Monday, November 16, 2009

21st Century Holding Co. Leads Wednesday's AMBG as Global Insurance Index Rises 1.08%

hiscox insurance

OLDWICK, N.J., Nov 12, 2009 (A. M. Best via COMTEX) -- CRMH | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- The AMBG closed Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 817.29 (+1.08%). All 15 A.M. Best stock indexes rose. Leading A.M. Best's Global Insurance Composite Index (AMBG) were 21st Century Holding Co. (+10.08%) and Investors Heritage Capital Co. (+7.87%). Trailing the list of global insurance stocks were CRM Holdings (-12.16%) and Kingsway Financial Services (-6.41%).

The Global Life Insurance Index led the sector indexes, with the U.S. Property/Casualty Insurance Index trailing the list. In descending order, the A.M. Best Insurance Stock Indexes closed at:

Global Life Insurance Index (AMBGL) +2.01%

U.S. Life Insurance Index (AMBUL) +1.60%

European Insurance Index (AMBEUR) +1.50%

U.S. Life and Health/HMO Insurance Index (AMBULH) +1.45%

U.S. Health and HMO Insurance Index (AMBUH) +1.29%

Global Reinsurance Index (AMBGR) +1.28%

Global Composite Index (AMBG) +1.08%

U.S. Insurance Brokers Index (AMBUB) +0.94%

U.S. Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBUML) +0.92%

U.S. Insurance Index (AMBUS) +0.88%

Global Insurance Brokers Index (AMBGB) +0.86%

Asia/Pacific Insurance Index (AMBAP) +0.83%

Global Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBGML) +0.63%

Global Non-Life Insurance Index (AMBGNL) +0.52%

U.S. Property/Casualty Insurance Index (AMBUPC) +0.37%

The U.S. Insurance Index (AMBUS) closed at 748.68 (+0.88%). Leading the AMBUS were 21st Century Holding Co. (+10.08%) and Investors Heritage Capital Co. (+7.87%). Trailing the AMBUS were CRM Holdings (-12.16%) and NYMagic (-4.09%).

The European Insurance Index (AMBEUR) closed at 900.54 (+1.50%). Leading the AMBEUR were ING Groep N.V. (+6.60%) and Legal & General Group (+5.53%). Trailing the AMBEUR were Hiscox (-1.59%) and Beazley Group (-1.58%).

The Asia/Pacific Insurance Index (AMBAP) closed at 1152.58 (+0.83%). Leading the AMBAP were Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Co. Ltd. (+1.39%) and Nipponkoa Insurance (+1.18%). Trailing the AMBAP were Singapore Reinsurance Corp. (-5.26%) and Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Co. Ltd. (-1.91%).

The Global Reinsurance Index (AMBGR) closed at 976.60 (+1.28%). Leading the AMBGR were ING Groep N.V. (+6.60%) and Aegon N.V. (+4.07%). Trailing the AMBGR were Singapore Reinsurance Corp. (-5.26%) and Continental Reinsurance (-4.97%).

The Global Broker Index (AMBGB) closed at 1008.50 (+0.86%). Leading the AMBGB were National Financial Partners (+2.34%) and Marsh & McLennan Cos. (+1.25%). Trailing the AMBGB were Advance Create Co. (-1.72%) and eHealth Inc. (-0.88%).

The Global Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBGML) closed at 618.09 (+0.63%). Leading the AMBGML were Generali Deutschland Holding (+3.06%) and Hartford Financial Services Group (+2.72%). Trailing the AMBGML were American International Group (-2.23%) and Allianz (-0.16%).

The Global Nonlife Insurance Index (AMBGNL) closed at 1065.13 (+0.52%). Leading the AMBGNL were 21st Century Holding Co. (+10.08%) and PMA Capital Corp. (+5.41%). Trailing the AMBGNL were CRM Holdings (-12.16%) and Kingsway Financial Services (-6.41%).

The Global Life Insurance Index (AMBGL) closed at 774.17 (+2.01%). Leading the AMBGL were Investors Heritage Capital Co. (+7.87%) and ING Groep N.V. (+6.60%). Trailing the AMBGL were Industrial Alliance Ins. & FS (-1.72%) and Sun Life Financial (-0.77%).

The U.S. Property/Casualty Index (AMBUPC) closed at 1076.05 (+0.37%). Leading the AMBUPC were 21st Century Holding Co. (+10.08%) and PMA Capital Corp. (+5.41%). Trailing the AMBUPC were CRM Holdings (-12.16%) and NYMagic (-4.09%).

The U.S. Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBUML) closed at 192.28 (+0.92%). Leading the AMBUML were Hartford Financial Services Group (+2.72%) and Unitrin (+2.39%). Trailing the AMBUML were AIG (-2.23%) and Atlantic American Corp. (0.00%).

The U.S. Life Insurance Index (AMBUL) closed at 784.27 (+1.60%). Leading the AMBUL were Investors Heritage Capital Co. (+7.87%) and Phoenix Cos. (+5.52%). Trailing the AMBUL were Sun Life Financial (-0.77%) and Presidential Life Corp. (+0.76%).

The U.S. Life and Health/HMO Insurance Index (AMBULH) closed at 827.15 (+1.45%). Leading the AMBULH were Investors Heritage Capital Co. (+7.87%) and Phoenix Cos. (+5.52%). Trailing the AMBULH were Sun Life Financial (-0.77%) and HealthSpring (-0.25%).

The U.S. Health and HMO Index (AMBUH) closed at 871.49 (+1.29%). Leading the AMBUH were Aflac Inc. (+2.14%) and WellPoint (+1.97%). Trailing the AMBUH were HealthSpring (-0.25%) and Humana (-0.24%).

The U.S. Insurance Brokers Index (AMBUB) closed at 922.83 (+0.94%). Leading the AMBUB were National Financial Partners (+2.34%) and Marsh & McLennan Cos. (+1.25%). Trailing the AMBUB were eHealth Inc. (-0.88%) and AmTrust Financial Services Inc. (-0.50%).

Performance rankings of companies in each A.M. Best insurance sector index are published weekly in BestWeek.

The A.M. Best stock indexes cover 203 publicly traded insurance companies and brokers. Index values are calculated by Dow Jones Indexes in U.S. dollars. Companies in the A.M. Best stock indexes include insurers and insurance-related organizations with credit ratings from A.M. Best, along with brokers. A.M. Best does not provide investment recommendations. A listing of companies in each A.M. Best Index is available at http://www.ambest.com/stocks.