Kansas City Life Insurance Leads Friday's AMBG as Global Insurance Index Rises 0.99%

OLDWICK, N.J., Aug 11, 2008 (A. M. Best via COMTEX) -- KCLI | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- The AMBG closed Friday, Aug. 8, at 1055.32 (+0.99%). Of the 15 A.M. Best stock indexes, 12 rose and three declined. Leading A.M. Best's Global Insurance Composite Index (AMBG) were Kansas City Life Insurance (+10.87%) and FBL Financial Group (+8.79%). Trailing the list of global insurance stocks were Atlantic American Corp. (-10.19%) and National Security Group (-9.01%).

The U.S. Health and HMO Insurance Index led the sector indexes, with the Asia/Pacific Insurance Index trailing the list. In descending order, the A.M. Best Insurance Stock Indexes closed at:

U.S. Health and HMO Insurance Index (AMBUH) +4.01%

U.S. Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBUML) +3.65%

U.S. Life and Health/HMO Insurance Index (AMBULH) +3.48%

U.S. Insurance Brokers Index (AMBUB) +3.20%

Global Insurance Brokers Index (AMBGB) +3.06%

U.S. Life Insurance Index (AMBUL) +3.05%

U.S. Insurance Index (AMBUS) +2.72%

Global Life Insurance Index (AMBGL) +2.03%

U.S. Property/Casualty Insurance Index (AMBUPC) +1.42%

Global Composite Index (AMBG) +0.99%

Global Non-Life Insurance Index (AMBGNL) +0.27%

Global Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBGML) +0.19%

Global Reinsurance Index (AMBGR) -0.76%

European Insurance Index (AMBEUR) -1.19%

Asia/Pacific Insurance Index (AMBAP) -2.19%

The U.S. Insurance Index (AMBUS) closed at 976.69 (+2.72%). Leading the AMBUS were Kansas City Life Insurance (+10.87%) and FBL Financial Group (+8.79%). Trailing the AMBUS were Atlantic American Corp. (-10.19%) and National Security Group (-9.01%).

The European Insurance Index (AMBEUR) closed at 1184.72 (-1.19%)%. Leading the AMBEUR were RSA Insurance Group plc (+5.11%) and Axa S.A. (+4.12%). Trailing the AMBEUR were Chaucer Holdings (-3.95%) and Hannover Rueckversicherungs AG (-2.60%).

The Asia/Pacific Insurance Index (AMBAP) closed at 1254.43 (-2.19%). Leading the AMBAP were Tower Ltd. (+2.86%) and China Insurance International Holdings (+1.49%). Trailing the AMBAP were Aioi Insurance Co. Ltd. (-4.49%) and Nissay Dowa General Insurance (-3.54%).

The Global Reinsurance Index (AMBGR) closed at 1170.83 (-0.76%). Leading the AMBGR were XL Capital (+7.70%) and White Mountains Insurance Group (+6.21%). Trailing the AMBGR were Chaucer Holdings (-3.95%) and Korean Reinsurance Co. (-3.16%).

The Global Broker Index (AMBGB) closed at 1097.56 (+3.06%). Leading the AMBGB were Marsh & McLennan Cos. (+5.10%) and Benfield Group (+3.66%). Trailing the AMBGB were Willis Group Holdings (+0.52%) and Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc (+1.05%).

The Global Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBGML) closed at 929.24 (+0.19%). Leading the AMBGML were RSA Insurance Group plc (+5.11%) and Hartford Financial Services Group (+4.99%). Trailing the AMBGML were Atlantic American Corp. (-10.19%) and Hannover Rueckversicherungs AG (-2.60%).

The Global Nonlife Insurance Index (AMBGNL) closed at 1136.73 (+0.27%). Leading the AMBGNL were XL Capital (+7.70%) and White Mountains Insurance Group (+6.21%). Trailing the AMBGNL were National Security Group (-9.01%) and Specialty Underwriters' Alliance (-8.36%).

The Global Life Insurance Index (AMBGL) closed at 1096.07 (+2.03%). Leading the AMBGL were Kansas City Life Insurance (+10.87%) and FBL Financial Group (+8.79%). Trailing the AMBGL were Penn Treaty American (-4.06%) and Munich Re (-1.52%).

The U.S. Property/Casualty Index (AMBUPC) closed at 1121.96 (+1.42%). Leading the AMBUPC were XL Capital (+7.70%) and White Mountains Insurance Group (+6.21%). Trailing the AMBUPC were National Security Group (-9.01%) and Specialty Underwriters' Alliance (-8.36%).

The U.S. Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBUML) closed at 559.47 (+3.65%). Leading the AMBUML were Hartford Financial Services Group (+4.99%) and American International Group (+4.32%). Trailing the AMBUML were Atlantic American Corp. (-10.19%) and Unitrin (-0.31%).

The U.S. Life Insurance Index (AMBUL) closed at 1207.14 (+3.05%). Leading the AMBUL were Kansas City Life Insurance (+10.87%) and FBL Financial Group (+8.79%). Trailing the AMBUL were Nationwide Financial Services (+0.20%) and American Equity Inv. Life (+0.47%).

The U.S. Life and Health/HMO Insurance Index (AMBULH) closed at 1128.21 (+3.48%). Leading the AMBULH were Kansas City Life Insurance (+10.87%) and FBL Financial Group (+8.79%). Trailing the AMBULH were Penn Treaty American (-4.06%) and Nationwide Financial Services (+0.20%).

The U.S. Health and HMO Index (AMBUH) closed at 1042.47 (+4.01%). Leading the AMBUH were UnitedHealth Group (+6.31%) and Universal American (+5.23%). Trailing the AMBUH were Penn Treaty American (-4.06%) and Triple-S Management Corp. (+1.81%).

The U.S. Insurance Brokers Index (AMBUB) closed at 1083.67 (+3.20%). Leading the AMBUB were Marsh & McLennan Cos. (+5.10%) and Aon (+2.21%). Trailing the AMBUB were Willis Group Holdings (+0.52%) and Brown & Brown (+2.12%).

Performance rankings of companies in each A.M. Best insurance sector index are published weekly in BestWeek.

The A.M. Best stock indexes cover 178 publicly traded insurance companies and brokers. Index values are calculated by Dow Jones Indexes in U.S. dollars. Companies in the A.M. Best stock indexes include insurers and insurance-related organizations with credit ratings from A.M. Best, along with brokers. A.M. Best does not provide investment recommendations. A listing of companies in each A.M. Best Index is available at http://www.ambest.com/stocks.

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