Fitch affirms Sri Lanka Insurance at 'AA(lka)'Stable
Fitch Ratings Lanka has affirmed Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation
Limited's (SLIC) National Insurer Financial Strength Rating and National
Long-Term rating at 'AA(lka)'. The Outlook is stable. SLIC's ratings
reflect its strong franchise and sound capitalisation levels, supported
by ongoing high profitability and capital retention.
Regulatory solvency ratios for life and non-life insurance segments
improved to 11.55x and 2.21x, at end-December 2011 from 7.73x and 2.11x
in 2010, and compare well with peers.
However, Fitch notes that SLIC's risk-based capitalisation is
weakened by its high equity exposure due to the associated market
volatility.
The ratings also reflect Fitch's expectation of support from the
Government given its 99.9 percent ownership in SLIC and the company's
strategic importance as the largest state-owned insurer. However, the
agency notes that timeliness of support could be limited given the
state's own fiscal limitations. Fitch notes that SLIC has undertaken key
strategic investments in line with Government policy in the past.
SLIC's somewhat aggressive investment strategy, as evidenced by large
equity exposures, remains a rating concern due to associated profit
volatility on some of these assets. Equity investments (excluding unit
trust investments) accounted for 38 percent of book value assets in 2011
(2010: 37percent) and is likely to increase in the medium term in line
with SLIC's investment plans.
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