How Can I Determine the Financial Strength of My Insurance Company?How do you compare life insurance companies? What features do you examine? What criteria do you use? How do you know what to look for? Making sure that your insurance company is financially sound is an important part of helping to ensure family security. Fortunately, there are a number of independent companies that make these evaluations. These rating companies carefully examine each insurance company in the areas of profitability, debt, liquidity, and other factors. From the results of these examinations, they then issue overall ratings. Looking up a company’s rating will provide you with a snapshot of that company’s financial health. Tracking the company’s rating on a regular basis may give you some advanced warning of trouble. The four most prominent rating companies are A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s Investors Service, and Fitch Ratings. Each of these services uses slightly different criteria when rating companies. As a result, each may have a slightly different view of a given company. A.M. Best ratings are based on financial conditions and performance; Moody’s, Fitch Ratings, and Standard & Poor’s ratings are based on claims-paying ability. You should be able to find copies of at least one of these ratings in the reference section of your local library. If you are unable to find them, or if the ratings in your library are outdated, you can contact the services directly. All four services will provide ratings over the phone. A.M. Best Company: 908-439-2200, www.ambest.com Standard & Poor’s: 877-772-5436, www.standardandpoors.com Moody’s Investors Service: 212-553-0377, www.moodys.com Fitch Ratings: 800-893-4824, www.fitchratings.com The information in this article is not intended to be tax or legal advice, and it may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. You are encouraged to seek tax or legal advice from an independent professional advisor. The content is derived from sources believed to be accurate. Neither the information presented nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. This material was written and prepared by Emerald. © 2012 Emerald Connect, Inc. |
| Mrk Financial Solutions |
print this page| Plymouth Office: 3020 Harbor Lane North Plymouth, MN 55447 St. Paul Office: 332 Minnesota Street, Suite W1099 St. Paul, MN 55101 |
| Phone: Plymouth (763)541-8400 St. Paul (651)293-3934 |
• | Fax: Plymouth (763)541-8404 St. Paul (651)222-2987 |
IMPORTANT NOTE: Michael Kobs is a Registered Representative registered to transact business with clients in MN, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, IA, MA, MI, MO, NV, NM, NC, ND, OH, PA, RI, SD, TN, TX, WA, WI and WY; is Advisory licensed in MN, AZ, CA, CO, FL, IL, IA, MI, MT, TN, TX and WA; is also an Insurance Agent licensed in MN, CA, GA, IA, MI and WI.
Michael Carpentier is a Registered Representative registered to transact business with clients in MN, AZ, CA, CO, FL, IL, IA, MO, MT, NM, NC, RI and WI; is Advisory licensed in MN, CA, CO, IL, IA, MT and WI; is also an Insurance Agent licensed in MN and WI.
Alex Mayrand is a Registered Representative registered to transact business with clients in MN, AZ, CA, FL, IA, MI, TN, WA and WI; is Advisory licensed in MN, AZ, CA, FL, MI, TN, WA and WI; is also an Insurance Agent licensed in MN and WI.
Justin Prescott is a Registered Representative registered to transact business with clients in MN, FL, IA and WI; is Advisory licensed in MN, IA and WI; is also an Insurance Agent licensed in MN and WI.
Fred Sowatzka is a Registered Representative registered to transact business with clients in MN, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, MD, SC, WA and WI; is Advisory licensed in MN; is also an Irsurance Agent licensed in MN, FL and WI.
Allison Furth is a Registered Representative registered to transact business with clients in MN and CO; and is an Insurance Agent licensed in MN and FL.
If you are not a resident of the states noted above, all investment-related information on this site is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation or offer to sell securities or insurance services over the internet. Securities offered fhrough HD Vest Investment ServicesSM, Member SIPC, Advisory Services offered through HD Vest Advisory ServicesSM, 6333 North State Highway 161, 4th Floor, Irving, TX 75038, (972) 870-6000. Investment and Insurance Products: Are not insured by the FDIC or any federal government agency.,are not deposits of or guaranteed by the bank or any bank affiliate and may lose value. MRK Financial Solutions, Inc is not a registered broker/dealer or independent investment advisory firm.