Affirmative Insurance Holdings Inc. Leads Friday’s AMBG as Global Insurance Index Rises 0.85%

The AMBG closed Friday, Feb. 17, at 881.86 (+0.85%). Of the 15 A.M. Best stock indexes, 13 rose and two declined. Leading A.M. Best's Global Insurance Composite Index (AMBG) were Affirmative Insurance Holdings Inc. (+22.35%) and Euler Hermes (+11.95%). Trailing the list of global insurance stocks were National Security Group (-5.86%) and Fairfax Financial Holdings (-4.31%).

The European Insurance Index led the sector indexes, with the Asia/Pacific Insurance Index trailing the list. In descending order, the A.M. Best Insurance Stock Indexes closed at:

European Insurance Index (AMBEUR) +2.34%

Global Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBGML) +1.95%

Global Reinsurance Index (AMBGR) +1.16%

Global Insurance Brokers Index (AMBGB) +0.92%

U.S. Insurance Brokers Index (AMBUB) +0.92%

Global Composite Index (AMBG) +0.85%

Global Life Insurance Index (AMBGL) +0.80%

U.S. Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBUML) +0.69%

U.S. Life Insurance Index (AMBUL) +0.50%

U.S. Property/Casualty Insurance Index (AMBUPC) +0.44%

U.S. Insurance Index (AMBUS) +0.39%

Global Non-Life Insurance Index (AMBGNL) +0.34%

U.S. Life and Health/HMO Insurance Index (AMBULH) +0.23%

U.S. Health and HMO Insurance Index (AMBUH) -0.01%

Asia/Pacific Insurance Index (AMBAP) -0.24%

The U.S. Insurance Index (AMBUS) closed at 905.55 (+0.39%). Leading the AMBUS were Affirmative Insurance Holdings Inc. (+22.35%) and First Acceptance Corp. (+9.37%). Trailing the AMBUS were National Security Group (-5.86%) and Fairfax Financial Holdings (-4.31%).

The European Insurance Index (AMBEUR) closed at 817.31 (+2.34%). Leading the AMBEUR were Euler Hermes (+11.95%) and Aegon N.V. (+6.97%). Trailing the AMBEUR were Zurich Financial Services AG (-0.09%) and Scor S.E. (+0.03%).

The Asia/Pacific Insurance Index (AMBAP) closed at 998.17 (-0.24%). Leading the AMBAP were China Taiping Insurance Holdings Co. Ltd. (+5.83%) and Austbrokers Holdings (+1.30%). Trailing the AMBAP were National Reinsurance Co. (-2.65%) and Dongbu Insurance Co. (-1.87%).

The Global Reinsurance Index (AMBGR) closed at 1022.51 (+1.16%). Leading the AMBGR were Euler Hermes (+11.95%) and Aegon N.V. (+6.97%). Trailing the AMBGR were National Reinsurance Co. (-2.65%) and Singapore Reinsurance Corp. (-1.79%).

The Global Broker Index (AMBGB) closed at 1264.57 (+0.92%). Leading the AMBGB were eHealth Inc. (+4.79%) and Marsh & McLennan Cos. (+2.29%). Trailing the AMBGB were Life Partners (-1.41%) and Advance Create Co. (-0.92%).

The Global Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBGML) closed at 547.53 (+1.95%). Leading the AMBGML were First Acceptance Corp. (+9.37%) and Hartford Financial Services Group (+2.17%). Trailing the AMBGML were Horace Mann Educators (-0.71%) and AIG (-0.18%).

The Global Nonlife Insurance Index (AMBGNL) closed at 1201.98 (+0.34%). Leading the AMBGNL were Affirmative Insurance Holdings Inc. (+22.35%) and Euler Hermes (+11.95%). Trailing the AMBGNL were National Security Group (-5.86%) and Fairfax Financial Holdings (-4.31%).

The Global Life Insurance Index (AMBGL) closed at 880.01 (+0.80%). Leading the AMBGL were Aegon N.V. (+6.97%) and China Taiping Insurance Holdings Co. Ltd. (+5.83%). Trailing the AMBGL were Phoenix Cos. (-2.55%) and CNO Financial Group Inc. (-2.00%).

The U.S. Property/Casualty Index (AMBUPC) closed at 1283.31 (+0.44%). Leading the AMBUPC were Affirmative Insurance Holdings Inc. (+22.35%) and First Acceptance Corp. (+9.37%). Trailing the AMBUPC were National Security Group (-5.86%) and Fairfax Financial Holdings (-4.31%).

The U.S. Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBUML) closed at 204.23 (+0.69%). Leading the AMBUML were Hartford Financial Services Group (+2.17%) and American National Insurance (+1.12%). Trailing the AMBUML were Horace Mann Educators (-0.71%) and AIG (-0.18%).

The U.S. Life Insurance Index (AMBUL) closed at 785.95 (+0.50%). Leading the AMBUL were Presidential Life Corp. (+2.99%) and Genworth Financial (+2.22%). Trailing the AMBUL were Phoenix Cos. (-2.55%) and CNO Financial Group Inc. (-2.00%).

The U.S. Life and Health/HMO Insurance Index (AMBULH) closed at 1028.83 (+0.23%). Leading the AMBULH were Presidential Life Corp. (+2.99%) and Universal American (+2.65%). Trailing the AMBULH were Phoenix Cos. (-2.55%) and CNO Financial Group Inc. (-2.00%).

The U.S. Health and HMO Index (AMBUH) closed at 1342.15 (-0.01%). Leading the AMBUH were Universal American (+2.65%) and Unum Group (+1.05%). Trailing the AMBUH were Health Net (-0.63%) and AFLAC Inc. (-0.35%).

The U.S. Insurance Brokers Index (AMBUB) closed at 1177.23 (+0.92%). Leading the AMBUB were eHealth Inc. (+4.79%) and Marsh & McLennan Cos. (+2.29%). Trailing the AMBUB were Life Partners (-1.41%) and Internet Patents Corp. (-0.50%).

Performance rankings of companies in each A.M. Best insurance sector index are published weekly in BestWeek.

The A.M. Best stock indexes cover 178 publicly traded insurance companies and brokers. Index values are calculated by Dow Jones Indexes in U.S. dollars. Companies in the A.M. Best stock indexes include insurers and insurance-related organizations with credit ratings from A.M. Best, along with brokers. A.M. Best does not provide investment recommendations. A listing of companies in each A.M. Best Index is available at http://www.ambest.com/stocks.