Allstate Corporation (The) -- Moody’s affirms Allstate’s ratings (A3 senior) upon sale of life insurance business; outlook stable

background image

Rating Action:

Moody’s affirms Allstate’s ratings (A3 senior) upon sale

of life insurance business; outlook stable

28 January 2021

New York, January 28, 2021 -- Moody’s Investors Service has affirmed the A3 senior debt rating

of The Allstate Corporation (Allstate; NYSE: ALL), and the Aa3 insurance financial strength (IFS)

ratings of Allstate Insurance Company (AIC) and certain of its property-casualty subsidiaries.

The rating outlook for Allstate and its P&C operations is stable. In the same action, Moody's also

has downgraded the IFS ratings of Allstate Life Insurance Company (ALIC), Allstate Assurance

Company (AAC) and Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York (ALNY) to A3 from A2, and

placed the ratings on review for further downgrade. For a complete rating list, please see below. The

rating outlook for Allstate is stable.
These actions follow Allstate’s announcement that it will sell ALIC and AAC to entities managed by

Blackstone for $2.8 billion, including a pre-closing dividend from ALIC of up to $400 million. The

parties expect to close the transaction in the second half of 2021, pending regulatory approvals.

Allstate plans to retain ALNY but is pursuing alternatives to sell or transfer the risk to a third party.
Please click on this link

https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?

docid=PBC_1000004200

for the List of Affected Credit Ratings. This list is an integral part of this

Press Release and identifies each affected issuer.
RATINGS RATIONALE
The rating agency said the pending transaction reduces Allstate’s interest rate and investment risk

and allows the company to focus on its P&C operations and services business. Partly offsetting

these benefits, the sale of ALIC and ACC reduces Allstate’s product diversification and lowers its

operating earnings by around 10% on average. Allstate expects to record a $3.1 billion GAAP loss

on the sale in the first quarter of 2021.
P&C OPERATIONS AND PARENT COMPANY
According to Moody's, the affirmation of the Aa3 IFS ratings on AIC and its rated property-

casualty affiliates reflects the group's formidable competitive position in the US market for personal

automobile and homeowners insurance, its excellent brand recognition, diversified revenue and

earnings streams, multiple distribution channels and consistent cash flow generation. These

strengths are offset by the company's exposure to catastrophes, intense competition from direct auto

insurance writers, its active capital management philosophy as well as regulatory challenges given

the politically sensitive nature of the personal lines market.
For the first nine months of 2020, Allstate reported net income applicable to common shareholders

of $3.0 billion reflecting strong personal auto underwriting margins primarily due to lower auto loss

frequency, which was offset in part by higher catastrophe losses in its homeowners business, lower

net investment income and a restructuring charge related to its Transformative Growth Plan. Allstate

also reported lower life and annuity income driven by ultra low interest rates.
Moody's views the portfolio of liquid assets maintained at the holding company and its unregulated

subsidiary Kennett Capital, Inc. as available for future capital needs at Allstate's property-liability

background image

operations as well as funding needs at the holding company. The holding company's primary source

of cash flow is statutory dividend capacity from Allstate Insurance Company.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS
Factors that could lead to an upgrade of the P&C group and parent ratings include: pretax earnings

coverage of interest and preferred dividends exceeding 10x; improvement in the risk adjusted capital

position of AIC; and total financial leverage consistently below 25%. Factors that could lead to a

downgrade of the P&C group and parent ratings include: material reduction in capital supporting

the P&C business (including liquidity at the holding company and its investment subsidiary); pretax

earnings coverage of interest and preferred dividends consistently below 6x; catastrophe losses

greater than one year's worth of earnings; sustained increase in total financial leverage materially

above 30%.
RATINGS RATIONALE
Life Operations
The downgrade of the life IFS ratings reflects the removal of the one notch of uplift associated with

implicit financial support from Allstate following the announced sale of ALIC and AAC to Blackstone

as well as Allstate’s intent to sell or transfer risk of ALNY. The review for further downgrade reflects

Allstate’s intention to stop selling new life insurance business, effectively placing the entities into

runoff which weakens their business profile. The review will focus on prospective profitability and

capitalization of the individual subsidiaries.
The A3 IFS rating on ALIC, ALNY, and AAC is currently based on Allstate's ownership and the

life group’s lower risk life insurance and accident and health policies. These strengths are offset

by the group's narrow business focus and its relatively high investment risk. Although investment

performance has been solid, the company has significant holdings in alternative investments and

below investment grade bonds, and remains sensitive to a stress scenario. The company also

continues to have significant exposure to interest-sensitive fixed annuity liabilities.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS
Moody's said the life entities’ A3 IFS rating could be confirmed and the outlook changed to stable if

the transaction does not close and Allstate continues writing new life insurance business. Factors

that could lead to a downgrade of the life operations include: closing of the sale to Blackstone;

returns on capital consistently below 4%; or a decline in regulatory risk-based capital ratio below

250% (company action level).
The following ratings have been affirmed:
The Allstate Corporation: senior unsecured debt at A3; subordinated debt at Baa1(hyb); junior

subordinated debt at Baa1(hyb); non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock at Baa2(hyb)/Baa3(hyb);

short term commercial paper rating at Prime-2; provisional senior unsecured shelf at (P)A3;

provisional subordinated shelf at (P)Baa1; provisional preferred stock shelf at (P)Baa2; non-

cumulative preferred stock shelf at (P)Baa2;
Allstate Insurance Company - insurance financial strength at Aa3;
Allstate Indemnity Company - insurance financial strength at Aa3;
Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company - insurance financial strength at Aa3;
Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company - insurance financial strength at Aa3;

background image

Allstate Financing VII - provisional guaranteed trust preferred securities at (P)Baa1;
Allstate Financing VIII - provisional guaranteed trust preferred securities at (P)Baa1;
Allstate Financing IX - provisional guaranteed trust preferred securities at (P)Baa1;
Allstate Financing X- provisional guaranteed trust preferred securities at (P)Baa1.
The outlook for the above entities remains stable.
The following ratings have been downgraded and placed under review for further downgrade:
Allstate Assurance Company – long-term insurance financial strength at A3;
Allstate Life Insurance Company – long-term insurance financial strength at A3;
Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York – long-term insurance financial strength at A3.
The outlook for the above entities changed to ratings under review from stable.
The following rating has been downgraded:
Allstate Life Insurance Company - short-term insurance financial strength at Prime-2.
The principal methodologies used in rating The Allstate Corporation, Allstate Financing VII,

Allstate Financing VIII, Allstate Financing IX, and Allstate Financing X were Life Insurers

Methodology published in November 2019 and available at

https://www.moodys.com/

researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1187348

, and Property and Casualty

Insurers Methodology published in November 2019 and available at

https://www.moodys.com/

researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1187352

. The principal methodology used

in rating Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate Indemnity Company, Allstate

Insurance Company, and Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company was Property

and Casualty Insurers Methodology published in November 2019 and available at

https://

www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1187352

. The principal

methodology used in rating Allstate Assurance Company, Allstate Life Insurance Company,

and Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York was Life Insurers Methodology published in

November 2019 and available at

https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?

docid=PBC_1187348

. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com

for a copy of these methodologies.
The Allstate Corporation, based in Northbrook, IL, is a publicly-traded holding company that is

engaged, through its subsidiaries, in providing personal property-liability insurance, life insurance

and retirement and investment products in the US and Canada. For the first nine months of 2020,

Allstate reported net income applicable to common shareholders of approximately $3.0 billion. Total

assets were $123 billion and shareholders' equity was $27.3 billion as of September 30, 2020.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
The List of Affected Credit Ratings announced here are a mix of solicited and unsolicited credit

ratings. Additionally, the List of Affected Credit Ratings includes additional disclosures that

vary with regard to some of the ratings. Please click on this link

https://www.moodys.com/

researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1000004200

for the List of Affected Credit

Ratings. This list is an integral part of this Press Release and provides, for each of the credit ratings

covered, Moody’s disclosures on the following items:
• Rating Solicitation

background image

• Issuer Participation
• Participation: Access to Management
• Participation: Access to Internal Documents
• Disclosure to Rated Entity
• Endorsement
• Lead Analyst
• Releasing Office
• Person Approving the Credit Rating
For further specification of Moody’s key rating assumptions and sensitivity analysis, see

the sections Methodology Assumptions and Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure

form. Moody’s Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at:

https://www.moodys.com/

researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004

.

For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of debt or security this announcement

provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or

note of the same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant to a program for which the

ratings are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's rating practices.

For ratings issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures

in relation to the credit rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular credit

rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating.

For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the

provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned subsequent

to the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not

changed prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would have affected the

rating. For further information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective

issuer on www.moodys.com.
For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit support from the primary entity(ies)

of this credit rating action, and whose ratings may change as a result of this credit rating action, the

associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity. Exceptions to this approach

exist for the following disclosures, if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure to rated

entity, Disclosure from rated entity.
Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit rating and, if applicable, the

related rating outlook or rating review.
Moody’s general principles for assessing environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks in our

credit analysis can be found at

https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?

docid=PBC_1243406

.

The below contact information is provided for information purposes only. Please see the ratings tab

of the issuer page at www.moodys.com, for each of the ratings covered, Moody’s disclosures on the

lead rating analyst and the Moody’s legal entity that has issued the ratings.
Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to the lead rating analyst and to the

Moody's legal entity that has issued the rating.

background image

Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for additional regulatory

disclosures for each credit rating.
Michael Dion, CFA

VP-Senior Analyst

Financial Institutions Group

Moody's Investors Service, Inc.

250 Greenwich Street

New York, NY 10007

U.S.A.

JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376

Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
Sarah Hibler

Associate Managing Director

Financial Institutions Group

JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376

Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
Releasing Office:

Moody's Investors Service, Inc.

250 Greenwich Street

New York, NY 10007

U.S.A.

JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376

Client Service: 1 212 553 1653

© 2021 Moody’s Corporation, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., Moody’s Analytics, Inc. and/or their

licensors and affiliates (collectively, “MOODY’S”). All rights reserved.
CREDIT RATINGS ISSUED BY MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS AFFILIATES ARE THEIR CURRENT

OPINIONS OF THE RELATIVE FUTURE CREDIT RISK OF ENTITIES, CREDIT COMMITMENTS,

OR DEBT OR DEBT-LIKE SECURITIES, AND MATERIALS, PRODUCTS, SERVICES AND

INFORMATION PUBLISHED BY MOODY’S (COLLECTIVELY, “PUBLICATIONS”) MAY INCLUDE

SUCH CURRENT OPINIONS. MOODY’S DEFINES CREDIT RISK AS THE RISK THAT AN

ENTITY MAY NOT MEET ITS CONTRACTUAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS AS THEY COME

DUE AND ANY ESTIMATED FINANCIAL LOSS IN THE EVENT OF DEFAULT OR IMPAIRMENT.

SEE APPLICABLE MOODY’S RATING SYMBOLS AND DEFINITIONS PUBLICATION FOR

INFORMATION ON THE TYPES OF CONTRACTUAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS ADDRESSED

BY MOODY’S CREDIT RATINGS. CREDIT RATINGS DO NOT ADDRESS ANY OTHER RISK,

INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: LIQUIDITY RISK, MARKET VALUE RISK, OR PRICE

VOLATILITY. CREDIT RATINGS, NON-CREDIT ASSESSMENTS (“ASSESSMENTS”), AND

OTHER OPINIONS INCLUDED IN MOODY’S PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT STATEMENTS

OF CURRENT OR HISTORICAL FACT. MOODY’S PUBLICATIONS MAY ALSO INCLUDE

QUANTITATIVE MODEL-BASED ESTIMATES OF CREDIT RISK AND RELATED OPINIONS

OR COMMENTARY PUBLISHED BY MOODY’S ANALYTICS, INC. AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES.

MOODY’S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS DO

NOT CONSTITUTE OR PROVIDE INVESTMENT OR FINANCIAL ADVICE, AND MOODY’S

background image

CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AND

DO NOT PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO PURCHASE, SELL, OR HOLD PARTICULAR

SECURITIES. MOODY’S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND

PUBLICATIONS DO NOT COMMENT ON THE SUITABILITY OF AN INVESTMENT FOR ANY

PARTICULAR INVESTOR. MOODY’S ISSUES ITS CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS AND

OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLISHES ITS PUBLICATIONS WITH THE EXPECTATION AND

UNDERSTANDING THAT EACH INVESTOR WILL, WITH DUE CARE, MAKE ITS OWN STUDY

AND EVALUATION OF EACH SECURITY THAT IS UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR PURCHASE,

HOLDING, OR SALE.
MOODY’S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS, AND PUBLICATIONS

ARE NOT INTENDED FOR USE BY RETAIL INVESTORS AND IT WOULD BE RECKLESS

AND INAPPROPRIATE FOR RETAIL INVESTORS TO USE MOODY’S CREDIT RATINGS,

ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS OR PUBLICATIONS WHEN MAKING AN INVESTMENT

DECISION. IF IN DOUBT YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR FINANCIAL OR OTHER

PROFESSIONAL ADVISER.
ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS PROTECTED BY LAW, INCLUDING BUT NOT

LIMITED TO, COPYRIGHT LAW, AND NONE OF SUCH INFORMATION MAY BE COPIED OR

OTHERWISE REPRODUCED, REPACKAGED, FURTHER TRANSMITTED, TRANSFERRED,

DISSEMINATED, REDISTRIBUTED OR RESOLD, OR STORED FOR SUBSEQUENT USE FOR

ANY SUCH PURPOSE, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN ANY FORM OR MANNER OR BY ANY

MEANS WHATSOEVER, BY ANY PERSON WITHOUT MOODY’S PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT.
MOODY’S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS ARE

NOT INTENDED FOR USE BY ANY PERSON AS A BENCHMARK AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED

FOR REGULATORY PURPOSES AND MUST NOT BE USED IN ANY WAY THAT COULD RESULT

IN THEM BEING CONSIDERED A BENCHMARK.
All information contained herein is obtained by MOODY’S from sources believed by it to be

accurate and reliable. Because of the possibility of human or mechanical error as well as other

factors, however, all information contained herein is provided “AS IS” without warranty of any kind.

MOODY'S adopts all necessary measures so that the information it uses in assigning a credit

rating is of sufficient quality and from sources MOODY'S considers to be reliable including, when

appropriate, independent third-party sources. However, MOODY’S is not an auditor and cannot

in every instance independently verify or validate information received in the rating process or in

preparing its Publications.
To the extent permitted by law, MOODY’S and its directors, officers, employees, agents,

representatives, licensors and suppliers disclaim liability to any person or entity for any indirect,

special, consequential, or incidental losses or damages whatsoever arising from or in connection

with the information contained herein or the use of or inability to use any such information, even if

MOODY’S or any of its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, licensors or suppliers

is advised in advance of the possibility of such losses or damages, including but not limited to:

(a) any loss of present or prospective profits or (b) any loss or damage arising where the relevant

financial instrument is not the subject of a particular credit rating assigned by MOODY’S.
To the extent permitted by law, MOODY’S and its directors, officers, employees, agents,

representatives, licensors and suppliers disclaim liability for any direct or compensatory losses

or damages caused to any person or entity, including but not limited to by any negligence (but

excluding fraud, willful misconduct or any other type of liability that, for the avoidance of doubt,

by law cannot be excluded) on the part of, or any contingency within or beyond the control of,

MOODY’S or any of its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, licensors or suppliers,

background image

arising from or in connection with the information contained herein or the use of or inability to use

any such information.
NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE ACCURACY, TIMELINESS,

COMPLETENESS, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE OF

ANY CREDIT RATING, ASSESSMENT, OTHER OPINION OR INFORMATION IS GIVEN OR MADE

BY MOODY’S IN ANY FORM OR MANNER WHATSOEVER.
Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., a wholly-owned credit rating agency subsidiary of Moody’s

Corporation (“MCO”), hereby discloses that most issuers of debt securities (including corporate and

municipal bonds, debentures, notes and commercial paper) and preferred stock rated by Moody’s

Investors Service, Inc. have, prior to assignment of any credit rating, agreed to pay to Moody’s

Investors Service, Inc. for credit ratings opinions and services rendered by it fees ranging from

$1,000 to approximately $5,000,000. MCO and Moody’s Investors Service also maintain policies

and procedures to address the independence of Moody’s Investors Service credit ratings and credit

rating processes. Information regarding certain affiliations that may exist between directors of MCO

and rated entities, and between entities who hold credit ratings from Moody’s Investors Service and

have also publicly reported to the SEC an ownership interest in MCO of more than 5%, is posted

annually at

www.moodys.com

under the heading “Investor Relations — Corporate Governance —

Director and Shareholder Affiliation Policy.”
Additional terms for Australia only: Any publication into Australia of this document is pursuant to the

Australian Financial Services License of MOODY’S affiliate, Moody’s Investors Service Pty Limited

ABN 61 003 399 657AFSL 336969 and/or Moody’s Analytics Australia Pty Ltd ABN 94 105 136

972 AFSL 383569 (as applicable). This document is intended to be provided only to “wholesale

clients” within the meaning of section 761G of the Corporations Act 2001. By continuing to access

this document from within Australia, you represent to MOODY’S that you are, or are accessing

the document as a representative of, a “wholesale client” and that neither you nor the entity you

represent will directly or indirectly disseminate this document or its contents to “retail clients” within

the meaning of section 761G of the Corporations Act 2001. MOODY’S credit rating is an opinion as

to the creditworthiness of a debt obligation of the issuer, not on the equity securities of the issuer or

any form of security that is available to retail investors.
Additional terms for Japan only: Moody's Japan K.K. (“MJKK”) is a wholly-owned credit rating agency

subsidiary of Moody's Group Japan G.K., which is wholly-owned by Moody’s Overseas Holdings Inc.,

a wholly-owned subsidiary of MCO. Moody’s SF Japan K.K. (“MSFJ”) is a wholly-owned credit rating

agency subsidiary of MJKK. MSFJ is not a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization

(“NRSRO”). Therefore, credit ratings assigned by MSFJ are Non-NRSRO Credit Ratings. Non-

NRSRO Credit Ratings are assigned by an entity that is not a NRSRO and, consequently, the rated

obligation will not qualify for certain types of treatment under U.S. laws. MJKK and MSFJ are credit

rating agencies registered with the Japan Financial Services Agency and their registration numbers

are FSA Commissioner (Ratings) No. 2 and 3 respectively.
MJKK or MSFJ (as applicable) hereby disclose that most issuers of debt securities (including

corporate and municipal bonds, debentures, notes and commercial paper) and preferred stock rated

by MJKK or MSFJ (as applicable) have, prior to assignment of any credit rating, agreed to pay to

MJKK or MSFJ (as applicable) for credit ratings opinions and services rendered by it fees ranging

from JPY125,000 to approximately JPY550,000,000.
MJKK and MSFJ also maintain policies and procedures to address Japanese regulatory

requirements.