UK P&I’s Europe Club Receives Upgrade
The UK P&I Club (the UK Club), one of the oldest shipping protection and indemnity insurance mutuals, has announced that ratings agency Standard and Poor’s has extended its ‘A – ‘ rating to The United Kingdom Mutual Steamship Assurance Association (Europe) Ltd. (the Europe Club).
This news follows the November announcement that Standard and Poor’s upgraded the outlook for The United Kingdom Mutual Steamship Assurance Association (Bermuda) Ltd. (the Bermuda Club) to “Positive.” This upgraded ‘Positive’ outlook also extends to the Europe Club.
As part of an internal reorganisation ahead of the introduction of Solvency II regulations, the Europe Club will become the group’s main provider of direct insurance from February 2013. In its review, Standard and Poor’s recognized the upcoming change and stated that it considers the Europe club to be “core to the group”.
Hugo Wynn-Williams, Chief Executive of Thomas Miller P&I, the UK P&I Club’s managers, said: “Recognition for both UK Club entities with the same, positive credit rating is welcome. The Club has worked to maintain balanced underwriting and a strong capital position in an environment of rising claims costs and volatile investments.”
The UK Club’s funds have continued to strengthen in the first half of 2012 with free reserves and capital increasing a further $8 million to $494 million at 20th August 2012. The UK Club is one of the strongest clubs financially in the International Group with a free reserve ratio of 167 percent.