A closer look at the rating agencies

A.M. Best, the oldest rating agency, has reported on the financial condition of insurance companies since 1899. Our Minnesota Life affiliate has received Best's "Superior" rating for more than 50 years. Listed below are the 16 ratings categories A.M. Best uses.

Fitch has evaluated the claims-paying ability of life, health, property casualty, bond and annuity insurers since 1986.

Standard & Poor's, which has rated the financial strength and credit quality of debt issues for over 50 years, began publicly rating insurance companies in 1983.

Moody's started in the bond rating business in 1904, and began offering insurance financial strength ratings in 1986.

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