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June 16, 2010

A.M. Best affirms Windsor's Vantis Life

Vantis Life Insurance Co. received a solid ratings review from A.M. Best Co. despite the Windsor life and annuities marketer's potential exposure in the commercial mortgage market.

Best awarded both Vantis Life and an affiliate, Vantis Life of New York, a financial strength rating of "A-‘' and an issuer credit rating of "a-‘'. Best said the outlook for all ratings is stable.

Best, whose ratings investors rely on as a measurer of insurers' financial health and stability, cited Vantis Life's well established brand in Connecticut, where it markets to medium- to large-sized banks and credit unions under its SBLI trade name.

The ratings also reflect Vantis Life's marketing and distribution strategies using licensed brokers, financial advisors and direct sales, as well as its ongoing geographic expansion efforts outside of Connecticut, Best said.

Best also said Vantis' more modest efforts to boost its annuity production are likely to have a favorable impact on the insurer's risk-adjusted capitalization.

Still, Best was cautious about Vantis' "material exposure'' to commercial mortgage-backed securities and financial-sector corporate bonds that may expose Vantis "to additional asset impairments should economic conditions deterioriate again.''

In Vantis' favor, Best said, is that its mortgage securities portfolio is filled with the more highly rated and earlier investments and is deeply subordinated.

Vantis could not be immediately reached for comment.

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