Affirmative Insurance Holdings Leads Wednesday's AMBG; Global Insurance Index Rises 0.25%

OLDWICK, N.J., Oct 02, 2008 (A. M. Best via COMTEX) -- GLRE | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- The AMBG closed Wednesday, Oct. 1, at 951.43 (+0.25%). Of the 15 A.M. Best stock indexes, seven rose and eight declined. Leading A.M. Best's Global Insurance Composite Index (AMBG) were Affirmative Insurance Holdings Inc. (+26.90%) and American International Group Inc. (+18.62%). Trailing the list of global insurance stocks were Greenlight Capital Re (-22.14%) and American Equity Inv. Life (-19.73%).

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

Asia/Pacific Insurance Index (AMBAP) +4.36%

Global Reinsurance Index (AMBGR) +2.12%

Global Non-Life Insurance Index (AMBGNL) +1.95%

U.S. Property/Casualty Insurance Index (AMBUPC) +1.49%

European Insurance Index (AMBEUR) +1.11%

Global Composite Index (AMBG) +0.25%

Global Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBGML) +0.23%

U.S. Health and HMO Insurance Index (AMBUH) -0.06%

U.S. Insurance Index (AMBUS) -0.74%

Global Life Insurance Index (AMBGL) -1.28%

U.S. Insurance Brokers Index (AMBUB) -1.52%

Global Insurance Brokers Index (AMBGB) -1.61%

U.S. Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBUML) -1.62%

U.S. Life and Health/HMO Insurance Index (AMBULH) -2.80%

U.S. Life Insurance Index (AMBUL) -4.83%

The U.S. Insurance Index (AMBUS) closed at 889.96 (-0.74%). Leading the AMBUS were Affirmative Insurance Holdings Inc. (+26.90%) and AIG (+18.62%). Trailing the AMBUS were Greenlight Capital Re (-22.14%) and American Equity Inv. Life (-19.73%).

The European Insurance Index (AMBEUR) closed at 1014.59 (+1.11%)%. Leading the AMBEUR were ING Groep N.V. (+6.16%) and Axa S.A. (+5.83%). Trailing the AMBEUR were Legal & General Group (-4.90%) and Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc (-4.36%).

The Asia/Pacific Insurance Index (AMBAP) closed at 1300.36 (+4.36%). Leading the AMBAP were Nipponkoa Insurance (+7.12%) and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group Holdings (+6.02%). Trailing the AMBAP were LIG Insurance Co. (-6.79%) and QBE Insurance Group Ltd. (-0.23%).

The Global Reinsurance Index (AMBGR) closed at 1129.49 (+2.12%). Leading the AMBGR were Flagstone Reinsurance Holdings (+7.89%) and W.R. Berkley Corp. (+7.86%). Trailing the AMBGR were Reinsurance Group of America Inc. (-6.13%) and Everest Re Group (-5.14%).

The Global Broker Index (AMBGB) closed at 1094.08 (-1.61%). Leading the AMBGB were Marsh & McLennan Cos. (+0.25%) and Brown & Brown (+0.23%). Trailing the AMBGB were AmTrust Financial Services Inc. (-8.46%) and Aon (-4.89%).

The Global Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBGML) closed at 733.78 (+0.23%). Leading the AMBGML were AIG (+18.62%) and Atlantic American Corp. (+17.54%). Trailing the AMBGML were Assurant (-8.44%) and Hartford Financial Services Group (-7.03%).

The Global Nonlife Insurance Index (AMBGNL) closed at 1195.49 (+1.95%). Leading the AMBGNL were Affirmative Insurance Holdings Inc. (+26.90%) and CNA Surety (+13.71%). Trailing the AMBGNL were Greenlight Capital Re (-22.14%) and National Interstate Corp. (-7.37%).

The Global Life Insurance Index (AMBGL) closed at 934.47 (-1.28%). Leading the AMBGL were Conseco (+13.64%) and ING Groep N.V. (+6.16%). Trailing the AMBGL were American Equity Inv. Life (-19.73%) and Phoenix Cos. (-17.75%).

The U.S. Property/Casualty Index (AMBUPC) closed at 1213.09 (+1.49%). Leading the AMBUPC were Affirmative Insurance Holdings Inc. (+26.90%) and CNA Surety (+13.71%). Trailing the AMBUPC were Greenlight Capital Re (-22.14%) and National Interstate Corp. (-7.37%).

The U.S. Multi-Line Insurance Index (AMBUML) closed at 280.76 (-1.62%). Leading the AMBUML were AIG (+18.62%) and Atlantic American Corp. (+17.54%). Trailing the AMBUML were Assurant (-8.44%) and Hartford Financial Services Group (-7.03%).

The U.S. Life Insurance Index (AMBUL) closed at 1105.96 (-4.83%). Leading the AMBUL were Conseco (+13.64%) and Presidential Life Corp. (+2.09%). Trailing the AMBUL were American Equity Inv. Life (-19.73%) and Phoenix Cos. (-17.75%).

The U.S. Life and Health/HMO Insurance Index (AMBULH) closed at 1014.15 (-2.80%). Leading the AMBULH were Conseco (+13.64%) and Aetna (+3.66%). Trailing the AMBULH were American Equity Inv. Life (-19.73%) and Phoenix Cos. (-17.75%).

The U.S. Health and HMO Index (AMBUH) closed at 914.64 (-0.06%). Leading the AMBUH were Aetna (+3.66%) and WellPoint (+1.56%). Trailing the AMBUH were Penn Treaty American (-8.23%) and Triple-S Management Corp. (-6.38%).

The U.S. Insurance Brokers Index (AMBUB) closed at 1078.29 (-1.52%). Leading the AMBUB were Marsh & McLennan Cos. (+0.25%) and Brown & Brown (+0.23%). Trailing the AMBUB were AmTrust Financial Services Inc. (-8.46%) and Aon (-4.89%).

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

The A.M. Best stock indexes cover 182 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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