Insurance Ratings:
Comparison of Private Agency Ratings for Life/Health Insurers
GGD-94-204BR: Published: Sep 29, 1994. Publicly Released: Oct 7, 1994.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
Contact:
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed private agency ratings for life and health insurers, focusing on: (1) the rating systems of the five major raters of life and health insurers; and (2) which raters were first to report the vulnerability of financially impaired or insolvent insurers between August 1989 and June 1992.
GAO found that: (1) insurer ratings could not be easily compared, since the rating agencies did not use the same approach and methods to rate insurer financial health; (2) rating scales and descriptions of ratings varied by agency and over time; (3) one agency placed far less reliance than the other agencies on analysts' judgment; (4) one agency rated more than half of all insurers; (5) two of the agencies were less likely than the other agencies to assign insurers their top ratings; (6) two agencies provided the most comprehensive coverage of life and health insurers; (7) the agencies generally agreed on whether the insurers were secure or vulnerable; and (8) one agency was more likely to assign vulnerability ratings to financially impaired or insolvent insurers.
Oct 13, 2020
-
DOD Financial Management:
Continued Efforts Needed to Correct Material Weaknesses Identified in Financial Statement AuditsGAO-21-157: Published: Oct 13, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 13, 2020.
Oct 7, 2020
-
The Nation's Fiscal Health:
A Long-Term Plan Is Needed for Fiscal SustainabilityGAO-21-161T: Published: Oct 7, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 7, 2020. -
Unaccompanied Children:
Actions Needed to Improve Grant Application Reviews and Oversight of Care FacilitiesGAO-20-609: Published: Sep 15, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 7, 2020.
Sep 30, 2020
-
Financial Management:
DOD Needs to Implement Comprehensive Plans to Improve Its Systems EnvironmentGAO-20-252: Published: Sep 30, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 30, 2020.
Sep 9, 2020
-
Defense Real Property:
DOD-Wide Strategy Needed to Address Control Issues and Improve Reliability of RecordsGAO-20-615: Published: Sep 9, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 9, 2020.
Aug 25, 2020
-
Management Report:
Improvements Needed in Controls over the Processes Used to Prepare the U.S. Consolidated Financial StatementsGAO-20-586: Published: Aug 25, 2020. Publicly Released: Aug 25, 2020.
Aug 6, 2020
-
Federal Financial Management:
Substantial Progress Made since Enactment of the 1990 CFO Act; Refinements Would Yield Added BenefitsGAO-20-566: Published: Aug 6, 2020. Publicly Released: Aug 6, 2020.
Jun 17, 2020
-
Improper Payments:
Improvements Needed to Ensure Reliability and Accuracy in DOE's Risk Assessments and ReportingGAO-20-442: Published: Jun 17, 2020. Publicly Released: Jun 17, 2020.
Jun 10, 2020
-
Civil Monetary Penalties:
Review of Federal Agencies' Compliance with the 2019 Annual Inflation Adjustment RequirementsGAO-20-538R: Published: Jun 10, 2020. Publicly Released: Jun 10, 2020.
Jun 8, 2020
-
Inspectors General:
Independence Principles and Considerations for ReformGAO-20-639R: Published: Jun 8, 2020. Publicly Released: Jun 8, 2020.
Looking for more? Browse all our products here

Explore our Key Issues on Auditing and Financial Management