -- will remain modest in the coming two years.
China Railway Captive Insurance also has a very liquid investment portfolio
-- mainly cash and bank deposits -- with low
credit risk.
As a start-up captive insurer with an operating history of 15 months,
its strengths are offset by the lack of a track record in underwriting
profitability, and limited use of external reinsurance. Its
claims experience can also be volatile due to the potential large engineering
losses considering its risk exposure, which are linked to the parent's
operations.
RATING DRIVERS
A ratings upgrade is unlikely, given the negative outlook,
as well as the company's limited operating track record.
Nevertheless, given that the credit profile of China Railway Captive
Insurance is highly correlated with that of its parent, we would
consider upgrading its rating if the credit profile of CRC improves significantly.
In addition, a ratings upgrade is possible if the company underwrites
less third-party risk over time, i.e. it insurers
more captive risk of CRC.
China Railway Captive Insurance's rating could be downgraded if
(1) there is a significant deterioration in CRC's credit profile;
(2) there are signs of weakening support from CRC; (3) it underwrites
significant additional third-party risks; or (4) it does not
replenish its capital base following significant industrial and catastrophe
losses.
The principal methodology used in this rating was Global Reinsurers published
in April 2016. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
Domiciled in Beijing, China Railway Captive Insurance Co.,
Ltd. is wholly owned by China Railway Corporation. The insurer
provides coverage mainly for motor, accident insurance for passengers
and engineering risks within the group. At end-2015,
its assets and shareholders' equity totaled RMB2.1 billion
and RMB2.0 billion, respectively.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For ratings issued on a program, series or category/class of debt,
this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation
to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series
or category/class of debt or pursuant to a program for which the ratings
are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's
rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider,
this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation
to the credit rating action on the support provider and in relation to
each particular credit rating action for securities that derive their
credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating.
For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory
disclosures in relation to the provisional rating assigned, and
in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned subsequent to
the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction
structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive
rating in a manner that would have affected the rating. For further
information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the
respective issuer on www.moodys.com.
For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit
support from the primary entity(ies) of this credit rating action,
and whose ratings may change as a result of this credit rating action,
the associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity.
Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures,
if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure
to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.
Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit
rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating
review.
Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to
the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued
the rating.
Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com
for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.
The first name below is the lead rating analyst for this Credit Rating
and the last name below is the person primarily responsible for approving
this Credit Rating.
Stella Ng
Asst Vice President - Analyst
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service Hong Kong Ltd.
24/F One Pacific Place
88 Queensway
Hong Kong
China (Hong Kong S.A.R.)
JOURNALISTS: (852) 3758 -1350
SUBSCRIBERS: (852) 3551-3077
Yat Man Sally Yim
Senior Vice President
Financial Institutions Group
JOURNALISTS: (852) 3758 -1350
SUBSCRIBERS: (852) 3551-3077
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service Hong Kong Ltd.
24/F One Pacific Place
88 Queensway
Hong Kong
China (Hong Kong S.A.R.)
JOURNALISTS: (852) 3758 -1350
SUBSCRIBERS: (852) 3551-3077