OREANDA-NEWS. Fitch Ratings has assigned New Zealand-based MARAC Insurance Limited (MARAC) an Insurer Financial Strength (IFS) Rating of 'BBB+'. The Outlook is Stable.

KEY RATING DRIVERS
MARAC's rating takes into account the operational benefits it receives from being 100% owned by Heartland Bank Limited (HBL, BBB/Stable). MARAC's operations are closely integrated with that of HBL. The insurer has no direct employees as all services are performed by HBL for a management fee. Fitch believes HBL would be willing to provide support to MARAC, if needed, as MARAC provides complementary insurance products to HBL's customers. This relationship in turn provides MARAC with a sustained customer base.

For notching purposes, the regulatory environment of New Zealand is assessed by Fitch as being Effective, and classified as following a ring-fencing approach. A baseline recovery assumption of Good applies to the IFS rating, and a standard one-notch uplift was applied to the IFS "anchor" rating from the implied IDR of MARAC, which follows closely that of its parent.

The rating also takes into consideration MARAC's consistently sound financial fundamentals. The insurer achieved a 12.4% pre-tax return on assets in the financial year ended 31 June 2015 (FY15) and averaged 14% over the last five years. Management forecasted that its healthy financial performance will be maintained over FY16.

MARAC's capital level is commensurate with its business profile, although the absolute capital base is modest. At end-June 2015, its regulatory solvency ratio was 132%, in excess of the regulatory minimum of 100%.

However, MARAC is a small player with a market share of less than 2% in the classes that it underwrites. These include two key life and general insurance products which are mainly sold in conjunction with vehicle financing originated by the parent company, HBL.

Operational and external risks to the franchise, no matter how remote, could be potentially volatile for small and niche players like MARAC.

RATING SENSITIVITIES
Triggers for an upgrade: The key upgrade trigger for MARAC would be an upgrade in HBL's rating, given the close integration of MARAC's operations with that of HBL.

Triggers for a downgrade: MARAC's rating would be downgraded should HBL be downgraded. The company could be downgraded should its regulatory capital ratio fall close to 105% without detailed plans by management to improve it, or if its financial performance deteriorates significantly. A breach of prudential solvency requirements with regulatory capital ratio below 100% would likely have serious implications and could result in the withdrawal of the company's license.