A.M. Best Affirms Northwestern Mutual's A++ rating

Company praised for competitive advantages, loyalty and productivity of field force

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May 02, 2013, 09:00 ET

MILWAUKEE, May 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC) today announced that A.M. Best has affirmed the companies' A++ insurance financial strength rating – citing Northwestern Mutual's competitive advantages in the individual life insurance market.

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The ratings reflect Northwestern Mutual's sizable and mature participating ordinary life insurance franchise, consistently positive operating performance and superior risk-adjusted capitalization, according to A.M. Best.

Northwestern Mutual continues to hold the highest financial strength ratings awarded to any life insurer by all four of the major credit rating agencies: A.M. Best Company, A++ (highest) April 2013; Fitch Ratings, AAA (highest), December 2012; Moody's Investors Service Aaa (highest), December 2012; and Standard & Poor's AA+ (second highest), June 2012.¹

Competitive advantages, policyowner value
A.M. Best attributed the ratings to the "loyalty and productivity" of Northwestern Mutual's financial representatives and its competitive advantages, including the company's "historically favorable investment, expense, persistency and mortality experience" on its life products.

"These advantages allow Northwestern Mutual to consistently provide policyowners with dividend rates that are among the industry's highest, further contributing to the company's excellent persistency and leadership position in the individual life insurance market," A.M. Best said.

Strong long-term care sales
Despite the challenging low interest rate environment, A.M. Best noted that NLTC hasn't raised premiums on in force policies since it entered the market in 1998.

"NLTC has exhibited solid revenue growth in recent years, reflecting strong long-term care insurance sales associated with improving economic conditions, as well as several recent market exits and significant premium increases by its shrinking list of competitors," the agency said.

About Northwestern Mutual
Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI, and its subsidiaries. Northwestern Mutual is among the "World's Most Admired" life insurance companies in 2013 according to FORTUNE® magazine and has helped clients achieve financial security for more than 156 years.

As a mutual company with $1.4 trillion of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual has no shareholders. The company focuses solely and directly on its clients and seeks to deliver consistent and dependable value to them over time.

Northwestern Mutual and its subsidiaries offer a holistic approach to financial security solutions including: life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability income insurance, annuities, investment products, and advisory products and services. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company, limited purpose federal savings bank; Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company; and Russell Investments.

¹Third-party ratings are subject to change.

SOURCE Northwestern Mutual