Arbella Earns Rating Upgrade From AM Best

Best said the rating upgrade reflects Arbella’s “surplus growth and strong risk-adjusted capitalization following its improved underwriting performance, which is due mainly to favorable loss experience, and reduced underwriting leverage over the past several years.”

A.M. Best is the leading information provider for the global insurance industry and provides access to the latest ratings, news and research on the property/casualty insurance market. Its ratings provide unparalleled quantitative and qualitative credit and debt analysis of insurance companies, banks, hospitals and health care system providers.

“While we at Arbella have known for some time that we have built a strong financial foundation based on our wonderful business partnerships with our agents, it is gratifying to receive this formal acknowledgement of our excellent financial strength from one of the major rating agencies,” said John Donohue, chairman and chief executive officer of Arbella. “To achieve this in the current general economic climate and during the dramatic changes roiling the Massachusetts personal auto insurance market only underscores our success.”

At the end of 2008, Arbella’s assets totaled $1.2 billion with more than $909 million in total cash and invested assets. With more than a half million insurance customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut, Arbella’s strong performance was supported by our commitment to providing great service, building a strong financial foundation, implementing sound growth and expense management strategies and an ability to adapt to changes in the economic and competitive environments.

“This is an important milestone for both our company and our customers and confirms Arbella’s financial strength, established market position and sustained track record of profitability,” Donohue added

About Arbella Insurance Group

Established in 1988, the Arbella Insurance Group (www.arbella.com) is a $650M revenue company with over $1B in assets headquartered in Quincy, Massachusetts. Arbella is a customer-focused regional property and casualty insurance company, providing personal and business insurance in Massachusetts, business insurance in Rhode Island, and personal insurance in Connecticut.

For Arbella Insurance Group
Doug Bailey, 617-335-8136
doug@dbmediastrategies.com